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Showing posts from October, 2022

How Much More? Praying with Persistence

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by Bart Denny Have you ever noticed how persistence changes outcomes? Parents know this all too well. A child wants a cookie before dinner, or a toy at the store, and the answer is “no.” But the request doesn’t stop there. They ask again. And again. Eventually—sometimes just for the sake of peace—we give in. Persistence works. But here’s the question: if persistence can move us—imperfect parents and imperfect people—what happens when persistence is brought before our perfect, loving, just heavenly Father? That’s the point Jesus drives home in Luke 18:1–8. He tells a parable “to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” The story contrasts two characters: a corrupt judge with no fear of God, and a powerless widow who had no advocate but one weapon—persistence. And persistence won. If a widow could win justice from an unjust judge simply by refusing to quit, how much more can God’s children expect from the most just Judge of all when we persist in prayer? Let’s expl...
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“Because of the Angels”: What’s Really Behind the Head Covering Debate?

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by Bart L. Denny, Ph.D., Th.M. If you’ve ever read 1 Corinthians 11 and found yourself puzzled by Paul’s instruction that women should cover their heads in worship “because of the angels” (v. 10), you’re not alone. This passage has sparked confusion and debate for centuries. Some, like K. P. Yohannan, argue that Paul’s words are a timeless command for all women in every church to wear head coverings in church. The reference to angels, they claim, seals it as a universal directive. But is that really what Paul intended? Let’s take a closer look. While 1 Corinthians 11 teaches principles that still matter today, the practice of head covering appears rooted in a specific time, place, and culture. And the reference to angels? It’s important, but perhaps not in the way some assume. What Did Paul Actually Say? Paul’s only mention of head coverings is in 1 Corinthians 11, a letter written to a first-century church navigating issues of gender roles, worship practices, and public witness. The p...
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The Ultimate Answer: "He is Risen"

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by Bart Denny I don’t watch much television, but when I do, I enjoy Jeopardy! It’s a quiz show with a twist: contestants are given the answer, and they have to come up with the right question. A friend of mine once joked that he is a Jeopardy! person living in a Wheel of Fortune world. Sometimes life feels the same way. We are given the answer, but we do not always recognize the question. “He is not here, for he has risen, as he said.” (Matthew 28:6) That is it. The answer. To death, despair, doubt, and to the deepest questions of the human heart. The Followers Who Saw Early on that first Easter morning, Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary” went to the tomb. An earthquake shook the ground, and an angel rolled away the stone. His words were simple and history changing: “He is risen.” They ran to tell the disciples, and on the way they met Jesus Himself. They touched His feet. They worshiped Him. These women were unlikely witnesses in their culture. If the resurrec...
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Leaders Wanted

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Have you ever been job hunting?  Sure you have unless you’re lucky enough to be independently wealthy or were born with the proverbial silver spoon in your mouth.  After theIt’s great when you find that dream job. Well, okay, maybe it’s not a dream job, but at least you don’t have to go through the grind of a job hunt anymore.  Then, suddenly, your company downsizes, you tick your boss off for the last time, or you just plain get tired of your job and know you need a new one. Time to go job hunting again. So, where do you start looking for your new job?   Before the internet, we all went to the newspaper “help wanted” ads.   Today, you go to Indeed.com or Monster or to the website of companies that you are interested in, and you look up the available jobs.   You look at an overview of the job.   You check out the qualifications for the job:   Do you have the minimum education and experience needed?   Are you overqualified?   You pay pa...
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Preaching in a Postmodern World: Holding Out Truth in an Age of Doubt

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by Bart Denny What does it mean to preach the gospel in a world where truth feels optional and everyone seems to have their own version of it? That’s the world we live in. And for pastors and preachers today, it can be disorienting. We know we’re called to proclaim God’s unchanging truth. But how do we do that in a culture where people are skeptical of authority, suspicious of institutions, and increasingly allergic to absolute claims? This isn’t just a communication problem—it’s a theological one. And it’s not new. In 1 Corinthians 9:19–23, Paul writes, “I have become all things to all people so that by every possible means I might save some.” Paul understood what missionaries and preachers today must remember: faithful preaching must also be culturally aware. So how do we preach timeless truth in a postmodern world? Let’s start by revisiting what preaching actually is. Preaching Isn’t Optional—It’s a Divine Assignment Preaching isn’t just a tradition—it’s a theological n...
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A Baptist Bride? An Analysis of “Old Landmarkism”

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This paper will show that “Old Landmarkism," or "Baptist Bride" theology, is an extreme variant of Baptist ecclesiology that is historically untenable and far out of line with traditional Baptist ecclesiology. Further, Landmarkism is also far removed from the New Testament practices Landmarkism purports to champion. This paper will briefly examine the historical roots of the Landmark Controversy and its influence on Baptist groups and denominations, particularly in the southern United States. The author will paper will examine the tenets of Landmark ecclesiology—including “Baptist succession” (or “Baptist perpetuity”), the marks of a “true” church, Baptist separation, and the Lord’s Supper. In all cases, this paper will show Landmark views of Baptist separation, succession, and the ordinances of the church—while emerging from valid concerns—are taken to an unbiblical extreme. A Brief History of the Old Landmark Movement It is beyond the scope of this paper to trace the c...
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