In this edited conversation, Matthew D. Kim, a friend of the CPT, talks about his 2017 book, Preaching with Cultural Intelligence: Understanding the People Who Hear Our Sermons.
It may be cause for rejoicing that someone who regularly calls his opponents ‘swineherds’ or the ‘ass to cap all asses’ (and those are some of his politer idioms) is not typically analyzed as a pastor. Martin Luther is remembered primarily for his larger than life persona, which aided his posting of the Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg and his ensuing tête-à-tête with the Pope. In fact, much of the popular media concerning last year’s 500th anniversary of the Reformation re-enforced this view of Luther as rebel prophet, persecuted saint, and defender of the gospel of grace.
The CPT has commissioned multiple worship pastors to write worship music that teach and celebrate the historic Christian doctrine of creation. The second of these songs was written by Josh Caterer, worship pastor at Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, IL. We are proud of the work that Josh has done in writing and recording this song, and we are excited to be able to share this resource with you.
The CPT is pleased to announce that Dr. Todd Wilson has been named by the CPT Board of Directors as the first President of the Center For Pastor Theologians effective June 2018.
In January of this year, the Barna Group and the Impact 360 Institute presented the results of a deep and exhaustive look at the population that has been coined “Gen Z,” the generation born between 1999 and 2015.[1] The summary of their research, while perhaps not completely surprising to parents, youth pastors and leaders, and those who regularly engage with youth culture, is notable for the picture it presents about the beliefs that are at the center of this generation’s identity.
Views about heaven abound. Some are helpful. Some are not. When it comes to the Bible, some passages about heaven come with surprises. One of those is the vision of the martyrs in Revelation 6:9-11.
Looking out the window, I see the dark outline of the temple slowly emerge against the pale light of the eastern sky. Some of the women are stirring and I suppose they are leaving for the tomb. The remaining torch casts a flickering shadow against the far wall and the noises of soft groaning and steady rocking are the only sounds that disturb the dark silence. I have not slept this night, nor have most of the others.
Should we understand the Triumphal Entry as a royal, messianic event? The most obvious indicator that the answer is “yes” may be the reference to the "Son of David" in Matt. 21:9. Additionally, in the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, both Matthew and John explicitly quote Zech. 9:9.
The CPT has commissioned multiple worship pastors to write worship music that teach and celebrate the historic Christian doctrine of creation. The first of these songs was written by Caleb Widmer, a worship pastor from Oak Creek, WI. We are very proud of the work that Caleb has done, and we are excited to be able to share this resource with you.
“Behold, the handmaid of the Lord! Be it unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38, KJV) ... I daresay that when many read Luke 1:38 today, they immediately think of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, or at least Hulu’s acclaimed screen adaptation of it. With thirty-six nominations and thirty-three wins, including the Golden Globe for Best Drama Television Series, “handmaid” now evokes the chilling story of Offred in fundamentalist Gilead. The men in charge of this nation are, of course, not truly Christian, but in the age in which we live, we cannot really blame our neighbors unfamiliar with the Gospel for drawing connections.
PODCAST: Conference Reflections
GAYLE DOORNBOS & JOEY SHERRARD
PODCAST: Becoming a Pastor Theologian
JOE STEVENS
PODCAST: In Defense of Evangelicalism
BONNIE KRISTIAN
ESSAY: Should Solomon Have Asked for Something Else? The Holy Spirit and Preaching
JIM SAMRA
