Card Talk
Ben Christian
The Angel of Death (Hezekiah 3:18): A ...

It’s now time to address that scythe wielding, six winged, cherub whose coming heralds fear in the heart of humanity [read that reference again] . . .

The Angel of Death (Hezekiah 3:18): A Misunderstood and Theologically Vital Non-Entity
Card Talk
Ben Christian
Peter's need for Ritalin (Mark 9:5-6) OR What ...

"Peter didn't know what the Hell he was talking about. He had no idea what the mountain-top experience really represented...Moses & Elijah represented encouragement and a reminder to be attentive to faithfulness, because dark days are coming..."

Peter's need for Ritalin (Mark 9:5-6) OR What we can learn from The Transfiguration and Other Mountain-Top Experiences
Creed Card Talk
Ben Christian
“Although Surprising to Most, the Kingdom of ...

 . . . one year we’ll defend our belief in an incarnation timed for Sukkoth as there is no way Jesus was born in December, and we’ll write the Card Talk about how the wise men did not show up until He was three years old. Eventually we’ll even address the fact that the little drummer boy was actually a drunk Roman solider looking for his estranged wife (okay, we just made that last one up) . . .

“Although Surprising to Most, the Kingdom of Heaven is really like___________”
Other, Card Talk
Ben Christian
O Come, O Come Emmanuel (Isaiah 7:14) [An ...

Sadly, this Advent Card Talk is applicable every year...

O Come, O Come Emmanuel (Isaiah 7:14) [An Advent Card Talk]
Card Talk
Ben Christian
Jesus looking for a fight (Mark 11:11) -The Two ...

In discussing how fast "faith can move mountains," Matthew cuts Mark's three-day story in half. He speeds up the pace, chronologically and theologically. 

Jesus looking for a fight (Mark 11:11) -The Two Palm Sundays
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Wide and Narrow Gates (Matthew 7:13-14) [Guest Card Talk]

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Wide and Narrow Gates (Matthew 7:13-14) [Guest Card Talk]

"When I read this card I hear a guideline and see a lens through which to evaluate what I’m doing with my life,  in a broad, whole picture view, or within a given, specific situation. It helps me make better decisions, informed by my choice to adhere to Jesus’ teachings to the best of my ability. I don’t do this out of a fear of Hell or destruction, but out of love for life – others’ as well as my own. 

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The Capable Wife and the Contentious Wife: “A quarrelsome and nagging wife” (Prv 21:19) & “A virtuous woman as defined by old Jewish men” (Prv 31) [A two-for-one Guest Card Talk]

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The Capable Wife and the Contentious Wife: “A quarrelsome and nagging wife” (Prv 21:19) & “A virtuous woman as defined by old Jewish men” (Prv 31) [A two-for-one Guest Card Talk]

"These two wives are held up sort of in opposition. The bits of Proverbs from which they come are not back-to-back, but they’re part of an ongoing comparison between desirable qualities and undesirable. Sometimes these qualities are literally about a wife, sometimes they’re about the inner life of the man being addressed. In both cases, they present two women: Woman Wisdom and Woman Folly, the good wife and the bad wife."

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guarding your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus. (Php 4:7) [A 2017 New Year's Card Talk & Minor Critique of Christian Fatalism]

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guarding your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus. (Php 4:7) [A 2017 New Year's Card Talk & Minor Critique of Christian Fatalism]

As we ponder the new year we would like to make a simple biblical suggestion: "God is in control" is often an example of Christian fatalism: an anti-intellectual, un-spiritual, amoral cop-out. God may have work to do, but so do you. 

Samson: A Cautionary Tale

Samson: A Cautionary Tale

Here's the tl:dr for the lazy: Judges does not present Samson as a hero. The context and structure of the book, as well as the context and structure of Samson's story all point to the same thing: Samson was a self-absorbed human being manipulated, not used, by God.  He is an example to be avoided, not upheld.