520 results for tag: Brad Jersak

Q & R: Friendly Pushback on Baptism – Brad Jersak

Question: Emily Jersak (Brad's grandmother) baptized in Czechoslovakia (17 years old). I just read "Baptism and the fate of the unprepared." Overall a great message. I did want to push back slightly on your point of "why not?" Here's my push back: I once knew someone who waited decades (plural) to get baptized. His hangup for so long was that he would be alienating his very religious but non-Christian family - to the point of being disowned - if he were to be baptized. I wonder if the point ("a point") of baptism was that it was meant to be a "low barrier" into the community of faith - i.e. Judaism required circumcision to join the communi...

POLARized: the Idolatry of Ideology – Brad Jersak

“Ideologies put the polar in polarization.”

In the Apostles’ Footsteps – Part 7 – Brad Jersak – “A Better Paradise”

In this installment of "In the Apostles' Footsteps," we revisit her with an allusion from Jesus' message to the Ephesians in the Revelation of the Apostle John. 

Good Ideas for Other People – Brad Jersak

Do you ever inadvertently blurt out a line that sounds so clever you smirk to yourself in self-satisfaction? No? It’s probably best to admit it before the pride creeps in and inspires you to blog about it. Alas, for me, too late.  Somewhere recently, the words “good ideas for other people” crossed my lips ironically, and I found myself chuckling and thinking, “a good title for an aging rocker’s album… or a CWRm article!” Why the latter? Because all too often, the shadow side of religion is that it’s so liberal in spouting, shouting, or imposing its “good ideas” at and on other people… And when I’m more mindful, I ...

In the Apostles’ Footsteps – Part 4 – with Brad Jersak from Hierapolis to Laodicea

In this installment of following the Apostles' footsteps, we're still in Turkey beginning with a beautiful sunrise balloon ride over the healing hot springs of Hierapolis and a day tour of Laodicea.

In the Apostles’ Footsteps – Part 3 – with Brad Jersak & Marc Schelske at Colossae

With Brad Jersak and Marc Schelske at Colossae

CWR Video – The Gospel in Chairs – by Brad Jersak

Brad Jersak explains the Gospel in Chairs. https://youtu.be/hVmKc_Jv9CE We hope that our articles and resources bring comfort, hope, encouragement, and healing to our readers. If you’re experiencing that, please subscribe freely, share freely, and, if you’re able, please consider donating freely toward paying it forward by clicking the blue giving at the top of your screen.

“Tender to be Human” – Brad Jersak

"What a tender experience it is to be human." ~Vincent Lin

In the Apostles’ Footsteps- Part 1- at Mars Hill – Brad Jersak

Series Prologue: Brad Jersak on Mars Hill. Backdrop: Athen's Acropolis Follow Dr. Bradley Jersak, PTM’s pastoral scholar, as he walks the ancient streets of biblical cities across Türkiye and Greece—sites where Christ’s apostles once trod. Knowing that Paul the apostle or John the beloved disciple traversed those same stones is a profound experience that brings the words of Scripture to life. In this series, Brad offers reflections on key locations he visited with students and friends of St. Stephen’s University.    Part I – Mars Hill and the Acropolis in Athens   Scripture — Acts 17:22-31 (note ...

The Likely Cause of Addiction: Disconnection – reflections on Johann Hari by Michael Peterson & Brad Jersak

"The opposite of addiction is not sobriety. It is human connection."  - Johann Hari   In his Jan. 2015 article, entitled, "The Likely Cause of Addiction Has Been Discovered, and It Is Not What You Think," Johann Hari (author of Chasing The Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs) presents a strong case for believing that addictions are rooted, not in chemical hooks, but in disconnection or alienation. The best treatment, he proposes, is human connection. I.e. love.   Dr. C. Michael Peterson and Brad Jersak reflect on these findings.    Michael Peterson Two ...

Q: Has the Resurrection made Death our friend? (pt 4/4) Brad Jersak

This article completes our series on the question of whether or not Death is now our friend (click here to begin at part 1). So far, we've seen that while we must all pass through a process of dying that culminates in the event or moment of death, the resurrection of Christ radically changed the nature of death itself. It is no longer a destination or destiny to be feared in some dreary grave or gloomy underworld. Death in that sense has died and dying is a transition into the joy of the Lord. In this article, we explore surrender: a posture towards disease, dying and death:   What if we never have to ...

Jesus’ Resurrection made Death our friend (pt 3/4) Brad Jersak

In this post, part 3 of our series asking if Death is now our friend, we will discuss Dying. Unlike death, our defeated foe, dying  is an inevitable reality we can come to accept:  Dying is not the same as death. Dying is a process prior to death. In our previous posts on death, we suggested a distinction between death as a moment or event that we all experience and death as a defunct destiny or destination that we need no longer fear. To that distinction, let's add two more important clarifications: We can now regard the event or moment of death as part of the dying process.  And we can treat ...

Insults Redeemed – Brad Jersak

Jesus and Insults: “You have heard it said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder,...” But I tell you that … anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.”(Jesus, Matthew 5:21-22) “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!... Woe to you, blind guides!... Woe to you, fools!... You snakes! You brood of vipers!” (Jesus, Matthew 23:15-17, 33)   I’ve long wondered about the apparent discrepancy between Jesus’ dire warnings against the use of insults—a sin worthy of judgment—and ...

Q: Has Jesus’ Resurrection made Death our friend (pt 2/4) Brad Jersak

In this post, we will explore how Christ and the NT as a whole describe a fundamental shift in the nature of death in two essential ways as a result of Jesus' resurrection.  (CONT'D from Part 1, which is posted HERE). How have the death and resurrection of Christ fundamentally changed the nature of death itself? a. One approach is to say that death itself has changed. Death used to mean “consigned to the grave” (whatever that meant) but then with Paul, death came to mean “present with the Lord.” Death as our destiny shifts radically with Christ’s conquest of hades and the emptying of ...

Q: Has the Resurrection made Death our friend? (pt 1/4) Brad Jersak

QUESTION: Has Christ’s resurrection made death our “friend”? RESPONSE: I have reservations about calling death a friend. But I think it's worth doing an autopsy on death to explore the way Christ’s work changed not only our relationship to death, but changed the nature of death itself. I want to ask first, how is death not our friend, then how it might now be our friend and finally, how might we talk about death. So first, and easiest, why is the statement “death is our friend” not true? Most obviously, in 1 Cor. 15—dubbed “the resurrection chapter”—Paul calls death an enemy, and in fact, the last enemy to be destroyed, ...

“HOW could this happen?” Brad Jersak

"HOW could this happen?" The first words that burst from a traumatized heart are often either "Why?!" or "How?!" How could such a thing happen?! To us, to me, to my family, to my city?! When we witness devastating events or receive devastating news, the how and the why give voice to our shock. When we cannot get our heads around the tragedies and evils we experience, even second-hand, our hearts cry out, "How could this happen?" We call these howls of the afflicted "lament." And I take some comfort that the Hebrew Scriptures have a book titled "Lamentations" that give voice to those in misery. In fact, the Hebrew title comes from the ...

“American Jesus” – Beck Underwood

Source: Vimeo: "American Jesus" by  beck underwood At PTM, we hear in this animation a pseudo-gospel preached from too many pulpits across the land. Yes, it's overt, excessive, and ultimately ludicrous, but it does bear the common, essential elements of so many evangelistic sermons: fear of retribution, conversion by coercion, and rote confession under the ultimatum of eternal fiery condemnation. For those whose gospel is not retributive, coercive, or demanding,... congratulations!  You may be proclaiming good news. But it's worth checking. Does our gospel rely on the fear of punishment or the promise of rewards to incite conversions? Jesus' ...

Interpreting the Old Testament: 3 Layers – Brad Jersak

Question: I grew up in a Christian tradition where literal interpretation is the only way to read the Bible. I have always loved stories such as Elijah's confrontation with the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18) and how God came to him after Elijah fled for his life (ch. 19). But there is a lot of violence in so many of these passages that I am truly not sure how to view them as anything but literal accounts.   Response: Drawing from my book, A More Christlike Word, when we read the Bible, we certainly do begin with a literal reading. This is just the first or surface reading, bearing in mind that the Scriptures have layered meanings as ...

A Talk About the Bible – CWR Video

In this CWR Video, Brad Jersak and Ed Dunn discuss the topic of Bible study and several tools to get the most out of approaching scripture. https://vimeo.com/904160163 If this post has helped you, please subscribe and share it freely. We also invite you to help us continue to help others with a donation. Click here if you're able to partner with us

Pearls before Swine? Brad Jersak

Question: I've just been in a discussion on Matthew 7 and we were wondering about the whole "holy things to dogs and pearls to pigs" issue! Apart from the usual interpretations (Dallas Willard & Richard Rohr both give insights), is there more from a Jewish cultural/religious perspective that teaches us at a deeper level, as Rabbi Jesus always does? Thanks. Grace and peace.  Response: Greetings, friend, I've done a little digging in John Lightfoot's Commentary on the NT from the Talmud and Hebraica, and checked a number of rabbinical sites online (e.g., "Stringing Pearls"). So far, I haven't found anything beyond what we can ...