Host: Dr. Mark E. Powell – HST dean, Professor of Theology Presenter: Jimmy Hinton – preacher, consultant on sex abuse in the church In this session Hinton discusses Jesus’s Model for Loving and Protecting the Wounded. Important Take-aways: Be aware of language that blames the victim intentionally or unintentionally Help pay for counseling for victims…
Read MoreWhat do the Apostles Peter and Paul mean when they refer to the church – both Jewish and Gentile Chrisiains – as the People of God? Join Professor of New Testament Richard Oster as he shares this important Bible study to help us understand the mission of God and the place of the church in…
Read MoreHost: Dr. Mark E. Powell – HST dean, Professor of Theology Presenter: Jimmy Hinton – preacher, Consultant on Sex Abuse in the Church In this session Hinton discusses why churches typically do not do well in protecting children from abuses. Reasons include: Bad theologies that protect abusers and ignore victims Prioritizing forgiveness above repentance A…
Read MoreHow Abusers Routinely Get Away with Abusing Victims in Front of Our Eyes Due to the graphic nature of some of the content, this video is restricted to age 18 and older. For the purpose of age verification, you must be signed in to YouTube to watch this video. Host: Dr. Mark E. Powell –…
Read MoreDr. Jim Martin, Vice-President of Harding University and HST, sat down with Dr. Lance Hawley, Professor of Old Testament at HST, to discuss the value of studying the Old Testament at HST. Dr. Hawley shares his insight on studying the Old Testament for personal spiritual growth and for congregational ministry. Key Thoughts: If we want…
Read MoreThere are several passages in Isaiah that are common to hear at Christmas – and some that aren’t. In this three video set, Dr. Lance Hawley, professor of Old Testament, shares his thoughts about an Isaiah Christmas. Part 1: Isaiah 7.14 Part 2: Isaiah 9:6-7 References: Isaiah 28:29 – The LORD is “wonderful in counsel…
Read MoreHST is proud to share these publication updates from Dr. Mark E. Powell, Professor of Theology. His book Centered in God: The Trinity and Christian Spirituality is now available in an electronic format. The T&T Clark Handbook of Pneumatology, to which he contributed a chapter, was just released. It may be the best scholarly collection…
Read MoreIn Luke 24, Jesus visits with some disciples who do not recognize him until he breaks bread with them, at which point they do not see him anymore. Jesus was present but unseen with them just as he is present but unseen with us in communion. Parker Bullard preaches for the Poncha Springs Church of…
Read MoreWhere did the New Testament come from? How did we end up with these 27 books? Key take-aways: The Apostolic Fathers were church leaders who wrote between the end of the first century and the first half of the second century. Their use of the New Testament books in their writings gives us insight into…
Read MoreWhere did the Old Testament come from? Is there any reason that Christians should view it as the word of God? Key take-aways: The Bible did not arrive as a leather bound edition. These were individual writings collected in a book. The Old Testament books were written over about a 1,000 year period. We do…
Read MoreHave you noticed that we sometimes argue most strongly about things that are not central to who we are? Bob Turner looks at Jonathan Haidt’s The Righteous Mind* and Krister Stendahl’s Three Rules for Religious Understanding to give us a better framework for talking with people with whom we disagree. *(Amazon affiliate link – As…
Read MoreMatt Carter has often said that the one part of worship you cannot do alone is to participate in communion. He may have been wrong … or maybe not. He shares a communion meditation here that offers encouragement to those of us who find ourselves “alone” on a Sunday morning. 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 Dr. Matt…
Read MoreDr. Matt Carter and his dad Jim Carter (elder, Campus View Church of Christ) share three lessons we can learn from the school of quarantine. This was recorded as a devotional for Campus View. We lightly edited it to make it more widely applicable. Key take-aways: The Passover (Exodus 12): The Israelites were quarantined in…
Read MoreDr. Carlus Gupton provides an encouraging word from Philippians 1:3-8. The Apostle Paul is writing to people who are feeling disappointment. How should they handle it? God finishes what He starts! (verse 6) God doesn’t abandon us when the story becomes embarrassing. God recognizes that each of us is in a different stage in the…
Read MoreDuring these unsettled times of the COVID-19 pandemic, you may find yourself waiting on God to act, to bring deliverance. Waiting is hard. HST’s admissions director Matt Carter shares his thoughts on waiting. The lesson is adapted from one Dr. Carter shared via Zoom at Cordova Community Church and was influenced by a recent sermon…
Read MoreDr. Carlus Gupton has provided a curated list of resources relating to reopening the church. This is the blog post he references in the video and you’ll find links to many resources on the blog post. In this video, he and Bob Turner discuss twelve pointers for effective reopening. Don’t be in a rush to…
Read MoreThere are no clear playbooks for churches during this crisis. We are all “building the plane as we fly it.” At this stage there are questions about reopening, and there is a plethora of resources. It may help to have a vetted list. Here are my top suggestions: Practical, Procedural Perspectives – Ken Braddy’s blogs…
Read MoreRuss Turman, Media Minister at the Highland Church of Christ in Memphis, talks with Bob Turner about his workflow and some of the equipment he uses. Russ has made several videos for HST over the years, which you can see on . Here are Russ’s notes about the gear he uses: I realize this equipment…
Read MoreHST student and Church of Christ at White Station minister Clay Fowler built a studio on a Coronavirus budget to make the church’s live streams better. Equipment mentioned: Adobe Premier Pro, iMovie Camera: Panasonic HC-V770* (any video recorder with a quality lens will suffice) Capture Card: Blackmagic UltraStudio Mini Recorder (HDMI to Thunderbolt 2)* –…
Read MoreHST alum Jessi Berger, a licensed professional counselor, joins Bob Turner to talk about supporting the mental health of our friends and church members during the time when people are in stay-at-home situations. Key Take-aways: Keep your routines and healthy habits. Meaningful work and meaningful rest are important. Don’t compare your productivity to others. Do…
Read MoreDr. Carl Williamson (professor of discipleship and church planting at Harding University) and Matt Carter talk about ministry during communal trauma. Carl was leading a church plant when Superstorm Sandy devastated his community. He shares insight from that community trauma that can help ministers serving now during the Coronavirus pandemic. Key Take-aways: Don’t underestimate the…
Read MoreDr. Kevin Shelby serves as a professor in the Master’s in Professional Counseling program at Harding University on the Memphis campus. He and Dr. Matt Carter talk about the grief and trauma associated with this pandemic and how ministers can help their congregations and their own health during this time. Key Take-aways: Grief is the…
Read MoreDr. Olu Shabazz preaches for the Harlem Church of Christ in New York City, NY, in the midst of a virus hotspot. He visits with Bob Turner to share insight and hope for ministry in these difficult times. He also has served in patient relations in a hospital trauma center and brings this experience to…
Read MoreDr. Carlus Gupton and Bob Turner discuss insights and practices for church leaders in their daily work with new technology and social realities. Key takeaways: Be who you are. Stay out in front for your people. Your non-anxious presence is more important than your performance. Focus your lessons on the current need. As a general…
Read MoreDr. Carlus Gupton and Bob Turner discuss two models for church leaders to use to equip others to navigate these times of crisis. Key takeaways: The first model asks, “What do I want to be during COVID-19?” Three zones: Fear, Learning, Growth. Churches that move from fear to growth have a great opportunity to flourish…
Read MoreJimmy Stokes from the Northeast Side Church of Christ and HST’s Matt Carter discuss ministry in the age of online church. Topics covered: Communicate to your church: The church is not the building. We are still together in spirit even if we can’t touch each other. Now we’ve learned another way to reach the world.…
Read MoreEric Gentry (Highland Church of Christ) and Bob Turner (Church of Christ at White Station) discuss a survey of ministers about how they are handling ministry and worship during social distancing. The survey was published March 27, 2020 by Renew.org, a collaborative network, equipping millions of disciples, disciple makers, and church planters among all ethnicities.…
Read MoreWho’s on your Mount Rushmore of Theologians? Bob Turner visits with HST Alumnus and Harding University professor Mac Sandlin about Mac’s Mount Rushmore of Theologians. This conversation flows from the most recent issue of where Bob shares the answer to this question from a number of scholars. Footnotes is Bob Turner’s newsletter of curated resources…
Read MoreDr. Carlus Gupton shares wisdom from Ecclesiastes 3 for navigating these unsettling times. Dr. Carlus Gupton is a Professor of Ministry at HST and co-directs our Doctor of Ministry program. He began preaching at an early age, and has over 30 years of professional experience in ministry for congregations small and large. For the past…
Read MoreJuan Meza from Iglesia de Cristo at the Church of Christ at White Station speaks with Bob Turner about how the Coronavirus distancing is effecting Latinx congregations. Originally from Torreón, México, Juan Meza has served at White Station since 2014. He was baptized in the summer of 1995 and graduated from preaching school in 2004.…
Read MoreJosh Ross, preaching minister at the Sycamore View Church of Christ, shares insight on how to communicate with our congregations during these challenging times. Here are some take-aways: The congregation’s vision/mission are to root of how we communicate and how we carry out the mission in this difficult time. You don’t need to reinvent this!…
Read MoreDr. Mark Powell shares some thoughts from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Life Together (available free here) as an example for us to follow during the time of this global health crisis. During the Nazi regime, Bonhoeffer’s church and seminary were forbidden from meeting publicly. Here is a key quote: It is easily forgotten that the fellowship of…
Read MoreDr. Dave Bland walks through Psalm 1 to encourage ministers to provide stability while many church members feel disconnected, anxious, and confused as we deal with Coronavirus. Key take-aways: In the Psalm, the wicked are busy, described with many action verbs. The righteous are at peace, meditating, standing like a tree as the wicked are…
Read MoreHST Library Director Bob Turner and Vice President Jim Martin share wisdom for preachers who find themselves in a new situation of preaching online during an anxious time. As church assemblies have moved online during the current global health crisis, preachers who have trained hard and spent a career preaching in pulpits are now preaching…
Read MoreCoronavirus is impacting churches in profound ways. Here are several links with helpful resources: Coronavirus and the Church is the best one-stop for articles, white-papers, and how-to guides on most issues churches are facing. It is hosted by Dr. Rick Warren and Dr. Ed Stetzer and sponsored by The Peace Plan, The Billy Graham Center…
Read MoreDr. Allen Black shares a message of encouragement from Psalm 91. This was recorded in Zoom at virtual chapel in the online Bible program at Harding University. Special thanks to HST alumnus Dr. Tim Westbrook. Dr. Allen Black is the dean of HST and Professor of New Testament. He has been at HST since 1983,…
Read More– Dr. Mark Powell visits the Isenheim Altarpiece, painted by Matthias Grünewald between 1512 and 1516. In our time of struggle, let us point to the Wounded Healer. Thanks to HST alum Dr. Nathan Guy, president of Mars Hill Bible School in Florence, AL, for the video. This is a part of Dr. Guy’s Light…
Read MoreDr. Allen Black, dean and professor of New Testament, gives an introduction to Q. The Gospel writers used sources as they wrote their Gospels (Luke talks about this in Luke 1.1-4). Scholars believe that Matthew and Luke used Mark, but there is also about 230 verses, mostly sayings of Jesus, that appear in Matthew and…
Read MoreDr. Allen Black and Bob Turner discuss Allan Barr’s Diagram of Synoptic Relationship. The Synoptic Gospels are Matthew, Mark, and Luke, which follow the same general timeline in telling the story of Jesus and contain a lot of the same material. “Q” is the name scholars give to the material that is in Matthew and…
Read MoreDr. Allen Black and Bob Turner discuss the Septuagint on International Septuagint Day. The Septuagint (abbreviated LXX) is the translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek done in the third or second century before the time of Christ. Dr. Allen Black is the dean of HST and Professor of New Testament. He has been at…
Read MoreSubscribe to Footnotes, a free curated collection of resources, provided by your favorite ministers and scholars. Subscribe These are the books Bob referenced in the video. (These are affiliate links, so if you follow the link and purchase any of the books, HST will receive a commission without adding to your cost.)
Read MoreThere are many challenges for preachers and other church leaders working together. The preacher often is between the elders and the other members. He may not be empowered to actually lead even if he has the most training and education. The leaders may view the preacher as a hireling. Dr. Huffard offers suggestions for making…
Read MoreHere is the document referenced in Dr. Huffard’s video, The Conundrum of Preachers Leading.
Read MoreDr. Allen Black and Bob Turner talk about two important New Testament manuscripts. The New Testament was copied by hand for centuries, and today we look at two of the most important of these early manuscripts. These facsimiles and others are found in the HST Library. Key take-aways: A codex (plural codices or codexes) is…
Read MoreDr. Jim Martin, our new Vice-President, shared this message as we welcomed new students and welcomed back returning students. The following are the notes from the chapel presentation I gave on Tuesday morning, January 21, at Harding School of Theology (Memphis, Tennessee). Perhaps you will find this encouraging and a good reminder. This is the…
Read MoreChurch leaders need help finding the best resources as quickly and inexpensively as possible. Ministers build libraries not as a hobby but to have the right tools in hand when needed. Elders, deacons and ministry leaders may not acquire big collections but still often need help finding the best titles on various subjects. Often, however,…
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