• Culture,  Personal,  Politics,  Theology/Bible

    Interview for ABC News Dallas

    The interview aired last night on the 10 o’clock news (see previous post). I had been wondering how my comments would come across once they were edited to fit into the report. Having seen it, I have to say that it could have been worse. They have me reading the scripture (1 Corinthians 6:9) to the effect that the “unrighteous” will not inherit the kingdom of God. But they didn’t include the part about the Gospel being for all kinds of sinners. Nevertheless, it’s always a good thing to be able to read scripture, so I can’t complain. If you want to watch the video, click here: Watch Video. If…

  • Culture,  Personal,  Politics,  Theology/Bible

    Interview for the Gospel

    The reporter who conducted the interview was Gary Reaves (pictured right). I got called on today to represent Criswell College in an interview with a local news program (Channel 8, ABC-Dallas) about the upcoming vote on whether to amend the Texas constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman. I only had about an hour or so to prepare for the interview. So I began reading stories from several different newspapers and news sources and tried to brush up on the state of the political debate. I read websites sponsored by interest groups for the amendment and others that are against the amendment. I was well-prepared to…

  • Personal,  Theology/Bible

    Book Notice

    Thank the Lord! The contract is signed, and my dissertation is scheduled to be published this summer in Sheffield Phoenix Press’s New Testament Monographs series. The book will be number 14 in the series, and the title is “Articular Infinitives in the Greek of the New Testament: On the Exegetical Benefit of Grammatical Precision.” As you can tell from the title, this book promises to be a real page-turner. I fully anticipate for Susan and me to be able to retire on the proceeds that I will receive from this blockbuster treatise. This book will likely be the surprise hit of the summer, and I expect it will be flying…

  • Personal

    Hometown Update

    I heard from my folks at about 2pm this afternoon. They are alright and are thanking God for keeping them safe and for keeping their house intact. The electric company is saying that DeRidder could be without power for up to two weeks. The people there have some hard days ahead to get the town cleaned up and back on its feet. But they weren’t hit nearly as badly as Lake Charles, which is just 45 miles southward. There is much to be thankful for as we pray for those who were hit the hardest.

  • Personal

    Status in My Hometown: DeRidder, Louisiana

    The Old “Hanging Jail” in DeRidder, Louisiana For those readers who are praying for our family in DeRidder, I have a little bit of information. I talked to the Police and the Sheriff’s office in DeRidder, and as of 11:00am this morning they said that they have not let any of their personnel out into the city yet. The wind is still blowing too hard for anyone to navigate the roads safely. In addition, there are downed power lines, uprooted trees, scattered debris, and gas leaks across town, so city officials are keeping the roads closed for now. I stayed up most of the night and kept in touch with…

  • Personal,  Theology/Bible

    A Song for Family & Friends Waiting for Rita

    “God Moves in a Mysterious Way” by William Cowper (1731-1800) ————— God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform; He plants His footsteps in the sea And rides upon the storm. Deep in unfathomable mines Of never failing skill He treasures up His bright designs And works His sovereign will. Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; The clouds ye so much dread Are big with mercy and shall break In blessings on your head. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust Him for His grace; Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face. His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hour; The bud may have…

  • Personal

    Watching, Waiting, Praying

    Hurricane Rita I was scheduled to preach at First Baptist Church DeRidder, LA Sunday morning. But as of this morning, those plans have been cancelled because of Hurricane Rita. DeRidder is my hometown. I spoke with my parents this morning, and they are going to stay there until the storm is over. My dad is the principle of Singer High School, and FEMA has just made his school into a shelter for those fleeing to the north from south Louisiana. So he has to stay in any case to supervise that facility. DeRidder is far enough inland that it should not get the destructive winds and flooding that will hammer…

  • Personal

    Lawlessness and Terror at the Convention Center

    We passed this police car which was abandoned right in front of the Convention Center. It’s dilapidated condition stands a symbolic reminder of the inadequacy of the force that was left to guard the Convention Center when nearly 20,000 people were stranded there. As I wrote in my previous post, I spent the majority of my time in New Orleans working at the Convention Center. The rubble left behind there that I witnessed told a terrible and tragic story. The thousands of people who were turned away from the shelter at the Superdome were directed to the Convention Center just ten blocks away. The place descended into a dark hole…

  • Personal

    Criswell College Students Go into the Aftermath of Katrina

    Preparing food for the Salvation Army Mobile Canteens at 3:30am. Photo by Josh Ramsey. We parked our Canteen truck right next to the tents where military vehicles were dropping off and processing evacuees in front of the now infamous Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. This was the site that saw thousands of New Orleans residents stranded without food and bathrooms for days after the levees broke. It became a den of misery and lawlessness. A Military Policeman informed me that when the army arrived, they found dead bodies inside the Convention Center—bodies that had been brutalized, some apparently mugged and others raped. It is places like these…

  • Personal

    More Scenes from New Orleans

    Band of Cobelligerents: Denny, Mark (SBC), George, and Mike (Salvation Army). These are the four who manned our Canteen truck. Denny and Mark are from Dallas, TX; George and Mike are from Ohio. It was a real pleasure working with these guys. The filth and stench outside the Convention Center was unbelievable. Terrence and his family came through the line at our Canteen truck. Terrence was able to hold on to his job after losing his home and all his belongings in the hurricane. Now he, his wife Raquel, and his three children (Caitlyn, 11yrs; Corey, 11yrs; and Cayla, 7yrs.) have made Terrence’s bus their new home. USS Harry Truman…