Religion


For God so loved the world, 
that he gave his only begotten Son, 
that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish,
but have everlasting life. 
For God sent not his Son into the world 
to condemn the world 
but that the world through him 
might be saved. 

John 3:16, 17 - KJV

Listen.


Here is a picture of my brother Ron and I with our Zipper Bibles. I still have mine. From its pages God filled my mind with the wonderful things of His Word, and it blessed my teenage year with a living faith and empowered me to overcome many temptations. It formed the solid foundation for the rest of my life in Christ. Here is a portrait of the Pleasant Ridge Church of Christ where I worshiped as a lad. Here is a list of the Scriptures that I marked in my Zipper Bible as a young lad on the farm, Out of My Bible

The purpose of this page is to share my faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Creator of heaven and earth, and in His only begotten Son,  Jesus Christ.   

Simple Trusting Faith
by Carl Ketcherside

It gives me great pleasure to direct you to a book that was of great value to me in building my faith and overcoming doubt when I was a young man. The book is not too long, and it is very easy to read and understand. It's arguments are sound and convincing. I pray that it will help you as much as it helped me. In June 2010, I republished the book in a more accessible e-book format: Simple Trusting Faith. Here is an Archive Copy of Simple Trusting Faith

The Work of the Holy Spirit in the Book of Romans by W. Carl Ketcherside. These 12 articles on the Book of Romans were first published in the Mission Messenger as a series of monthly articles on the Book of Romans. Here is a timely teaching by Ketcherside entitled Fellowship for the Lonely Crowd

College Press Textbook Series: Green Books. I grew up reading Brother Don DeWelt's College Press publications. I highly recommend these FREE commentaries and books. 

Professor R. C. Foster’s magisterial Studies in the Life of Christ. It was my privilege to take several classes under Professor Foster before he passed away shortly after I graduated from the Cincinnati Christian University in 1970. Here is an epitaph for Professor Foster: I have Fought the Good Fight. I also had the privilege to take undergraduate courses and a graduate course under his son, Dr. Lewis Foster. Here is a book of stirring sermons by R. C. Foster The Everlasting Gospel

A fellow classmate of mine at the Cincinnati Christian University has published a lifetime of his Sermons and Studies on the Internet. 

Bob Russell, “The Bible Still Speaks.” I recommend this powerful sermon by Brother Russell. I was heartened when he mentioned having studied under my old professor, George Mark Elliott, whose class in Revelation and Inspiration (Apologetics) encouraged me to grow in my faith during a time of when my faith was being challenged. 

Jack Cottrell, “The Faith Once For All: Bible Doctrine for Today.” (2002) A very thorough study of Bible Doctrine, covering every aspect of Systematic Theology. Christ’s Victorious Church: Essays on Biblical Ecclesiology & Eschatology in honor of Tom Friskney. I studied Eschatology and I Corinthians with Professor Friskney. 

Does God Exist?

The most important question you will ever answer is whether or not there is a God. Everything you think and do will be determined by the way you answer that questions. John Clayton of South Bend, Indiana is a Christian and a long time biology teacher. He escaped from Atheism by examining the evidence for God. His web site is loaded with information that can help you make an informed decision on this most momentous question. I especially recommend his free Internet study course. Be sure and visit his web site: Does God Exist.

Intellectual Design Movement

One of the most outstanding developments in the intellectual life of America today is the Intellectual Design Movement. The leaders in this movement have successful challenged naturalistic evolution.   Here is Albert Fairhurst's 1897 Organic Evolution Considered. I mentioned it here because it anticipates the positions of the Intellectual Design Movement. Here is another source for Organic Evolution Considered. Fairhurst also wrote Theistic Evolution (1919). Eric Metaxas: The Miracle of the Universe. Darwinism Tested by Language (1877) by Frederick Bateman, old but well worth reading: compare with Tom Wolfe’s The Kingdom of Speech (2017). A good introduction to the creationist issues from an old earth perspective is Creation and Evolution: Rethinking the Evidence for Science and the Bible (1995) by Alan Hayward. 

The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable?

Here George Park Fisher's 1892 Manual of Christian Evidences. Fisher also published a Manual of Natural Theology covering the poofs for the existence of God. I was very happy to find that Edward Warton's book, Christianity, A Clear Case of History, is now available on line. On January 25, 1968, I received a copy of J. J. McGarvey's Evidences of Christianity from my parents and immediately read it from cover to cover. It remains one of the clearest presentations of the Text, Genuineness, Credibility and Inspiratiion of the NT. Perhaps you will find the 1839 debate between A. Campbell and Robert Owen of interest: Debate On the Evidences of Christianity

Read Your Bible in a Year

Here is my favorite calendar for reading the Bible through in a year. It was arranged by D. W. Whittle of Philadelphia: Bible Schedule. Here is a Henry H. Halley's Bible Reading Schedule taken from his Bible Handbook. It will take you through the OT once and the NT twice. Here is a unique 52 Week Bible Reading Plan you can start any week of the year. Here is an example of my personal Bible Reading: Everyday with God in 1978 & 1979. I was blessed by God to read the LXX and Greek NT in 1978 and the Greek NT 4 times in 1979. The secret is to faithfully read a little bit everyday. 

Plan for reading through the New Testament in 52 weeks, 4 days per week. 

Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis. Miracles by C. S. Lewis. Of the two books, the latter was the most important. I read it in college  back in 1967. It cured me of any tendency to naturalism. For that I am ever thankful to Lewis. If you are not allergic to reading digital books (I am.) may I suggest That Hideous Strength as a Si-Fi novel that will enhance our understanding of the changes taking place in the Western World today. 

Kids' Gospel of Mark Club

The Gospel of Mark is a wonderful book to use to introduce children to the Gospels. I have developed a fun program to direct and motivate elementary kids enjoy reading the Gospel of Mark. Here is the text of Mark Divided Into Paragraphs. Gospel of Mark Club Certificate of CompletionHere are the Power Point Presentations for each chapter: Mark 1. I never finished this, but it is a great idea. 

Here is an edition of the Gospel of Mark in the KJV featuring Noah Text, which is designed to assist dyslexics. 

The Bible In Schools: Various Plans

An  interesting and valuable book on teaching the Bible to youth.

How to Study the English Bible

James M. Grey 1907 How to Master the English Bible. I found this book on a shelf at the Cincinnati Bible Seminary where I got my B.S. It continues to be a great help to me in my personal Bible study. It will help you. W. H. Griffith Thomas wrote Method of Bible Study, which has a lot of good information. Earl H. West wrote a small book on How to Study the Bible in 1959. I have around it very valuable.

Bible Versions

Everyone wonders, "What is the best version of the Bible?" Personally, I do most of my New Testament study in the original Greek. (See my Greek web page if you care to try. It is not as hard as you might think.) The King James Version is the one I read as a youth. It is written in simple, easy to understand English, about a 12th grade level. A few words have changed meaning, but that is not much of problem if you have a Dictionary handy. The New King James Version is a responsible update, which I have used for the last two decades in much of my preaching and teaching, about a 9th grade level. Of the newer versions, I must confess that the NIV leaves me flat. I know it is popular, but I find its style uninviting. The newer English Standard Version (ESV),  which is a minor revision of the 1971 Revised Standard Version, is  superior to the NIV. It is much easier to do serious Bible study with the ESV because it is an essentially literal version.  It is translated from the latest Nestle Greek text which is based on earlier, but perhaps inferior manuscripts. For a good comparison of the NIV and the ESV, click here:NIV-ESV. You can order your own copy at:  English Standard Version The entire text is available along with a beautiful oral reading by Marquis Laughlin ESV Bible Online. Be sure and read Wayne Grudem’s “The Advantages of the ESV Translation." 

Here is a review of The New Revised Standard Version by the Late Dr. Arthur L. Farstad. 
Here is a short, well balanced article on Gender-Inclusive Versions by Ron Minton. 
Here is a link to a review of Dr. Arthur Farstad's The NJKV in the Great Tradition.

The late Helen Lowe of Memorizing Press advocated using the KJV in Classical Schools

My favorite Study Bible is the Nelson NKJV Study Bible

Ira M. Price 1920 The Ancestry of Our English Bible

Selecting A Bible Translation (1983) by Lewis Foster. Dr. Foster was one of my professors at The Cincinnati Bible Seminary. He also wrote an excellent commentary on Luke

Bible Word-Book: A Glossary of Scripture Terms (1876) by William Swinton. Very helpful for students of the KJV. 

Our Grand Old Bible: Being the Story of the Authorized Version of the Bible (1901) by William Muir. This book was written for the celebration of the 300 anniversary of the KJV. 

The Authorized Version: As Wonderful and Unfinished History  by C. P. Hallihan (2010). An illustrated history of the KJV. A KJV Documentary. David Crystal, “Impact of KJV on Modern English. In the Beginning: The Story of the KJV (2001) by Alister McGrath. 

Here is a YouTube Review of one of my favorite KJV Reference Bibles. The paragraph headings, translation notes, and cross referencers are excellent. 

You Can Understand the Bible (1990) by Grayson Harter Ensign. 

Expository Preaching

I am a great lover of expository preaching. There is nothing I enjoy more than preaching expository sermons and hearing others preach expository sermons. Expository preaching takes a Bible passage and reveals in contemporary terms the meaning and application of the passage for men and women today. I was very fortunate early in my ministry to study Charles Kohler's useful volume, Expository Preaching without Notes. This one volume contains all the information needed to build expository sermons of great spiritual power. You can read my review on Amazon.com and order your copy today at: How to Preach Without Notes: Kohler. You can borrow Kohler’s book on Archive for free. I also notice that the textbook I studied in college is available from Google, A Thesis on the Preparation and Delivery of Sermons by John A. Broadus. Another book on preaching that I have found helpful is Dabney's Sacred Rhetoric or a Series of Lectures on Preaching. I learned of Dabney's book from Why Johnny Can't Preach by T. David Gordon. Dr. Gordon explains why he wrote Why Johnny Can’t Preach on this video. Be sure and read Dr. Arthur F. Katt's G. Campbell Morgan and Sermon Preparation

   How to Memorize Scripture for Spiritual Power

Many Christians yearn to hide God's Word in their hearts in order to gain intimacy with the mind of the Master. Brother Marlin S. Hoffman taught me his powerful method for memorizing Scripture which enabled me to memorize whole books of the Bible. You can learn his method by clicking, Hoffman's Memorization Method. Mrs. Perla Sarmiento recently translated Hoffman's method into Spanish: Método de Memorización de la Palabra de Dios de Marlin Hoffman. Another website that has practical, how-to information on memorizing extended passages of Scripture can be found at Extended Memorization. Here a book on improving memory: Assimilative Memory. Here is Dr. Bruno First famous How to Remember. Here is a document I produced to help you memorize Ephesians Verbatim in the KJV version based on Mike Shead's Verbatim Method. Sam Blumenfeld on The Importance of Rote Learning. Bendy Tree, LLC has an excellent iPhone app, Memorize Anything. Here is another document I wrote on How to Memorize Ephesians: English, Greek, and Spanish. Here is a plan for memorizing Ephesians using Walter L. Leifeld’s Outline. Here is another aid to Memorizing Ephesians in the KJV and TR. Ephesians: Greek-English on facing pages. N. A. & Jim Woychuk wrote, “What Ever it Takes To Get (You &) Your Children to Memorize Scripture. I & II Timothy Memory Outline and Text. Here is an Outline with Scripture for memorizing the Sermon on the Mount. Here is more information on Memorizing the Sermon on the MountMemorize I & II Timothy: English-Greek. The Bible Memorization Man: Tom Meyer. How to Memorize (1910) by William Evans. Here is a special method following Tony Meyer’s method of dividing the text to into phrases of 8 or less words: Ephesians. Here is a very useful program for memorizing the Sermon on the Mount. My friend, Ray Blue, has been able to keep the Sermon on the Mount in his memory for many decades by reciting it every evening before going to bed. It takes him 9 minutes 49 seconds. Alexander Scourby’s recording of the SOM is 14 minutes and 15 seconds. Here are Flashcards for memorizing the Sermon on the Mount. 

 

Psalms 23: Prescription for Healthy Thinking

Charles L. Allen published God's Psychiatry in 1953. I have found it very helpful, especially his Prescription of Psalms 23. He writes, "The Twenty-third Psalm is pattern of thinking, and when a mind becomes saturated with it, a new way of thinking and a new life are the result. It contains only 118 words. One could memorize it in a short time. In fact, most of us already know it. But its power is not in memorizing the words, but rather in thinking the thoughts." Click on the heading. Here is Oliver Huckel's The Melody of God's Love: A New Piping on the Shepherd's Flute: Being a Devotional Unfolding of the Twenty-Third Psalm (1900). Students of Greek may find my Greek Exegesis of Psalms 23 helpful. 

Ashley S. Johnson The life of Trust: A Series of Biblical Sermons on the Conditions, Limitations, Encouragements and Possibilities of Believing Prayer. This classic from 1897 was republished in a Kindle edition in 2016 by the college he founded. 

If You Want to Preach (1957) by Don DeWelt. A fine little handbook for anyone who wants to preach. 

Listen to the King James Bible

Here is Alexander Scourby’s superb recording of the KJV Bible.  Stephen Johnson's also ha an oral reading of the entire King James Bible: Audio-Bible King James Version. May 5, 2011 was the 400 anniversary of the publication of the KJV. I am personally celebrating by reading the KVJ for my personal devotions this year and invite everyone to join me. Read more about the Celebration. Those who share my enthusiasm for English grammar will enjoy James Moses Grainger's (1907) thesis, Studies in the Syntax of the KJV. Also The That-Clause in the Authorized Version of the Bible (1910) by Herbert G. Shearin. F. H. A. Schrivener's The Authorized Edition of the English Bible (1611) is a must-read for scholars. 

Christian Education and the Local Church: History, Principles, Practice (1958) James DeForest Murch. This was one of my textbooks at the Cincinnati Bible Seminary in 1968. Here is a later and more-to-date book by the same publisher, Christian Standard: Introduction to Christian Education (1980) by Eleanor Ann Daniel, et. al. ABC’s of VBS: How It Can Work for You (1984) 

The The Bible in MP3 Audio Format

AUDIO TREASURE is a wonderful web site for listening to the Bible in mp3 format. You can listen to the Bible in a number of different languages, even Hebrew! Here is the link: AUDIO TREASURE.

Hebrew Bible

For a incredibly beautiful audio rendition of the Hebrew Bible, I recommend Navigating the Bible I. The text is printed in Hebrew with the vowels and translations in both English and Spanish. 

Ruth in Hebrew

Dr. Louis Tyler just send me a marvelous oral rendition of Ruth from the Hebrew Bible for publication on my web site. Ruth is a book often used as a basis for teaching the Hebrew Language. These mp3 files will prove very helpful to experienced scholars and beginning students. His e-mail is: lrtyler@grandecom. net. Click on the chapter you want to hear: Chapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3.Chapter 4.

Psalms 23

Here is a suggestive study of the structure of Psalms 23. Here is another study of Psalms 23

Bible Based Beginning Phonics Reading Program - For second-grade through adult

For anyone you know who has problems reading, I highly recommend Elizabeth Brown's interactive Quick Time self-teaching program. This program is for students from second-grade through adult. It requires only pencil and paper! Upon completing the course the students will be able to read the entire book of Romans for themselves. In fact, Romans is the Reader for this program! It covers phonics from the first principles to complex words necessary to for a student to read and understand the Bible for themselves: The Phonics Page. I have used it with several students and found it highly effective. 

Recommended Commentary on Romans

For serious study of the book of Romans, I know of no better commentary than that by my good friend, Dr. Jack Cottrell, professor of Apologetics and Biblical Theology at the Cincinnati Christian University in Cincinnati, Ohio. You can purchase the 1 volume edition of Dr. Cottrell’s Commentary on Romans. Here is a paper Dr. Cottrell delivered in 2003 on "Pharaoh as a Paradigm for Israel in Romans 9:18."Here is "A Theological Outline of Romans 1-8," published in March 1979. 

First Principles or Elements of the Gospel Analyzed and Discussed (1868) by Isaac Errett. I first read this book in 1971 and have found it very informative. 

Gary Habermas speaking on The Resurrection Argument that Changed a Generation of Scholars. This is  powerful video to show skeptics and to fortify your own faith. The Reality of the Resurrection (M. C. Tenney)

The Fourfold Gospel or Harmony of the Four Gospels by J. W. McGarvey & P.Y. Pendleton (1914). Updated by James E. Smith (2004). Here is Dr. Smith’s Homepage. I was a student at the Cincinnati Bible Seminary (Cincinnati Christian University) when he was Professor of OT.

Richard Rogers on Job. Job 1, Job 2, Job 3, Job 4, Job 5

The Virgin Birth (1930) by J. Gresham Machen. A solid defense by a brilliant conservative scholar. Also The Virgin Birth by James Orr (1907). Our Lord’s Birth and the Criticism of To-day (1907) R. J. Knowling. 

A Guide to the Gospels (1948) by William Graham Scroggie. Worth a whole library of books on Christ. 

Dictionary of Biblical Criticism and Interpretation. (2007) Stanley E. Porter, editors. A valuable book for getting up to speed in Biblical studies. 

Elmer E. Parsons (1967) Witness to the Resurrection. A very readable and convincing study of the Christ’s Resurrection. 

What the Bible Says About the Holy Spirit (1989) Russell Boatman. A thorough study of the subject. By the same author, What The Bible Says About the Church (1985). Interestingly, both book are from the George Mark Elliott Library, my Theology Professor at the Cincinnati Bible Seminary back in 1970. 

Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity (2008) by Nancy Pearcey. A very important book. 

The Christian Religion in Its Doctrinal Expression (1917), E. Y. Mullins. 

Evangelism Charts

Here are some charts I have used for personal evangelism that were used in an evangelism campaign sponsored by the Sunset Church of Christ in Lubbock, Texas back in 1974. This is a very large file. I recommend that you download it once and save it to your hard drive. Click here for to download a set: Evangelism Charts.  

e-Sword

Here is a wonderful computer program that you can download for free. It will allow you to load various Bible programs on your computer, even Greek texts! Sorry Mac owners, it only works on IBM. Just click: e-Sword. Since I am a Mac user, I have made Accordance my Bible study software of choice, and highly recommend it. 

Zondervan Illustrated Backgrounds Commentary: Matthew, Mark. Luke. A lot of well illustrated information. 

Peter S. Williams, Archaeology and the Historical Reliability of the New Testament. A marvelous and up-to-date presentation of how archaeology confirms the historical reliability of the New Testament. 

The Gospel of Our Lord Made Visible: Historical Chart of the Life of Christ (1912) by George Edward Croscup.

Mohammed, Buddha, and Christ: Four Lectures on Natural and Revealed Religion by Marcus Dods. I have included this book because of the great interest in Mohammed and Buddha in America and around the world today.

Popular Lectures on the Books of the New Testament: .(1914) by Augustus Hopkins Strong. A very readable account of the history and contents of the books of the New Testament. Note especially the section "John's Gospel the Complement of Luke's."  

Dr. Samuel Blumenfeld sermon on Evolution and American Education

Noah Webster 1834 Value of the Bible and Excellence of the Christian Religion: For Use of Families and Schools

The Christian Religion in Its Doctrinal Expression by E. Y. Mullins. Axioms of Religion. Why is Christianity True

Dan Wallace's Introductions and Outlines for the books of the NT

Life in the Holy Land: This is wonderful site that publishes old pictures of the Holy Land. 

A. B. Jones, The Spiritual Side of Our Plea. A thought provoking book, that I read many years ago. 

One of the best ever book on prayer: George Muller: A Life of Trust

B. B. Warfield's classic article "The Religious Life of Theological Students.” 

A Harmony of the Gospels for Students of the Life of Christ by John A. Broadus and A. T. Robertson (1920) 

Miracles of Unbelief (1900) by Frank Ballard. I read this great faith building book in college.

W. J. Blunt Undesigned Coincidences in the Writing of the Old and New Testament: An Argument for Veracity.  

George A. Barton (1916) Archaeology and Bible History. An old but still valuable work. 

Outside the Bible itself, perhaps the most important contribution to my spiritual life was C. S. Lewis, Miracles, which forever cured me of Naturalism. Study Guide to Miracles

William Sanday, Outlines of the Life of Christ (1905) Every helpful detailed scholarly Outline of the Life of Christ.

Clyde Weber Votaw’s Books  for New Testament Study: Popular and Professional (1905) A very good and full list of books many off which are now available for free from Google Book. 

Kent Hughes’ THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT: The Message of the Kingdom. A popular exposition. 

The Christian System by Alexander Campbell. I have read this book several times and consider it one of the most valuable books in my library. 

Glossary of the KJV Bible. This is a helpful resource for everyone who reads the KJV Bible. 

The Lord’s Prayer (1898) E. M. Goulburn. A fine book on The Lord’s Prayer. 

Ten Lessons in How to Read, Understand, and Remember the Bible (1903) by Ashley S. Johnson. A very practical Book. Here are the reference books he mentions: Neff’s Lectures on Oratory,  Schram’s Mental Calisthenics (1892), Baker’s Elementary Psychology (1890). 

The Oral Reading of Scripture (1974) by Charlotte I. Lee. Of a more general nature is, Oral Interpretation by the same author. 

The Making of the New Testament: Origin, collection, Text, & Canon by Arthur G Pataia (1995) a very readable introduction.

New Testament Words by Ken Boles, retired professor at Ozark Christian College.  

The Manner of Prayer (1943) by William Douglas Chamberlain. 

The Hope of Our Calling (1919) by Robert Law. A series of delightful sermons. 

The Bible in American Education: From Source Book to Textbook (1982). 

The Bible Teacher: A Training Course for Bible Teachers (1926) by C. A. Norred. A fine book for training teachers. 

Efficiency Filing System (1959) by L. R. Elliott. I used the Dewey Decimal filing system for clippings and book, but would probably used this if I had my ministry to start all over. Here is Green’s Filing System for Pastors and Christian Worker (1991) by Michael P. Green. 

The Gospel in the Book of Revelation Rev. Dr. Rodney Whitacre. Video teaching. John & Theology

William Tyndale’s (d. 1536) The NT of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ  (1837). Excellent print. Note how easy it is to read the text although the spellings are considerable different from modern standard spelling. 

The Remedial System (1879) by H. Christopher. Also available for download from ACU Digital Commons. 

Standard Publishing Training for Service

Training for Service (1907, 1916) by Herbert Moninger, A.M., B.D  This is one of the best books ever written to train Christians for service. It was designed to prepare teachers to teach in the Sunday Schools: A veritable introduction to the Bible and teaching. 

From the Throne of Saul to Bethlehem by C. S. Medbury

Studies in the Epistles and Revelation (1910) by William Brooks Taylor

The New Testament Church (1908) by Herbert Moninger 

Training for Personal Service (1921) by Traverse Harrison

Common Sense: A Study of Mind and Method (1912) by E. W.  Thornton. “For Advanced Classes in Sunday-school, Teacher-training, for Schools  and Colleges, and for Parents in the Home. 

On the Lord’s Day: A Manual for the Regular Observance of the New Testament Ordinances (1904) Ed. J. A. Lord

How to Prepare an Expository Sermon (1930) by Harold E. Knott. Every preacher should study this book. 

Seven Laws of Teaching (1886) by John M. Gregory. Not by Standard Publishing but recommended in their literature. 

Facts Concerning the New Testament Church by P. H. Welshimer. This tact was still popular when I was a boy. 

eBibleStudy.org: Oklahoma Christian College Bible lessons for teens and adults. 

The Witness of St. John to Christ (1870) by Rev. Stanley Leathes, M.A. 

A Companion to Biblical Studies (1916). A solid guide to Biblical studies. Here is a Concise Dictionary based on A Companion to Biblical Studies. 

Studies in Romans (1957) by R. C. Bell. Concise and helpful. 

Behold the Lamb: An Exposition of the Theological Themes in the Gospel of John (1979) by Ray Summers. My favorite outline of the Gospel of John. 

The Heresy of Orthodoxy: How Contemporary Culture’s Fascination with Diversity has Reshaped our Understanding of Early Christianity (2010) by Andreas J. Köstenberger & Michael J. Kreuger. I first learned of this excellent book from Dr. James White Exposes Bart Sherman’s Biblical Fallacy

The Christian View of Science and Scripture (1953) by Bernard Ramm. 

     Intercession 

I need an intercessor 
   To go to God for me
To ask His richest blessong
   And keep me company.

My Savior ever intercedes
    He’s on God’s own right hand
He speaks to God on my behalf.
    His blessings are so grand.

The Sprit intercede, also,
    According to God’s will.
He goes beyond just the words,
    And tells God how I feel.

The Spirit dwells within me,
    According to God’s Word.
Empowering me to live for him
    And overcome the world. 

You too can be an intercessor.
    God’s only a prayer away.
Ask Him to help your brother
    To walk the Christian way.

     By Donald L. Potter, Nov. 29. 1997

Observations on the History and Evidences of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ (1747, 1834) by Gilbert West, ESQ. A famous and powerful defense of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

Some may wonder what I think about the recent Supreme Court decision on Same-Sex Marriage. Here is what I consider the Biblical Answer presented by a leading Evangelical. John Piper ’s Biblical presentation, Homosexuality: A Tragic Oxymoron, is clear and scriptural for those who still believe in the Christian Bible as God revelation to man. 

My long time friend, Dr. Jack Cottrel, of the Cincinnati Christian University where I got my B.S. Degree, preached his First Sermon on Homosexuality in 1973. Here is the Second Sermon (2015) 

Perhaps the most exhaustive study of the subject is Conservapedia

Here are Resource Links on Preaching

First-Century Burial in Jerusalem by Gabriel Barkay. 

Survey of the Bible - Training for Service by Orrin Root & Eleanor Daniel. An excellent class book for new Christians or prospective Bible class teachers.

The Open Bible (1918). Very helpful. 

The Power of the Holy Spirit by Don DeWelt. One of the most in-depth studies of the Holy Spirit ever written. Very practical. I met Don DeWelt once in Odessa, TX. 

Some interesting and inspiring sermons by Reggie Thomas.

Evangelist Cecil Todd speaking on “The Technique of Getting the Job Done" at the University of Soul-Winning at the Ozark Bible College in 1968. 

Demonology of the Early Christian World (1980) by Everett Ferguson 

The Gospel of Mark in the Proclaiming the NT (1961) by Ralph Earle. A great book for preachers. 

Oxford Bible Atlas 4th ed (2018). I purchased the 1st edition on 8/7/1970. 

Christianity and the Intellectuals by Arther Trace. A broad summary of the development of Christian and Anti-Christian thought among the intellectuals through the centuries. 

For a first-class book on Logic, I recommend Introduction to Logic by Andrew H. Bachhuber (1957). Raymond McCall’s Basic Logic was my first logic book. It is a fine book, but does not deal with material logic. 

Twilight of a Great Civilization: The Drift Toward Neo-Paganism (1988) by Carl F. H. Henry. If you want to know why the world seems crazy today, this is the book to read. An earlier book by the French Roman Catholic scholar, Jacques Maritain (1943), The Twilight of Civilization covers similar ground and is exquisitely written. [Also see Henry’s Christian Countermoves in a Decadent Culture.] Maritain also wrote another important book for educators, Education at the Crossroads

Rebaptism in the Stone/Campbell Movement. Interesting essay. 

Evangelical Sunday School Lesson Commentary (1966), excellent lessons that can be taught today. Here is the 1967 edition

Christian Minister’s Manual (1928) b James DeForest Murch. I used a later edition of this very helpful manual. 

American Poets and Their Theology (1916) by Augustus Hopkins Strong. 

Restoration History Library, Tennessee Bible College. Access to a very wide variety of Restoration Movement books. 

600 Doctrinal Illustrations (1944) by E. W. Thornton, J. Vernon Jacobs, James DeForest Murch. Illustrations from a Restoration Movement perspective. 

I recently read this and wanted to pass it on, “As hymnals fade, theology also suffered. The rich repository of religious wisdom contained in hymnals will be lost. The old-fashioned language of hymnals may sound unusual, but their text teaches the Christian faith far better than most praise choruses that dominate contemporary services. Old hymns were carefully crafted with theology at the forefront. Traditional hymns present doctrine clearly and beautifully convey the gospel story of saving grace. Facebook Post by Ginger Sanders June 9, 2021. 

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Articles related to Christian Education and Homeschooling

Our Christian Responsibility for the Education of Our Children by Dr. James D. Bales. 

Online Homeschooling:This is general information on homeschooling. 

Dorthy Sayres, “The Lost Tools of Learning.” Discerning Christians will want got read, "Testimony before the House & Senate Committees on the Proposed Department of Education" (1926) by J. Grecham Machen (1881 - 1937). Machen was a stalwart of conservative Christianity. His views on the establishment of the "Department of Education" may come as a surprise to those of us who attended and taught in public schools. I find it very revealing that the private schools across America use textbooks that are superior to those used by the public schools, although the public schools have the tremendous advantage of government financing. Over the years, I have supplemented my textbook adoptions with materials generally used by private schools and homeschool parents because of their obvious superiority. An example of good textbooks available to Christian Schools and home schoolers are those from A Beka Book and Rod and Staff.

Machan also wrote an important book entitled, Christianity and Liberalism, which explains the dangers of placing education in the hands of the government. 

Education, Liberty, and the Bible by Martin G. Selbrede. A Position Paper from The Chalcedon Foundation. 

Education: Free and Compulsory by Murry N. Rothbard the Ludwig von Mises Institute. This book gets to the heart of the matter. 

Elements of Religious Pedagogy (1909) Fred Lewis Pattee.

Here is the chapter on Education from Barry Goldwater’s seminal The Conscience of a Conservative. While he does not argue for private education, he does explain why Federal meddling in public education is fraught with dangers. I believe private schools should be wary of accepting Federal Aid if they intend to keep their full autonomy. 

Traditional vs. Progressive Education (2016) by Martin Cothran. 

Why Johnny Can’t Think: Progressive Education’s Toll on Millennials. This is a straight shooting presentation by Bill Whittle (March 13, 2019)

Christian Education is the vital importance for the future of America. Here is David Horowitz: The War to Destroy Christian America

Seven Laws of the Learner: How to Teach Almost Anything to Practically Anyone (1992) by Dr. Bruce Wilkinson. I have the book in library. I highly recommend it. 

Introduction to Logic (1957) by Andew H Bachhuber. This is the best book on Logic I have ever studied. I highly recommend it. 

Preaching with Freshness (1991) by Bruce Mawhinney. I purchased the Kregel 1997 edition on 4/1/2004. Written as an interesting novel, I consider it one of best books ever published on homiletics. 

How to Read a Book (1940) by Mortimer Jerome Adler. An all time classic.  

Understanding Education in Post-Christian America (2006) by Heath Bradley. A hard-hitting book on the perils of public education. 

A Christian Philosophy of Education (1988) by Gordon Clark. 

The Messianic Character of American Education (1972) by Rousas J. Rushdoony. A penetrating study of American Education. I have spent many profitable hours studying this scholarly and reverent study. 

Collectivism on the Campus: A Battle for the Mind in American Colleges (1955) by E. Merrill Root. A book that explains much of the shenanigans in todays halls of higher education. 

The Restoration Movement: Then and Now by Dr. Lewis Foster (October 14, 1984) I took undergraduate and graduates courses under Dr. Foster in the late 1960s. 

Preaching by G. Campbell Morgan, the prince of expository preaching. The Analyzed Bible by G. Campbell Morgan. Every Christian would benefit from a study of this nifty volume. 

New Testament Exposition: From Text to Sermon (1984, 1995) by Walter L. Leifeld. Very valuable. Also by Leifeld, Interpreting the Book of Acts, A chapter in Discovering Biblical Equality; Complementarity Without Hierarchy

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A Christian Response To Tattooing. Here is a good article that pretty well sums up my personal opinion. Perhaps a strange link to put on my religion page, but I am deeply puzzled that so many of our young Christians are following the world in this respect that I felt it incumbent upon me to add something to my website about it. A dear friend of mine told me that her husband suffered horribly when he had to start taking blood thinner for a heart problem. The blood would seep through the tattoos. She asked me to please mentions this to people. Tattoos: History and Biblical Teachings. Here is an excellent video making a good case against young people getting tattoos: The Case Against Tattoos. Here is the second The Case Against Tattoos

“One cannot but feel sorrow for people who think that by permanently disfiguring themselves they are somehow declaring their independence or expressing their individuality. The tattoo has a profound meaning: the superficiality of modern man’s existence.” Theodore Dalrymople