Category Archives: Scripture

Reading Scripture Together for the Sake of God’s Mission

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Mark Love

I’m currently writing an article for Missio Dei, a great online journal you should know about, on missional interpretation. I’m assuming this means that it might make a difference in how you read Scripture if your orienting perspective was the … Continue reading →

Posted in hermeneutics, missional leadership, missional theology, Scripture, Uncategorized | 12 Comments

Miami Dolphins and Female Preachers

Posted on November 19, 2013 by Mark Love

Maybe you’re been following the saga of Jonathan Martin, Richie Incognito and the Miami Dolphins. Martin walked away from the team because he was being “bullied” by Incognito, apparently by the use of racial epitaphs and threats of violence. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian practice, missional leadership, Scripture, theology, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Your sons and daughters shall prophecy…one last piece

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Mark Love

“And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian practice, hermeneutics, Scripture | Tagged , , | 18 Comments

Your kingdom come…on earth as it is in heaven: further points on my gender-inclusive journey

Posted on November 4, 2013 by Mark Love

My mother, as a girl, was taught that Christians should not say the Lord’s Prayer. The reason? Because it was no longer needed, since the Kingdom had already come. It was a model prayer, it turns out, for only a … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian practice, hermeneutics, Scripture | Tagged , , , , | 12 Comments

Reflections on “Do Not be Conformed to this World”

Posted on October 27, 2013 by Mark Love

As a young visiting preacher, I sat on the back row in an auditorium adult Bible class listening to a discussion of Romans 12. “Do not be conformed to this world…” the teacher read aloud. “How is it that we … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian practice, hermeneutics, Scripture, Uncategorized | 18 Comments

Observations on a chord/nerve struck

Posted on October 24, 2013 by Mark Love

Well, yesterday’s blog was widely read. I’m not used to that. My audience is typically fairly narrow, consisting mostly of family members. In fact, yesterday was so unusual that wordpress actually sent me a message alerting me that people were … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian practice, hermeneutics, Scripture | 55 Comments

Out of Answers?: you’re not out of God

Posted on November 9, 2012 by Mark Love

I have the privilege of teaching the Bible to college freshman. For most of them, the Bible is mostly a set of impressions. Even if they know some Bible stories, they really know very little about the Bible. They think … Continue reading →

Posted in hermeneutics, Scripture, theology | Tagged , , , , | 57 Comments

I’ve Got Power Like a River

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Mark Love

I recently preached a sermon series through 1 and 2 Samuel. We know the big stories. Saul and David and Goliath and Jonathan and Bathsheba. They are stories we tell over and over. Some stories, however, we tend to avoid … Continue reading →

Posted in Scripture, theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Christian Imagination According to Paul

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Mark Love

In her recent book, Sin: The Early History of an Idea, Paula Fredricksen contrasts Jesus and Paul’s notions of sin and salvation (though they are not identical, they share important assumptions) with those of later Christian thinkers, notably Justin Martyr, … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian practice, hermeneutics, missional theology, Scripture, theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The First Great Commission: mercy, not sacrifice

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Mark Love

We all know how the gospel of Matthew ends: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go into all the world, making disciples…” These verses, are less well known. “Woe to you scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites! … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian practice, missional theology, Scripture, theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments