Bedhead Theology

  Charles Simeon was born on September 24th, 1759, in Berkshire, England. He served as the vicar of Holy Trinity Church in Cambridge until his death in 1836—over 54 years. He held that his conversion, in 1779, was greatly influenced by Thomas Wilson’s writings. Simeon found a copy of Essay on the Composition of a Sermon . This book set the trajectory of Simeon’s preaching towards text-driven exposition. First, as a great expositor, he translated it into English and had it republished. He held a deep conviction to help the next generation of preachers towards textual faithfulness. This stands as the foundation of his major written work, Horae Homileticae —a twenty-one-volume sermon outline of exposition. He had some impactful accomplishments, including his role in founding the Church Missionary Society (1799) and establishing the Simeon Trust (1816). Charles Simeon’s entire ministry exhibited a “radical commitment to Scripture and a passion for preaching.” [1] Charles Simeon’s exam...

Who was Benjamin Keach (1640-1704)? We often find ourselves learning about historical figures that had a lasting impact on our lives, yet we are often unfamiliar with them. Benjamin Keach is one such person. Keach was an influential 17th-century Particular Baptist preacher and theologian. He was born in Buckinghamshire in 1640. He worked as a tailor early on due to his family's poverty. He was baptized at the age of 15 and began to preach at 18. He served as the minister for the congregation at Winslow before moving in 1668 to the church at Horsleydown, Southwark, where he remained as pastor for 36 years.  Benjamin Keach was ardent in his conviction that the Bible was not merely to be explained, but it was a necessity that the Scriptures be applied to the conscience. He greatly emphasized the authority of Scripture over church tradition. His preaching revealed a confidence that when preaching, God speaks directly through His Word. This became the primary means by which God awakened...

The gospel is everything! This statement, as simple as it is, speaks to the very heart of preaching. Looking across the culture around us, we find that Faithful preaching must speak the truth with grace to move hearts toward Christ. Haddon Robinson declared, “When we concentrate on ideas, with the desire to make listeners understand and accept them, strong delivery comes naturally.”  Erasmus argued that the purpose “in persuasion is to have the hearer want to embrace the honorable and the useful.”  Thus, the goal is to move the heart. However, in this goal, it is imperative to note the impact of delivery. Francis Bacon understood delivery when he compared logic to a fist and rhetoric to an open palm.  He asserted that logic handles reason in absolute truth, whereas rhetoric handles reason through the lens of popular opinions. Essentially, a logical argument can affirm the truth but possibly in a heavy-handed manner. Conversely, a rhetorical approach can present the truth ...

As we approach the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America, I have found myself reflecting on the concept of freedom. All around us, we find ourselves inundated with rhetoric that permeates every aspect of our lives. From a political perspective, we can see the dire message of existential threat surrounding us today. What seems odd to me, especially as I have studied rhetoric and persuasion, is how readily our society latches onto ideas and concepts that are not well-vetted. We grasp at ideas we think bring freedom, but in turn they drive us further from it. I seek to honor my nation by expressing the truth of freedom. True freedom is found only in Christ. Freedom in Christ is one of those truths that sounds simple on the surface. Yet, it should reshape everything we hold dear once you let it sink in. Paul’s declaration in Galatians 5:1, “It is for freedom that Christ has set you free,” is not a political slogan, nor is it a catchphrase for a motivational post...

The call for effective evangelistic fervor within the local church is a more apparent need now than ever. Looking at history raises questions about the future of the local church. Sitting in Mission San Agustin de Isleta, one of the two oldest surviving mission churches in the United States, evokes awe, wonder, and curiosity. Most historians believe the building was constructed around 1610. There is awe in efforts to preserve the chapel, and those efforts have persisted to this day. There is wonder in the history of the chapel. Ultimately, the chapel is categorized as a historic landmark rich with a long-lived story. Finally, the chapel piques the curiosity of those who enter. Some questions that come to mind are: to what end does preserving this chapel serve? What is the next chapter in the story of the chapel? Has the chapel lost its original purpose? If not careful, the local church can find itself faced with that last question. The church can be in the same precarious place, servin...

  One of the greatest tragedies of the last century, in my opinion, in the church was the seeming professionalization of evangelism. The devastating lack of vision for congregational evangelism. The lack of conviction that holds that evangelism is not for the paid staff but the call of every believer. The misunderstanding that evangelism is not a spiritual gift or spiritual fruit; it is a command. If we love Him, we must obey His commands. Nevertheless, as I have conversations with my pastor friends, I am encouraged by the resurgence of intentional congregational evangelism. More and more leaders are communicating the church's irreplaceable role in God’s mission, bridging the gap and connecting the lost to Christ. But when we talk about congregational evangelism, what exactly do I mean? Evangelism, at its most basic, is best summarized in the words of D. T. Niles, “Evangelism is just one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread.” So, how does this translate to the congre...

I have been in software engineering for over a decade. It always amazes me how much my theology influences my work. Lately, I have been contemplating whether any aspect of my computer science training could apply to ministry. In the same fashion that Paul employed classical rhetoric in a sanctified way, so too could we apply modern secular principles to the church. One thing I have considered about church evangelism is the necessity for a balance between intentionality and dependence upon the Holy Spirit. We can learn a lot about intentionality through applying the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) principles to local church evangelism. It might sound a bit corporate or tech-heavy at first, but it is actually a brilliant way to approach outreach. At its core, the SDLC is just a structured framework for taking an idea from a vague concept to a fully functioning, sustainable reality. When applied to church evangelism, it shifts the focus from haphazardly hosting random events and hop...

  Often in this life, we find ourselves walking in the shadow of tragedy. Whether loss of a job, diagnosis of illness, or the death of a loved one, one thing remains true. No matter the catalyst of the suffering, the pain is acute and personal. In fact, we sometimes find ourselves feeling isolated and alone amid our trials. As sincere as people around us might be in helping us, at the end of the day, we are left alone in our own heads and hearts to process the tragedy. One comfort I would like to draw your attention to is the hope the gospel offers in suffering. Hope of Christ’s Nearness The call of the gospel promises that we are never alone. Truly, our hearts are given the only hope that can sustain us. While suffering often whispers in our hearts of abandonment, the gospel speaks of the incarnation and nearness of Christ. Christ did not save us from afar. Rather, he stepped into our pain, carried our sorrows, and remains present by His Spirit. Zephaniah 3:17 asserts, “The Lo...

The prophet Ezekiel declared the word of the Lord, “When I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 Yet if you have warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered yourself” (Ez 3:18-19). The call from Ezekiel pierces to the heart of the urgency of the task of evangelism. There is a sense of spiritual urgency to reach the lost before it’s too late. No one is guaranteed tomorrow, so we must live with intentionality today. The challenge lies in keeping an eternal perspective amid the deadlines and demands of life. This perspective can only be maintained through continual renewal of faith. Scarborough stated, “Faith in God through Jesus Christ is not only the initial factor in obtaining life for the soul, but is also the ...

  Circumstances in life are volatile and frequently shift like sand. If our joy is tied to them, our joy will be just as unstable. There is this concept called the arrival fallacy. Essentially, the arrival fallacy is the belief that satisfaction is found in the culmination of something: that sought-after promotion, one’s relationship, or the end of a trial. The reality is, true satisfaction isn’t the absence of suffering or the presence of abundance, but gospel hope of the presence of Jesus Christ, who remains constant. He promised to never leave us nor forsake us. True joy lies in tethering our hearts and anchoring our souls to Jesus. Here are three thoughts to encourage and uplift our weary souls that God is enough. The Sufficiency of Grace Paul helpfully shows that “[God’s] grace is sufficient for you, for [His] power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Paul is helpfully showing us that we have weakness and through that God’s grace sustains us, and his power is ...

   The Gospel of Jesus Christ stands as the central unifying thread within the life of the believer. That is, it is this message that justifies and sanctifies us. We must look to the cross with gratitude and humility. Gratitude for the price that was paid in our stead. Humility in knowing the only thing we contributed to that event was the sin that made it necessary. From that position, we can see that the central redemptive theme of Scripture must point us to the centrality of the gospel. That is, the person and work of Christ as revealed in the Bible. This revelation leads us to very distinct transformations: We have a transformation of the mind, a transformation of the emotions, and a transformation of the will, and ultimately a kingdom transformation.     The biblical charge is clear: “But as for you, continue with what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you and know that you have known the sacred Scriptures from infancy, which ca...