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 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 gross lack of training to recognize abuse patterns and mandated reporting Lack of and inadequate child protection policies Authoritarian leadership models where elders/leaders hold all decision-making power Culture of secrecy where churches a ..read more

What 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 that mission. Key Thoughts: The language that Peter (1 Peter 2:9-10) and Paul (Galatians 3:26-30) use to describe the church is taken from the language of the Old Testament (Exodus 19:5-6; Deuteronomy 7:6-9; Isaiah 43:19-21). This should inform our understanding of where we fit into God’s story and mission ..read more

By Everett W. Huffard When our preacher began his sermon Sunday morning, he wanted to say something about the Israel-Hamas war but was not sure what to say. With some hesitation he acknowledged the tragic loss of lives on both sides and the need to pray for peace. Then he added, “I wonder what Evertt Huffard thinks about this.” At that point I was not sure but what he would call me to the podium to say something. He didn’t, but he motivated me to write my thoughts. The region has a special place in my life. My grandfather died in Israel and is buried in Jaffa. I went to high school with Palest ..read more

There 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 and excellent in wisdom.” “Mighty God” also occurs in Isaiah 10:21 with clear reference to the LORD (YHWH) Part 3: Isaiah 60 For more information about the Apadan Reliefs and Persepolis that Dr. Hawley mentions, check out this video: https://youtu.be/zTStmXw6vwU Lance Hawley (Ph.D ..read more

By former HST Professor Dr. Phil McMillion Distributed with written permission of the author and the publisher. McMillion Psalm 78 RQ ..read more

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 Allow them to go in peace Make worship time a safe place by never allowing abusers in a worship gathering with children Include victims in making abuse-prevention policies for your congregation Jimmy Hinton graduated with the MDiv from HST in ..read more

Dr. Steve Cloer shares a ministry resource that he will be requiring in a doctoral seminar this fall. The book is Pursuing God’s Will Together* by Ruth Haley Barton, and Dr. Cloer highlights three key prayers from the book that can help any Christian in faithful decision-making. A Prayer of Trust: Lord, we don’t know what to do and we trust that you will provide in this decision. A Prayer of Indifference: Lord, it’s not about our will or our desire, but we only want to do your will. The Prayer of Wisdom: Lord, give us your heavenly wisdom to guide us in this difficult decision. *(Amazon aff ..read more

Dr. 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 our churches to know the Bible, we need to be close readers of Scripture. We need to know the story of God to know our place in it. Study at HST is participating in a community of study. This is especially important for our online students who may feel alone in ..read more

HST 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 on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit currently available. His book Discipleship in Community, co-authored with John Mark Hicks and Greg McKinzie, was released this summer. [table “48” not found /] As an Amazon Affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases made usi ..read more