DTS Magazine Fall 2021

DALLAS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

Fall 2021 | Vol. 7 , No. 3

Expository Preaching

Hearing the Voice of G

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Welcome to the Fall 2021Issue MARK YARBROUGH | PRESIDENT | DALLAS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

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f you analyzed the DNA of DTS, you would find a commitment to expository preaching as one of our most cherished values. Why? Because Paul’s charge to Timothy remains true, relevant, and powerful. Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. (2 Tim 4:2) This verse rests at the foundation of Dallas Theological Seminary’s mission of “equipping godly servant-leaders for the proclamation of His Word and the building up of the body of Christ worldwide.”

Thus, preaching, communication, and the Word are core to our curriculum and community life.

During his time as a traveling evangelist, Lewis Sperry Chafer observed growing attacks against Christian Bibliology. As a result, the Lord began working in his life and on his heart to establish a seminary founded on the inerrant Word of God. Chafer championed the approach that Holy Scripture, the Word of God, should be the central textbook of Dallas Theological Seminary. He wanted to teach people to know it and proclaim it. Hence, the Dallas Seminary seal, κήρυξον τὸν λόγον: kēryxson ton logon (a transliteration) “Preach the Word”.

You will hear me often say: some are called to preach; all are called to proclaim. The seminary’s degree programs reflect this idea. DTS offers training in a broad range of disciplines. Some specifically equip students to preach. However, every degree program— including our two new degree programs added this fall—Masters of Arts in Jewish Studies (MAJS) and Doctor of Education (EdD)—prepares students to proclaim God’s Word to the ministries to which He calls them.

This curricular focus extends beyond the classroom and shapes DTS’s community life. DTS dedicated the Bailey Student Center and Chafer Chapel in August. Yes, it is a building, but it facilitates ministry—it provides a place for the regular preaching of Scripture. And the community growing from that preaching is increasing in its commitment to proclaim God’s glory and greatness. And for that, I am grateful to God. I encourage our friends, students, faculty, and staff to fellowship, enjoy, and find a peaceful space in this new building that God provided. By His grace, we will continue using it and all other means to equip godly servant-leaders to proclaim His Word.

May God allow you to know the extraordinary grace that He has lavished on you this fall season so that you strengthen your resolve to rest in Him and overcome distraction to hear His Word effectively.

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. (2 Tim 4:1–5)

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Featured Contributors

DALLAS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY Our mission is to glorify God by equipping godly servant-leaders for the proclamation of His Word and the building up of the body of Christ worldwide.

DTS Magazine® Fall 2021 Vol. 7, No. 3 ISSN 1092–7492 ©2021 Dallas Theological Seminary. All rights reserved.

Published three times a year by Dallas Theological Seminary 3909 Swiss Avenue Dallas, Texas 75204

Mark M. Yarbrough, President Kraig McNutt, Executive Director Jason Fox, Creative Director Rebecca Walton, Editor Stephanie Johnston, Ad Designer Debbie J. Stevenson, Production Manager Ryan Holmes, Caroline Khameneh, Natacha Ramos, Rebecca Riddle, Jared Huang, Staff Photographers Margaret Tolliver, Lisa White, Dawn Hanson, Melanie Munnell, and Alex Meyer, Copy Editing

§ From the Editor's Desk §

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often think about the Scripture and song lyric, “I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord.” I anticipate hearing my pastor teach a Sunday sermon. He makes the words of the Bible come alive as it relates to my personal life. It affirms God’s role as Father in my life.

Have you considered the way we hear God when listening to our pastor-teacher preach a sermon? How do you feel during those times when the sermon seems to be precisely what you need to hear? This is a remarkable mystery and wonder of God. In this issue, we are focusing on hearing God as it relates to expository preaching.

For the following two issues, we will explore the world of expository preaching. My desire is for you to tap into the value of Bible exposition and grow your appreciation for sound Bible doctrine taught by gifted and trained teachers. Additionally, I want us to reflect on the details involved in hearing the voice of God, in connection with speaking God’s Word. So, find a nice, comfy spot to enjoy and keep your mobile phones in reach—this is an interactive magazine! God bless you this fall 2021 season, and may the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

SUBSCRIBE Subscriptions are free of charge to addresses in the United States. Go to voice.dts.edu/magazine or call 800-DTS-WORD and ask for the DTS Magazine subscription office.

EMAIL Contact admissions@dts.edu for information about DTS’s graduate degree programs.

Contact magazine@dts.edu to submit articles, request reprints, or make comments.

DONATIONS For information on how you can support the ministry of DTS, call 214-887-5060.

ONLINE/SUBMISSIONS Visit voice.dts.edu/magazine to view the editorial policies or DTS Magazine online.

Send email address changes to jglorvigen@dts.edu or mail to DTS Magazine 3909 Swiss Avenue Dallas, Texas 75204 Unless noted otherwise, Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Academic designations that are listed indicate degree from Dallas Theological Seminary.

SowingSeeds

DTS ADVANCEMENT

THE IMPACT OF YOUR INVESTMENT

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.e were blessed to have David Wills, president emeritus of the National Christian Foundation, speak at our DTS Stewardship Chapel on September 30, 2021. His message on generosity encouraged DTS students to cultivate abundant lives, personally and ministerially. We invite readers to take a moment and watch his message here. We hope you will learn how a generous heart, head, and hands influence all aspects of the Christian life.

3 Questions about Giving Prayer and generosity are integral parts of any ministry or missionary agenda.

Missionaries, preachers, servant-leaders, and teachers succeed when they receive prayer and financial support.

Giving is a spiritual gift. Unfortunately, it is sometimes undervalued in our churches. We must prioritize and cultivate generosity within the body of Christ.

If you desire to increase your propensity for charity, ask yourself these three questions:

Why should I be generous? Those who ask themselves this question, posture themselves to have the right

motivation for giving. It is a measure of sincerity within the heart. When we reflect on the generosity of Christ, we are all the more empowered and assured. We give because He gave first!

How do I give? These answers are provided by your local church, mission, or Christian non-profit organization. Those who take time to ask themselves this question often give more than they thought they could.

Where should I give? Those who ask this question experience joy and satisfaction through their generosity. They are proactive and motivated by relationships, the vision of the ministry, and the change that their gift will produce.

- ABBY WILLS Alumni Scholarship Fund

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George & Joyce Swayne FRIENDS OF DALLAS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

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e first engaged with Dallas Theological Seminary through mutual friends Sylvia and Rich Budd. Sylvia and Joyce were in the same garden club in Winston-Salem, NC, and found out from Sylvia that DTS was taking a trip to Israel. We wanted to go to Israel for years; each time we were ready to try, we had to take care of an elderly family member.

Joyce was very familiar with Dr. Charles Swindoll’s books and listened to David Jeremiah many times over the years.

We have grown very fond of the Seminary, its exemplary teachers and excellent professors, and its mission to equip young pastors to serve the Lord worldwide. We support DTS because we believe in its values and the training students receive. A few years ago, we drove out to see DTS and hear Dr. Swindoll welcome the new classes in his morning prayer.

Dear Kim Till took us on a tour of the campus, and we liked sitting in two classes and being a part of the campus life.

A Charitable Gift Annuity allows you to make a gift to Dallas Theological Seminary and receive income for life, reduce your taxes, and advance the cause of Jesus Christ through the mission of DTS. It is a simple plan between you and the Dallas Seminary Foundation whereby you receive fixed payments for life at a rate based on your age. You can establish a Gift Annuity with a gift of $10,000 or more of cash or appreciated stock. Payments can be made to one person or to a married couple. They can even be paid to a loved one.

We certainly encourage others about DTS and have enjoyed having friends come on their enlightening tours. We have been to Scotland and the British Isles with Dr. John Hannah and to Israel on two trips with Dr. Charles Dyer, Dr. Mark Bailey, Dr. Mark Yarbrough, and Dr. Stephen Bramer. We took our six grandchildren on the New England tour and visited Jonathan Edwards’s home. We will always treasure these experiences in our hearts. In addition, the teaching from all the professors has made the Bible come alive for us.

We chose to support DTS through prayer and by establishing four charitable gift annuities because of its exemplary leadership and the friendships we have made. DTS is a shining light in spreading God’s Word.

- George and Joyce Swayne

Scott Talbot | Executive Director Dallas Seminary Foundation VOICE.DT S .E DU /M AG A Z IN E DA LLA S TH E O LO G ICA L SE MI N ARY

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Be Still by: DR. EKPEDEME WADE

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ver the past eighteen months, the diagnoses of anxiety disorders have increased significantly. Paradoxically, during a period when the fast-paced world to which we have become accustomed to slowed down, anxiety increased.

The COVID-19 pandemic, in certain aspects, forced us to be still.

However, so many of us could not be still. In addition to the constant barrage of phone alerts, social media, television, school, and work which continually occupied our minds, we discovered various activities and new hobbies to busy ourselves—baking, cooking, reading, exercising, binge-watching, and playing board games. In our current culture, being still is an extremely challenging task.

Enjoying quiet and silence is challenging or uncomfortable for most people. For those who struggle with anxiety, bedtime is often arduous. Anxiety, rumination, worry, and fear intensify when the mind is still because there is nothing left to occupy it. As a result, it becomes difficult to fall asleep. It may seem as if anxiety is worse at night; however, the truth is, anxiety is usually constant during the day. The busyness of life distracts us from our anxious thoughts. When there are no more diversions, anxiety symptoms magnify.

A noticeable increase in anxiety levels, coupled with the difficulties of slowing down, compelled me to focus on the practice of meditation with my clients. I find the discussion of meditation to be an uneasy one, particularly with Christians. Some Christians are receptive to the practice of meditation, while others have strong hesitations about it. Some may consider mediation to be an Eastern ritual, not a Christian application. However, in contrast to Eastern meditation, which focuses on emptying the mind, Christian meditation focuses on filling the mind (Col 3:1–2; Phil 4:8–9; Heb 3:1). Christian meditation is far from nebulous. In concert with our faith, it can lead to a richer connection with God.

Meditate on God’s Word After Moses died, God spoke to Joshua, giving him instructions for the people and the land. The specific instruction reads, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything 8

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written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful” ( Josh 1:8).

God’s instruction is simple: meditate on the Law. The key to Joshua’s success and prosperity in the task ahead of him rested in being rooted in God’s Word. When we adhere to this directive and meditate on the Word, God’s Word remains embedded in our hearts and minds.

Meditating on the Word of God increases our understanding of Him and His precepts. It can also increase our level of proficiency regarding implementing His Word in our daily lives.

When our mind is full of Scripture, our lips are filled with God’s Word which, in turn, we effortlessly impart on others.

How does one meditate on the Word of God? There are various methods to implement this practice. For example, reading a specific passage of Scripture several times, thinking through the passage, and identifying practical applications of the Scripture.

Meditate in Silence “The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave” (1 Kings 19:11–13).

God came to Elijah in a gentle whisper. Some commentators translate this to, “in a moment in silence.” Our life is full of noises, yet God often speaks in whispers. We desire to hear God, yet the distractions of incessant noise create difficulty. To hear God requires a lessening of the noise. Decreasing the volume of external noise is just as important as decreasing the volume of internal noise. Continuous thoughts, planning, worry, and self-talk can also obstruct hearing God through meditation.

Benefits of Meditation There are numerous health benefits associated with the practice of meditation. For example, meditation has been proven to lower blood pressure, enhance the immune system, and improve sleep. Additional benefits of meditation include the following: • • • • •

stress reduction improvements in attention decreased anxiety and depression reduction in pain (both physical and psychological) improved memory

Through a plethora of research, we also understand that actual structural and functional changes in the brain occur as a result of meditation. New dendrites and synaptic connections are formed. Neural circuits become activated and are permanently strengthened in particular parts of the brain. These structural and functional transformations lead to a decrease in anxiety and depression and an increase in empathy and cognitive health. Neuroscientific findings make a case for greater use of meditation in the Christian walk.

The Call to Meditate We need only to peruse the Bible to observe the numerous examples of mediation as a biblical principle.

• Psalm 1 instructs us to meditate on His Law,

day and night (Ps 1:2).

• Paul encourages the message of Christ to dwell

in us (Col 3:16).

• The Hebrew writer calls us to fix our eyes

on Jesus (Heb 3:1).

• Our thoughts are to be consumed by whatever

is good and worthy of praise (Phil 4:8).

The Bible is clear in its instructions on mediation. Christian mediation can be performed in a variety of styles. It can incorporate prayer or Scripture reflection. It can focus on worship or silence. Meditation can incorporate God’s promises, His majesty, or any of His wonderful qualities. In all of these methods, the benefit of meditation is unquestionable. Science reinforces the good in what God has commanded: Be still.

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Book Excerpt

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rayer is awkward, and I think the sooner you embrace it, the more you’ll pray.

More frequently, freely, honestly, and humbly.

So what is so awkward about prayer? Honestly, I think it’s the same with any other conversation. I participate in it as a sinner. What’s different though, is God is perfect.

When two humans talk to one another, they do so as sinners. When a creature talks to their Creator, the creature does so as a sinner, talking to God, who is perfect.

Right from the start, sin makes prayer tricky. It causes us to constantly question our motives in prayer. For example, when God responds to our prayer, sin makes it really difficult for us to recognize God’s revelation and answer to our prayer. If, due to sin, we have a hard time grasping God’s answer to our prayer, then we begin to think God doesn’t care. Or doesn’t listen. Or maybe we aren’t saying the right words.

Unfortunately, because our very nature is sinful, there will always be tension and discomfort as we pray to God. In some weird way, one of my objectives is to get us to realize that tension and discomfort are natural. And, as long as our sinful nature affects us—spiritually, mentally, physically, emotionally—it makes prayer feel very unnatural.

That’s the dirty little secret. Sin does not merely have heaven and hell consequences, but it also affects our relationship with God here and now, specifically regarding the comfort and ease we long to have when we pray.

What if there is divine purpose in the awkwardness of prayer? What if prayer was designed to keep us balanced in this strange tension? One that says we are welcome to pray often, about anything, without ceasing, and with persistence.

Yet we will never feel fully comfortable, because of our nature and the nature of the one to whom we are speaking.

In other words, if you are waiting until you feel comfortable in prayer, you might never begin praying. This intimidates Christians. It frustrates us, confuses us, and silences us. Sin has deeply (totally) impacted our nature, making praying hard enough. Then, there is the whole waiting, watching, and listening for the Lord’s response. Sadly, the reaction to this intimidation is often that we refrain from praying.

I want to change this response. So for now, I need us to at least acknowledge that prayer is awkward. And that’s okay, because praying to a perfect, omniscient (all knowing), omnisapient (all wise), invisible, omnibenevolent (infinitely good), omnipotent (all powerful), sovereign God takes some getting used to.

And maybe you’ll never fully get used to that. Maybe you aren’t supposed to fully get used to that. Maybe hidden in this reality is what keeps us humble as we pray—which is right where we need to be.

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ALUMNI PROFILE Dr. Steven Mason, (ThM, 2002) Lyle Mason, (MABS, 2011)

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ow often do we come across twin alumni? Twins who live and thrive in God’s kingdom have fascinating life stories that reverberate heavenly mysteries. Their success stories are the echo of God’s masterful artistry for human history. In discovering these unique kinds of stories, I imagine this is what Paul meant when he stated, “For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ …”(2 Cor 2:15).

For just as God is pleased when He sees the brilliant works of Christ, so are we.

It was not long before Dr. Mason knew he wanted to get a PhD and become a college professor. He finished the ThM program and his thesis under the supervision of Dr. Darrell Bock. Dr. Bock inspired him to go to Scotland for his doctorate. And so, he moved to St. Andrews in 2002, where he and his family lived for four years. It was his classes with Dr. Gordon Johnston that led him to pursue his PhD in Old Testament Studies. He finished his PhD in 2006, and T&T Clark eventually published his dissertation, Eternal Covenant in the Pentateuch: The Contours of an Elusive Phrase.

By God’s providence, Dr. Steven Mason and Mr. Lyle Mason are twin DTS alumni. They are believers in Christ who share a delightful life story that led them to become seminary graduates. They are from San Antonio, TX. Each one is married with beautiful families of their own, and have built comprehensive careers in service to the Christian community at large. Earlier this year, Dr. Steven Mason stepped into his newly appointed role as president of LeTourneau University in Longview, TX. We at DTS congratulate him on this rare feat that only a small number of God’s children will ever experience. Mr. Lyle Mason is vice president of Development at Methodist Children’s Home in Waco, TX. Growing up as twins in a Christian household, Steven and Lyle were heavily influenced by Young Life, a parachurch ministry founded by DTS alum Jim Rayburn. Young Life lit a spark for Christian ministry in their hearts that never fizzled out. Their partnership in following Jesus started in high school, continued through college at Baylor University, and remains in their adult lives and current ministries.

Dr. Steven Mason Dr. Mason entered Baylor University with his sights set on a career in business administration, and he anticipated bearing witness to Christ in the corporate world. After completing his bachelor’s degree, he moved to Dallas and began working at the Cooper Clinic. He enrolled in DTS part-time because he believed he could later benefit from some seminary training as he advanced in his ministry and career. However, soon after taking Dr. Scott Horrell’s class on Trinitarianism, Steven quickly felt the pull to enroll in DTS full time, while staying open to what the Lord had for him in the future.

The family of Dr. Steven Mason: (l-r) Christopher Mason, Caroline Mason, Dr. Steven Mason, Bonnie Mason (MABS, 2002), William Mason

Dr. Mason became a professor at LeTourneau University in 2006 and has been there ever since. After serving as Dean of Faculty and then provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, Dr. Mason became President on March 1, 2021. LeTourneau is known as “The Christian Polytechnic University” and offers a comprehensive slate of programs from engineering and aviation to biblical studies and the liberal arts. He enjoys leading a university that is entirely devoted to Jesus Christ and the integration of faith and learning.

Lyle Mason Soon after graduating from Baylor University, Lyle began a career in the pharmaceutical and medical device industry. Although he enjoyed business success for almost ten years, earning a seminary degree was a goal he wanted to achieve. Like his brother, devotion to the Word and a desire to VOICE.DT S .E DU /M AG A Z IN E DA L LA S TH E O LO G ICA L SE MI N ARY

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transform lives through the gospel was always his focus, no matter the work setting. In 2002, while residing in Waco, TX, and working full-time in sales, he decided to enroll as a part-time student and start driving to Dallas in the evenings to attend class at DTS. A few years later, an eventual work-related move to the Dallas area allowed Lyle to continue his master’s program as a hybrid student, enrolled in both online and in-person courses.

In 2008, a layoff at Lyle’s company required a brief pause in his pursuit of a seminary degree at DTS. However, it was an opportunity to gain theological training outside the classroom. Lyle was hired to fill a one-year, full-time hospital chaplain residency at Baylor University Medical Center in downtown Dallas. By his own testimony, his residency as a chaplain allowed him to experience the power of the Holy Spirit like never before. It was a unique experience that pressed him to engage with God at a deeper level.

He is beyond grateful for the experience, even though his commitment only lasted a year. The lessons he acquired during this residency would have a lasting impact in the years to come.

The family of Lyle Mason: (l-r) Lyle Mason, Hannah Mason, Justin Mason, Denise Mason, Luke Mason (Photo appx. 10 years old.)

After Lyle’s service as a hospital chaplain, he and his family moved back to Waco. Here is where he completed his Master of Arts in Biblical Studies at DTS online—graduating in 2012— and where his experience in sales and ministry converged as a fundraiser for the Methodist Children’s Home (MCH). This nationally recognized childcare agency serves thousands in Texas and New Mexico, assisting children and families with residential care, foster care, and other family preservation services.

Lyle found tremendous joy, meaning, and success in this role for six years. However, when long-time close friend, and now world-famous celebrity, Chip Gaines asked for Lyle’s assistance in starting a charitable foundation and leading philanthropic activities, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity Lyle couldn’t pass up.

In this position, Lyle’s personal theology of generosity and philosophy for giving was formed; his knowledge of the philanthropic sector soared. From 2016-2019, Lyle served as the president of Magnolia Foundation and director of Generosity for Magnolia. com. In 2019, considering all that God had accomplished in those

three years, including everything that Lyle learned through his work in philanthropy, it was evident that the Lord was prompting him to return to MCH. Lyle is currently serving as the vice president for Development at MCH. He views his position as a fundraiser and leader at MCH as a ministry. It is by God’s providence that he can proclaim the name of Jesus and help transform the lives of over 5,000 children and families. It is a joy and privilege he does not take for granted.

Lyle is extremely grateful for DTS and how the theological training and spiritual formation he received during his student experience equipped him to flourish in every aspect of life. He holds Dr. Stephen Bramer, professor of Biblical Exposition, in high esteem and is thankful for the difference his teaching made in his DTS journey. Lyle also appreciates the positive impact Dr. Timothy Warren, senior professor of Pastoral Ministries, made on him as a student; and even more so, while he worked as a hospital chaplain at Baylor University Medical Center. Dr. Warren conducted weekly devotionals for the hospital staff and would join Lyle for lunch on occasion.

Discovering the lives of Steven and Lyle is like looking through a kaleidoscope—the details are charming, colorful little pieces anchored in symmetry. Together, they came into this world, tracked alongside one another as children; God gave them similar gifts of administration and hearts for ministry. They were educated together and had similar career trajectories, but their experiences were their own. What’s next for them remains to be seen; yet, based on their story so far, and what Christianity dictates regarding who we are in Christ, it’s safe to say that they will always have each other.

“

..Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.” - (Eccl 4:9) - REBECCA WALTON Editor of DTS Magazine Curated by Steven and Lyle Mason

~ Master’s Program Teaching Team Meet The DTS en Espanol

~

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very semester I begin by having my students introduce themselves and explain why they chose to attend seminary. One would think that the most common reason would have something to do with being trained for the pastorate. However, this is not the case at all. Instead, the most common response is something like, “I’m here because I want to learn the Bible.” So, I will then ask, “Don’t they teach and preach the Bible at your church?” The answer is almost always something like, “Oh yes, my church is wonderful!” So, I will continue, “Does your pastor preach the Bible?” Again, the answer is usually, “Well, of course.” To which I then ask, “What was the last book your pastor preached? What was the book about? What was the apostle (or prophet) saying? To whom was he saying it? Why was he saying it?” And then, “Why should it matter to us?” At this point, I survey the class and typically observe a room full of bewildered faces and blank stares.

This line of questioning shows that some Christians don’t know the Bible nor what to believe because they aren’t learning it in their churches. As a result, many have turned inward to “hear from God.” However, much of what people are “hearing” is not Christian at all. Instead, they formulate their own personal interpretation of the Bible and their version of spiritual truth.

What makes matters worse is that the untaught church is elevating teachers who do the same! The result is that many in the church today hold beliefs that directly contradict both the Bible and orthodoxy. As a seminary professor, I challenge seminary graduates to be part of the solution by teaching proper exposition of Scripture and sound doctrine. Because generally speaking, whatever is being preached or taught in the church today, and however it is being preached or taught, is not working.

How do we solve this problem? Simple. Evangelists, pastors, and teachers must return to teaching the “faith which was once for all handed down to the saints” ( Jude 3) because, as Peter explains, “no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2 Pet 1:20). In other words, the prophets of the Old Testament handed down the Word of God. Additionally, “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His

How the Chu Hear from G Son…” (Heb 1:1–2). Yet, Jesus didn’t write any of the books of the New Testament. Instead, He gave His words to His apostles.

Thus, Peter writes that his readers “should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles” (2 Pet 3:2).

The early church recognized what the Old Testament saints had known for some 1,500 years: Moses’s words were authoritative.1 In fact, prophets after Moses (even Jesus) were to be evaluated by Moses’s words.2 Every prophet was to have the same confession. They were to tell the same story. This story, which was spelled out in the Song of Moses (Deut 32), was the same story retold by every prophet of the Old Testament and handed down to the next generation. As was promised in that story, the Redeemer who would save God’s people—Israel—from their sins walked into history, walked into His Story, in the person of Jesus.3 And just as Moses and the prophets foretold, Israel rejected their Messiah. And as promised, the good news of Christ’s redemption and the gift of eternal life went out to the Gentiles.4 God’s plan, God’s purposes, God’s character, God’s sovereignty—all of it—were revealed through His prophets, personified in His Son, proclaimed by His Son’s apostles, and was to be passed down from generation to generation in the church.5 These words were to be “entrusted to faithful men who could teach others” (2 Tim 2:2). Understanding and living out these words were the qualifications for elders (1 Tim 3:2; Tit 1:9).

These same words are to be taught in the church today by evangelists, pastors, and teachers.

For the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of

“Evangelists, pastors, and teachers must return to teaching the ‘faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.'"

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urch Is to God

by: DR. DAVID KLINGLER

God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ (Eph 4:12–15).

If the body of Christ lacks the unity of the faith; if the body of Christ lacks the true knowledge of the Son of God; if the body of Christ is “tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine,” then it is not because God has not spoken. Instead, it is because we, as evangelists, pastors, and teachers, are failing to faithfully teach and preach the words of the apostles and prophets.

I’m reminded of Paul’s letter to the Galatians. In it he expresses, I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed (Gal 1:6–9)!

While Paul is addressing a different “distortion” of the gospel in Galatians, three points should not be missed here.6 First, Paul expected the Galatians to clearly understand the gospel that he (Paul, the Apostle) preached to them. What Paul meant

by preaching the gospel was teaching them the story of God’s redemptive plan, how they fit into it, and how they were to live in light of it. Paul’s beginning point was always the Scriptures, that is, the Old Testament. Paul’s whole defense of the gospel in the Book of Galatians comes from the Old Testament (as is true in all of Paul’s writings). Second, they were not to be moved from that gospel by anyone—no preacher, no teacher, not even an angel! The once for all faith that was handed down was authoritative and not to be altered. Third, and here is the warning for those who preach, Paul proclaimed that anyone preaching another gospel is to be accursed. If we aren’t preaching and teaching the Scriptures, then we are truly treading on thin ice.

Every story has a beginning and an end. The same is true with the Bible. Our understanding must begin with Genesis and it must follow the plot of the Bible through all sixty-six books to Revelation. This story must be taught book by book, passage by passage so that we too can fully understand the “faith once for all handed down to the saints” ( Jude 3,). It is long past time for the church to return to teaching and preaching the whole counsel of God, all sixty-six books, so that the “unfathomable riches of Christ” and the “manifold wisdom of God” might be “known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places” (Eph 3:8–10).

Scripture quotations are taken from the NASB translation.

1 Read Num 12 and the uniqueness of Moses.

2 See John 5:39–47; Deut 13:1–11; 18:9–22.

3 See Matt 1:21; 2:6; Luke 1:68; 2:25 4 See for example John 1:11–13; Gen. 12:1–3; Deut 32:15–21; Rom 10:16–21; 11:11–36.

5 See for example Luke 1:1–4; 2 Tim 2:2.

6 The distortion of the gospel that Paul is addressing in his letter to the Galatians is the fact that some Jewish believers, not wanting to be persecuted by Jewish unbelievers (6:12), are adding to the gospel of justification through faith in Christ the Jewish belief that the Jews were justified in the flesh (i.e., circumcision and law-keeping). Thus, they wanted to have the Gentiles circumcised and keep the Law. This specific issue was addressed by the apostles in Acts 10, 11, and 15. Paul responds that the Law was not added to justify anyone, that by words of the Law shall no flesh be justified. Instead, one is justified through faith, just as Abraham was justified. Further, only through faith can one receive eternal life—something that the Law was unable to provide.

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STUDENT GROUP SPOTLIGHT

Chinese Student Fellowship

CULTIVATE | CONNECTION | COMMUNITY

l-r: Cherry Chen (MACE), Treasurer | Helen Shen (ThM), President | Paul Yeh (MACS), Vice President | Ruth Tao (MACS), Media Coordinator

今年，华人同学会（CSF）在为更深融入到DTS社群努力。希望来自各国的神的子民在 爱中团结、合一是他们建构基督徒社群的理念。CSF的目标包括欢迎即将到来的华人 同学们，并开展促进同学们融入丰盛神学院之旅的活动。 他们的愿景是通过与其他学 生团体合作的校园活动，分享信仰生活，增强社群连结。 您将在今年看到CSF同学们开 展的每周祷告会以及增进校友联谊等的活动。

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A Preacher's Hermeneutical Responsibility to Hear from God by: DR. HERMAN BAXTER

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t is Friday evening, you answer the phone, and the pastor on the line says, “Can you bring the word this Sunday? I sure do appreciate you.” These “last minute” calls can invoke a variety of feelings. How do you prepare a meaningful message on short notice?

I suggest that a preacher’s preparation will go a long way in addressing the hermeneutical concern of hearing from God while working on a short-notice sermon. My goal is to share a reminder that short- or long-term sermon preparation depends on the preparation of the heart, the head, and the hands.

Preparation of the Heart “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer” (Ps 19:14).

To hear the message of God for the people, preachers must have a personal and active relationship with God. A prepared heart is the bedrock of sermon preparation. If one relies solely on persona, theories of communication with a dab of exegetical insight, then the sermon is just another public speaking engagement. Gardner C. Taylor said, “preaching depends so much on the spiritual state of the preacher.” Preachers can maintain healthy spirituality by practicing the spiritual discipline of prayer.

Sermon preparation is a prayer exercise. To prepare the heart, one must constantly remain in prayer. In prayer, the preacher should readily obey God’s Word and model its truth to the hearer during the sermon. Pray for clarity in communication.

Pray for the hearers who are carrying a burden. Pray that Christ is exalted as His Word is explained.

Prayer is a salve to reduce the swelling of pride and to revive a dry soul. Give thanks to God for the opportunity to speak for Him. Ask God to reveal the text you are to preach and what to say. Quickly confess sin when convicted from the Scriptures you are studying. Preparing to preach through prayer will help guard your heart as you preach and aid in preparing the head.

Preparation of the Head “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Tim 2:15).

Pastor H.B. Charles Jr. says, “The desire to preach without a burden to prepare is only a desire to perform.” To prepare the head or mind, every preacher needs a system for sermon preparation. Through a study system, a preacher can observe the text, seek application of the text, and identify stories that can help the audience relate to the text. There is no perfect system. However, if one does not have a plan, ask another preacher about their sermon preparation process to glean ideas.

Another resource is the book Preaching and Preachers by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones or listening to podcasts about preaching.

Through diligent study of the text, God will give insight. Thorough preparation of the heart in prayer and the preparation of the head through a study system can aid the preacher in crafting a message that God wants for His people.

Preparation of the Hands “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,” (2 Tim 3:16).

Preachers are called to feed the flock of God with knowledge and understanding. Preachers are not life coaches, motivational speakers, or self-help gurus. As Dr. Abraham Kuruvilla states, “Preaching is how we are taught how to be Christlike.”

Every preacher should think of themselves as the symbolic hands of God touching His people through the sermon. Preparation of the hands requires a preacher to consider the congregants in their sermon preparation. Samuel Proctor’s The Certain Sound of the Trumpet: Crafting a Sermon of Authority has three significant points to help preachers prepare their hands.

First, there must be a sensitive awareness of the audience and its contextual situation. Second, it is good to know where the audience is in biblical knowledge and theological understanding. Third, the preacher must discern what God has prepared for this audience. Here, the preacher must prayerfully open the channel to God and humbly ask what to say to the audience.

The preacher who prepares the heart, head, and hands will minimize fear and anxiety and experience the power of God’s Spirit operating through them. The spiritual ointment of preparation of the heart, head, and hands will strengthen the messenger to “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction” (2 Tim 4:2).

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DTS News Dr. Michael A Ortiz

Vice President for Global Ministries and Associate Professor of Missiology and Intercultural Ministries

Dr. John C. Dyer

Vice President for Enrollment Services and Educational Technologies and Assistant Professor of Theological Studies

Photo Courtesy of BGEA

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August 2021—(Dallas, TX)—Effective August 1, 2021, Dr. Michael Ortiz is now the vice president for Global Ministries and Dr. John Dyer is now vice president for Enrollment Services and Educational Technologies.

Dr. Ortiz’s leadership skills have previously led to the establishment of DTS en Español and, most recently, the reframing of the Department of Missiology and Intercultural Ministries (formerly the Department of World Missions and Intercultural Studies). His experience as international director of International Council for Evangelical Theological Education (ICETE) makes him uniquely qualified to lead this new division for DTS as a global ambassador. Dr. Ortiz will also help develop, lead, and implement opportunities to equip pastoral leaders who otherwise may not have access to training. His passion and discernment will encourage the entire DTS community toward fulfilling a seminal dimension of the Seminary’s mission-centric focus “to build up the body of Christ worldwide.”

Dr. Dyer recently anchored the enrollment services team (Admissions, Registrar, Student Advising, Financial Aid) as the dean of Enrollment Services and Distance Education and will continue to do so in his enhanced role as vice president. His teams sharpen DTS’s engagement with prospective students and the churches and ministries with which we associate. He will also continue to promote more effective strategies to retain and equip existing students. Additionally, Dr. Dyer will continue to oversee distance and online education as well as assess and recommend the use of classroom technologies for pedagogical purposes in a challenging technological world. In today’s educational environment, there is a need to use all means possible to both reach and train students nationally and internationally—yet with a high-touch, life-on-life engagement on-campus, onsite, and online.

August 2021—(Dallas, TX)—Dr. Mark Yarbrough, Dr. Mark Bailey, and Dr. Mark Hitchcock are teaming up to teach an intensive Bible training seminar at the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove in Asheville, NC, next summer: June 26–July 1, 2022. They will explore the Book of Daniel in a week-long series called Daniel: Looking for the End Time, Living in the Meantime. In a tumultuous time of high anxiety, the body of Christ is uniquely positioned to be a spiritual beacon of stability and hope. The Book of Daniel is an eschatological study of Israel—her fall, salvation, and glory. It is also an outline of hope for the body of Christ concerning its future and the coming of God’s future kingdom in Israel. This intensive study will empower attendees to remain faithful in an inexhaustible environment of carnality. Stay tuned into DTS Voice and the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove for future announcements and registration information.

August 2021—(Dallas, TX)—DTS welcomes newly appointed executive director of Marketing and Communications, Kraig McNutt. Kraig completed his BA in Philosophy and Speech-n-Theatre from Indiana University, MDiv from Grace Theological Seminary, and MS in Library & Information Science from The University of Kentucky. He has over twenty years of senior marketing/communications leadership experience, having worked with Humana, Dave Ramsey, Hillsdale College, Focus on the Family, and his own marketing and communications business. Kraig also researches, writes, and speaks on the American Civil War. He is a native Kentuckian and transplanted Hoosier. He and his wife, Lori, have been married for over thirty-four years, have three adult children and three grandchildren.

DTS congratulates its own Ryan Holmes on his promotion to executive director of Media Production. Throughout his eleven years of directing the DTS Media Production team, Ryan has earned the DTS community’s respect and trust through his technical expertise, relentless work ethic, and team-promoting leadership.

On August 24, 2021 the DTS faculty and staff held a reception in honor of Dr. Mark Bailey for his nineteen years of service as president of DTS.

(l-r) Dr. Jason Wiesepape Asst. Professor of Educational Ministries and Leadership Karen Grassmick (ret.) Dr. Mark Bailey Chancellor, Senior Professor of Biblical Exposition Michelle Schiwietz Office of the President Robert Riggs Vice President for Operations / COO VOICE.DT S .E DU /M AG A Z IN E DA L LA S TH E O LO G ICA L SE MI N ARY

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Why Preaching Still Matters by: MATT MORTON

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season” (2 Tim 4:2), even though people are often indifferent or even hostile? Let me offer four reasons why I think preaching still matters, even when it seems like an exercise in futility.

Like all pastors, though, I also preach to people who are indifferent, exhausted, fearful, or skeptical of what I’m saying. Some people fall asleep before I arrive at my carefully crafted conclusion. Sometimes it’s worse than that: one Sunday many years ago, I spotted an amorous young couple at the back of the auditorium, enthusiastically kissing during my sermon. (And no, my text was not Romans 16:16, “Greet one another with a holy kiss.”) When people are that disengaged, it’s tempting to think that nothing significant or spiritual is happening during the sermon.

This past summer, I took a preaching course, and I was required to present a sermon from an Old Testament prophetic passage.

I selected Malachi 1:6–14. To my surprise, one of my classmates chose the same text. What I found remarkable, though, was that our sermons were very different. We derived basically the same main idea from the passage, but he explained it in ways that never would have occurred to me. In a similar way, whenever I preach the same passage a second time, I notice things I didn’t see the first time around. God’s Word is an inexhaustible source of wisdom and knowledge about who He is and who He is calling us to be. As Jesus said of the kingdom-minded scribe, we can always bring forth “both old and new treasures” from God’s Word (Matt 13:51-52). The Bible never changes; there are always new treasures to unearth, no matter how many sermons we’ve heard from a particular text.

hen I decided to become a preacher, I imagined myself preaching to an attentive congregation full of people who could not wait to hear my sermons and to apply them to their lives. And God has been gracious to me: sometimes I hear stories of how God has used one of my sermons to change a person’s life. And some people even say they like my sermons!

Many people want to hear from God’s Word, but they struggle with personal pain, habitual sin, spiritual indifference, or doubt. They have problems that no sermon can fix, so they question God’s goodness or even His existence. Sometimes I am one of those people, even though I’m the pastor. I can relate to those who wonder if sermons do any good at all or if we are filling the air with noise. In a world full of strife and pain, what good does it do to gather once a week to listen to somebody talk about the Bible? Why did Paul exhort Timothy to “preach the Word, be prepared in season and out of 20

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First, God’s Word is inexhaustible.

Second, God’s Spirit is always speaking.

Even when it seems like nobody is listening, or when the sermon could be better, the Holy Spirit still speaks. Each week, I remind myself of Hebrews 4:12: “The Word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow…able to judge the desires and thoughts

of the heart” (NET). If we believe those words, then we know that the Spirit of God will always speak to us when we gather to hear from His Word. As a preacher, I can study the Bible and consider the needs of my congregation, but only the Spirit knows exactly what He intends to say to each person.

As hearers of the Word, all of us should be prepared for it to cut us open and perform the painful but necessary work of transforming us into Christ’s image. We cannot predict how the Spirit will speak to us each Sunday, but we can trust that He will speak, even when it seems like nothing is happening.

Third, the world is always changing. Sometimes

my witty teenage daughter asks me what the world was like when I was young. “Did they have breakfast way back then, Daddy? Did they even have shoes?” I am not really that old, but the world has changed a lot since I was her age. The world has also changed since last Sunday, though, and so have we.

We face new challenges and fresh fears. We are either closer to God or further from Him than we were last week. Things are always changing. Yet the Word of God speaks to us exactly where we are today. We always need fresh sermons, then, to help us apply God’s unchanging Word in our ever-changing world.

forget about the sermon before we eat lunch on Sunday. I even forget my own sermons sometimes! Therefore, I need to be reminded of the gospel and of the truth of God’s Word on a regular basis. That’s true for all of us; we are all forgetful people. We get together every single week, then, to hear a message from God’s timeless Word. Even though we heard the good news of Jesus last Sunday, we need to hear it again this Sunday. Good preachers pretty much say the same things over and over again, in fact, because they know how desperately we need reminding.

Next time you sit in church, ask the Spirit of God to speak to you through the sermon. Whether your pastor is a world-class communicator or just an everyday preacher, God has something to say to you through His Word. The question for each of us is whether we will listen carefully and then obey Him joyfully.

Fourth, we are always forgetting. In 2 Peter 1,

Peter told his readers, “I intend to remind you constantly of these things even though you know them and are well established in the truth” (2 Pet 1:12–14 NET). He knew that the truth has a way of leaking out of our brains over time. Sometimes we VOICE.DT S .E DU /M AG A Z IN E DA L LA S TH E O LO G ICA L SE MI N ARY

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DTS Teaching Truth & Loving Well 1

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hancellor Emeritus, Dr. Charles Swindoll, preaches fall chapel, September 7, 2021. The sermon is titled Boars in God’s Vineyard. These “boars” are sometimes “us.” They are the difficult people within God’s kingdom that often test our resolve for Christian integrity. Listen to Dr. Swindoll describe what we are to be as both ministers of merciful compassion and insightful discernment.

1 Dr. Herman Baxter (DMin, 2021) (l) & Ryan Holmes (MAMC, 2008), (r), are setting up a media shoot in the Bailey Student Center.

2 DTS–D.C. (l-r) Sunny Park (MBTS, 2020) Lisa Adams, MACE student, Jenna Mead (MBTS, 2017) Liliana Cruz, MABC student. (back row) Kevin Gottlieb (ThM, 2018) Dr. Rodney Orr (ThM, 1990) - DTS–D.C. staff enjoying campus picnic.

3 Timothy Warren (ThM, 1977), ret. DTS senior professor of Pastoral Ministries and associate pastor of LakePointe Church, teaching from his new ministry platform: www.PreachingCamp.com.

4 DTS International Student Fellowship 2021 council - (back row, l-r) Richard Young, ThM, Canada; Andrew Mwumvaneza, ThM, Rwanda; Paul Mitskevich, ThM, Russia; Peter Simwanza, ThM, Zambia; Voltaire Cacal, director of International Students; David Hurst, ThM, USA; Chinzorig Jargalsaikhan, ThM, Mongolia. (front row, l-r) Helen Shen, ThM, China, President of CSF (Chinese Students Fellowship; Julie Smith, International Admissions Counselor; Beth Roye, DTS donor and ISF Care Team member; Jalaine Mackinnon, SWIM and ISF Care Team; Ruth Singsit, ThM, India.

5 Student Council 2021 (Dallas campus) on retreat in north Texas.

6 Student Life Leadership (l-r) Dr. George Hillman, VP of Education; Dr. Herman Baxter (DMin, 2021), Dean of Students; Adam Watson (MACL, 2019), former SF Fellow; Dr. Brian Bittiker (DMin, 2019), director of Spiritual Formation.

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7 Jalen Taylor, ThM student, leaping within the bubble machine at the Fall Bash Dallas campus event.

8 Dr. Mark Yarbrough (Thm, 1996; PhD, 2008), (r. 3rd m.) president of DTS leads virtual faculty meeting in preparation for the fall semester.

9 Byron Bray II (ThM, 2018), (r) of Armored Sports Camp standing next to his co-founder, Tim Robinson.

10 Richard Young, (l) ThM student and ISF chaplain praying over a student on the Dallas campus.

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am very thankful for my training at Dallas Theological Seminary, especially my training in Bible exposition.

The motto of Dallas Theological Seminary is “Preach the Word” (2 Tim 4:2). I received a Master of Theology and Doctor of Ministry, both of which serve as the foundational pillars to my ministry.

I have always desired to serve in a region where Bible exposition is not prevalent, especially in areas where access to Bible doctrinal teaching is limited. Since graduating from DTS, God has given me opportunities to preach His Word in Japan and Thailand. For the past eleven years, I have been preaching at an international, nondenominational church in Rangsit, Thailand. As this church does not have a full-time pastor, I am one of several pastors who preach regularly. I am grateful to regularly expound on God’s Word to this congregation.

Recently, the coronavirus has curtailed many of my opportunities, but I can preach at least once a month through virtual online meetings.

Currently, I’m teaching from the Book of Galatians. In this epistle, the apostle Paul wrote to a group of churches (most likely in South Galatia) after his first missionary journey. He was disturbed by believers who were abandoning the true gospel of “hearing by faith” and replacing it with another gospel consisting of “works of the Law.” False teachers called Judaizers insisted that it was not enough to believe in Christ alone, but one must be circumcised for salvation. It was a faith-plusworks doctrine, which nullifies the finished work of Christ on the cross. God’s Word explicitly states that salvation is by grace through faith and not works (Eph 2:8–9). Therefore, any addition of works invalidates the gospel message. Paul informed the Galatians that anything added to the finished work of Christ is “another gospel.” He declared to them that “another gospel is no gospel at all.”

I have noticed a general lack of solid expository preaching, and as a result, many believers do not fully understand their salvation. Unfortunately, many falsely conclude that they can lose their salvation. My remedy for this is exposure to a regular stream of expository preaching. I believe Christians can be conditioned by the true doctrine of faith and not be led astray by false teachers or doctrines.

When I Preach...

I spend many hours preparing. Once I have chosen my passage, I study it in its original language to learn the author’s intended meaning. This process is defined as exegesis. After, I look for the theology and timeless truth of the passage. This process is known as exposition. Finally, I work on how to translate the central meaning of the passage to my audience. This process is called homiletics. For example, a product of my preparation is explaining to my audience that if they are worried about a particular sin they may have forgotten to confess, or if they believe there are future sins for which they will not be forgiven, immediately I see that they are not believing in the finished work of Christ on the cross. Throughout my sermon, I emphatically reiterate that another gospel is no gospel at all!

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“Preach the Word” My Fundamental Experience and Perspective of Preaching the Word and Hearing God by: DR. MICHAEL KARPF

Some to Speak, All to Hear God equips some to exegete what He has said, and He equips us all to hear what He says. Indeed, we want to hear from God now more than ever during this pandemic. We want to know where God is in all of this. How do we move forward? Make no mistake, God is speaking. Today, our Bible is His voice that can be just as loud and permeating as it was when Moses first heard Him speak the first five books of the Bible. Our direction is found in His Word.

Even though there is a barrage of information streaming on what we should and shouldn’t do and a plethora of voices speaking in this melee we call pop culture, believers are called to read and listen to the preaching of God’s Word. It is His complete revelation to us. This notion makes extra-biblical prophecy, or visions, which may or may not come to pass, unnecessary. Unfortunately, the church where I preach is divided over this, as some church members appear to be seeking signs and wonders along with prophetic visions instead of God’s written Word. God gave us His Word (2 Tim 3:16), and this must be our guide. How will the church know God’s Word? They will know it through expository preaching.

The Mandate for Preachers Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer founded Dallas Theological Seminary in 1924 to train men for ministry. He intended for the Bible to

The Result: We Hear from God In my experience, the best method for expository preaching is preaching sequentially through books of the Bible. The authors wrote each book to a particular audience for a specific purpose. The preacher learns the intended meaning of the passage through exegesis. Then he understands the theology of the passage. Finally, he discovers how it applies to a contemporary audience. The preacher must spend many hours studying to accomplish these objectives for his sermon. In worship service, expository preaching is the primary way God communicates with His children. I believe expository teaching must take top priority among the congregation when gathering for worship.

Through the preaching of God’s Word, the congregation learns God’s thoughts, His ways, His will, and everything we need to live a life of holiness.

The Alternative: We Don't Hear from God

be the primary textbook. In his book, An Uncommon Union: Dallas Theological Seminary and American Evangelism, Dr. John Hannah explains Chafer’s burden to start a seminary of this caliber.1 Since the inception of Dallas Seminary, students have been taught all sixty-six books of the Bible. They are not taught about the books; they are taught the books.

The motto of Dallas Seminary comes from 2 Timothy 4:2, “Preach the Word.” Imagine Paul writing this from a prison cell in Rome. It was his solemn charge to Timothy. For the pastor, preaching the Word is his top priority. It is not an option. When the pastor preaches through Bible exposition, the result is a more robust and stable church.

In Biblical Preaching which is considered the gold standard by many expositors, Dr. Haddon Robinson defines expository preaching as, The communication of a biblical concept, derived from and transmitted through a historical, grammatical, and literary study of a passage in its context, which the Holy Spirit first applies to the personality and experience of the preacher, then through the preacher, applies to the hearers.2

As previously mentioned, unfortunately, there is a general lack of expository preaching in many pulpits today. In my twelve years of living in Bangkok, I have seen unimaginable aberrations of preaching! The prosperity/word of faith gospel is rampant here. It is also referred to as “health and wealth” or “name it and claim it” doctrine. It may appear attractive, but Bible doctrine is not bent toward human ideals of prosperity. Much of the topical preaching I see consists of verses taken out of context and used as proof texts. Topical expository preaching, by contrast, involves taking two or more passages in context, doing the same work of exegesis, exposition, and homiletics.

Believers gain clarity and conviction through Bible exposition.

When there is no expository preaching, many false teachings can result. The question we need to ask is not whether we want to hear from God, but instead, how can we hear from God? When a pastor preaches God’s Word, the church is built up and equipped for ministry. God gave gifts for this specific purpose in Ephesians 4:11–12. He gave gifts, such as pastors and teachers, to equip the body of Christ for the work of ministry.

Fads will come and go. What may be popular today may not be popular fifty years from now. But God’s Word never changes.

The Bible is God’s complete revelation to His people.

1 John D. Hannah, An Uncommon Union (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009), Chapter 3 - Founding the Seminary.

2 Haddon W. Robinson, Biblical Preaching: The Development and Delivery of Expository Messages, Third Edition (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2014).

In simple terms, expository preaching is teaching what the passage is about and then how it applies to those listening.

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The DTS Bailey Student Center and Chafer Chapel

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Alumni Connection In Memory Daniel Anderson (1949) died May 3, 2021. Dan’s ministry was marked by teaching and writing . After DTS, he led the Grand Rapids Gospel Fellowship and began teaching at Grand Rapids Junior College (now GRCC). After leaving there, he served as a professor at Grand Valley State College teaching physics, astronomy, and cosmology.

In 1982, he led This I Believe, a writing ministry started by the late Carl Elleby. Dan loved his family dearly and actively pursued justice and creation care by his life and ministry.

Roger R. Hill (1949) passed away May 25, 2021. Roger served in the Navy during World War II and as a stenographer in Washington DC. After moving to Texas, Roger taught for several years in both high schools and elementary schools. He loved teaching tennis, and the Aransas Pass High School tennis courts were named after him. He attended the Central Baptist Church in Ingleside, TX, and loved serving in his church, fishing, and gardening.

George K. Hastie (ThM, 1950) died June 1, 2021. George served in the Navy for three years during WWII and came to know Christ during his service. George and his wife, Mary Ruth, served as missionaries in Guatemala and Mexico for thirty-five years. After their missionary service, George worked as an interim pastor for several years at Community Bible Church of Tyler, TX, and Whitehouse Bible Church in Whitehouse, TX. Robert O. Bitner (ThM, 1954) passed away February 12, 2021. Bob grew up exploring the northeast of the US as his father traveled for work. During college, he committed to serving over-

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seas. After DTS, he and his wife served in Haiti with Crossworld for 20 years.

George A. Till (ThM, 1955) passed away April 6, 2021. George pastored churches in California and Oregon.

He was a professor at Western Baptist Bible College, but his most recent job before retiring was as executive director of Student Ministries, Inc., a nonprofit financial support organization for seminary students. George was an avid musician and runner. In his free time, he would take one of his two planes out and fly over the coast with his family.

Earl V. Comfort (ThM, 1956; DMin, 1984) passed away April 21, 2020. After DTS, Earl served as pastor of Jacksonville Chapel in Lincoln Park, NJ. After that, he served as interim pastor at a few churches in Florida, including Grace Immanuel Bible Church, Northwood Baptist Church, and Central Baptist Church.

Frank J. Ebel, Jr. (ThM, 1957) died April 24, 2021. After serving in World War II and attending DTS, Frank and his wife, Isobel, attended the Summer Institute of Linguistics at the University of Oklahoma. They served in Brazil with the Unevangelized Fields Mission. After illnesses made Frank and Isobel return to the states, Frank served as pastor of Woodmont Independent Presbyterian Church in Nashville, TN, until his retirement in 1993.

Kenneth Kilinski (ThM, 1958) passed away November 26, 2020. After graduating DTS, Ken served as senior pastor of Pantego Bible Church in Arlington, TX, for a quarter of a century. He and his wife, Donna, stayed busy while they were there, starting Camp Thurman, Pantego Christian Academy, the

Cornerstone at UTA, and several church plants. He also served as senior pastor at Northside Baptist Church of St. Petersburg, FL, and Ross Bible Church of Port Huron, MI. During that time, he launched Parson to Person.

Ken authored a book on church leadership, had a regular radio broadcast, and served on the founding Board of Pine Cove. He and Donna traveled to four continents to speak and to minister to missionaries.

Lewis A. Draper (1961) passed away March 15, 2021. He pastored at several churches and was an avid reader of the Bible and biblical theology. He was passionate about bringing others to Christ and did so winsomely.

Erwin H. Rempel (1968) died June 25, 2021. After serving as a missionary in Brazil, Erwin served in a variety of administrative roles with the Africa Inter-Mennonite Missionary Agency, the General Conference of Mennonite Churches, and the Mennonite Missionary Network. When he was not serving, he enjoyed planting and tending to berry and fruit trees.

Leonard A. Baillie (ThM, 1970) passed away April 2, 2021.

from Trinity Evangelical Seminary, he taught at Carver Bible College, where he mentored a young Tony Evans, and at Atlanta’s Columbia International University. His academic legacy was only rivaled by his familial one; he was a devoted husband and father of three.

Edward C. Klotz (ThM, 1972) passed away April 25, 2021. Ed served as a missionary in Liberia and Eritrea shortly after DTS and began teaching at John Brown University in the Intercultural Studies Department in 1996.

Roland K. Hellsten (ThM, 1973) passed away August 1, 2020. Roland pastored Saron Baptist Church in Gothenburg, Sweden, for 23 years. He taught church leaders in Ethiopia for two years, working for the Pentecostal Mission Board. Then served as interim pastor in Hönö Mission Covenant Church for two years before accepting a position as pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Gothenburg, where he served until his retirement. Roland traveled extensively, teaching and encouraging missionaries on many continents. His expository preaching helped many to learn to love the Word of God and influenced many other preachers throughout the country.

Mark A. Arrington (ThM, 1971) died January 19, 2021. After DTS, he studied at the University of California, Los Angeles where he worked toward a PhD. He then served as the singles pastor at Fellowship Bible Church in Dallas, TX. P. Douglas McIntosh (ThM, 1971) died April 9, 2021. Before attending DTS. Doug played basketball for the Bruins at University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and assisted the team in earning two NCAA championship titles. After graduating from UCLA, he delved into his studies at DTS and engaged deeply with the biblical languages. Doug and his wife Cheryl helped begin a church, which eventually became Cornerstone Bible Church in Atlanta, GA. He pastored for over fifty years. Also earning a DMin

Mark S. Levering (ThM, 1973) died April 1, 2021. Mark founded Sierra Bible Church in Sonora, CA, and pastored for 48 years. He is remembered as a faithul husband and father. His faithfully persistent shepherding marked his ministry and life.

Darrell C. Pond (ThM, 1973) died April 25, 2021. Darrell attended East Texas Baptist University, Dallas Theological Seminary, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. In total, his ministry stretched over forty years

across the United States and world. He served as a communications professor at Campbell University and North Carolina State University.

Richard D. Moore (1977) passed away December 30, 2020. While at DTS, Rich established a carpet cleaning business and coached T-ball. He quickly became involved with his lifelong passion of evangelism and discipleship. He helped settle the Lost Boys of Sudan, who were placed in Nashville by the Red Cross, and taught Sunday School at Christ Presbyterian Church. He later attended Crosspoint Community Church where he led Divorce Care and several Bible Studies. He loved his job and the people he worked with at A1 Appliance Company. He unashamedly shared the gospel with every coworker and client he met.

David K. Naugle Jr. (ThM, 1979; ThD, 1987) died June 11, 2021. Before attending seminary, Davey was involved in Young Life and that stirred his interest in serving college students. He served as a college minister and professor at the Cornerstone at University of Texas at Arlington for eight years before moving on to Dallas Baptist University. There, he taught for twenty-eight years and traveled as a global speaker.

In addition to studying, he loved spending time with students. He was an avid golfer, gardener, musician (drums and guitar), playwright, and reader.

Thomas F. Eynon III (MABS, 1980) died October 6, 2020. Tom and his wife Carolyn worked with the Navigators after Tom completed two tours as a soldier in Vietnam. They served

across Asia, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Russia. He was known for his love of classic cars, model trains, coin collections, Scripture memorization, hymns, and the Lord.

John D. Hunt (ThM, 1980) passed away April 25, 2021. John served as an associate pastor at Lebanon Valley Bible Church and served on the board of Handivangelism for eight years. John was also heavily involved in the Navigators and in the Lebanon Valley Society of Radio Amateurs. His lifelong love of woodworking and the outdoors made his role as chaplain of Middle Creek Search & Rescue Operations a natural fit. In all, John served for thirty-eight years at Lebanon Valley Bible Church and in the surrounding community.

William H. Pharis III (ThM, 1980; DMin, 2001) passed away June 4, 2021.

Hank pastored for forty years before serving as a professor at Colorado Christian University. He loved traveling, books, movies, his pets, his family, and serving the Lord.

Charles Blaine Rodgers (1980) died January 7, 2020. Blaine worked in various church roles as a teacher, music minister, interim pastor, and associate pastor while working in traffic studies in the DFW area.

Edgar Contreras (STM, 1985) passed away July 12, 2021. He served as a professor at Central American Theological Seminary in Guatemala City, Guatemala.

Johnnie L. Eades, Jr. (MABS, 1986) passed away April 27, 2021. In 1998, Johnnie served as the third pastor of Greater Providence Baptist Church for twenty-one years. While he was there, he spearheaded Greater Providence’s new worship center and was known for his dynamic and spirit-led preaching.

William Ray Pack Jr. (MABS, 1989) passed away May 28, 2021. During the Korean War, he served in the Signal Corps and later attended the University of Charleston, West Virginia; Tennessee Temple University; and Dallas Theological Seminary. He served as pastor of Allegany Baptist Church, Allegany, NY (1965–70), Riverside Baptist Church, Buffalo, NY (1970–77), and Grace Baptist Church, Lima, OH (1977–97).

Tracy N. Brown (MABS, 1991) passed away March 30, 2021. She worked as a systems engineer at Lockheed Martin and served as a Kid’s Ministry Director at her church. Tracy was known for her dedication to her family and joyful ministry to all those around her.

Jeoffrey L. Shropshire (ThM, 1991) passed away March 5, 2021. Jeff pastored for over forty years at St. John Baptist Church, Mount Olive aptist Church, and Greater Mount Eagle Baptist Church. He also served as a certified instructor for the Wisconsin General Baptist State Convention Congress of Christian Education. Jeff was an adjunct professor at Dallas Baptist University. He loved spending time with his family, traveling, and watching college football and basketball.

Jeffrey P. Nutter (MACE, 1993) passed away March 21, 2021. After seminary, Jeff taught at several Christian schools.

Since 2001, he pastored at Faith Community Church in East Liverpool, OH. He loved sports and was involved with the Special Olympics for many years.

He was marked by his love of people and his kind, supportive heart.

Charles C. Taylor (MABS, 1994) died April 10, 2021. Charlie worked professionally in real estate, serving as a commercial broker and developer.

After attending DTS, he served in many Christian ministries, including Caddies for Christ. He led a Bible study at Park Cities Baptist Church in Texas for over twenty years and lit up his community with his sense of humor and engaging stories.

Joseph Judice (MABS, 1998) passed away May 12, 2021. Joe was heavily involved in his local church, serving as a Sunday school teacher and AWANA commander. He worked as a real estate broker at Century 21 since 2008.

Visiting yard sales, working with Gideons International, and collecting coins and knives were among his favorite pastimes.

Bradley D. Johnson (MACE, 1999; MABS, 2004) passed away May 20, 2021.

B.J. served as a student ministries pastor at Firewheel Bible Fellowship in Harland, TX, then as the family life pastor at Waterbrook Bible Fellowship in Wylie, TX. After B.J. and his family moved to Nebraska, he served as the

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Alumni Connection senior pastor at Arbor Drive Community Church in York, NE. For the last six years, he was serving as the associate pastor of assimilation at Hillcrest Evangelical Free Church in Seward, NE. He was known for his passionate counseling and pursuit of Jesus. He spent his free time hunting, skiing, landscaping, cooking, and hanging out with his family.

Philip R. Heidt (ThM, 2005) died March 15, 2021. Philip pastored with Journey South Bay in Redondo Beach, CA, and Christ Community Church in Tualatin, OR. He loved the outdoors, playing board games, and relaxing with his family. He would always carry his Bible and would often wear his “Team Amber” hat around town to show his love for his wife, Amber.

Megan E. Wilcox (MACE, 2005) died March 7, 2021. Megan served as the office manager at Keen Lake Campground and was a part of the women’s ministry team at Beach Lake Methodist Church. Megan loved cooking, reading, singing, and hanging out with her nieces and nephews.

Michael D. Mitchell (ThM, 2014) passed away June 4, 2021. Michael taught English and rhetoric for several years until he was diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer. During his treatment, he felt called to ministry and began working on his degree from DTS. He graduated with a ThM and served as a pastor at Desoto Assembly of God and as an adjunct professor at Southwestern Assembly of God University in Waxahachie, TX.

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Tammara D. Hunt (MACE, 2016) died April 19, 2021. Tammara served as an administrator at Sheila B. Ministries, Inc. She and her husband, Anthony, were also active at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, TX.

1970s Fred Campbell (ThM, 1970) published First Century Leadership for TwentyFirst Century Christians through Living Grace Books. This biblical leadership book looks at Christ’s example for modern servant leadership practices.

Updates: 1960s Lloyd Anderson (ThM, 1966) has continued research and writing on the nature and function of Hebrew genealogies as a part of his retirement and recently published a digital book about the date of the global flood.

Manfred Kober (ThM 1967; ThD 1970) retired as professor of theology after 30 years at Faith Baptist Bible College in Ankeny, IA. He teaches a doctrine seminar twice a year in Des Moines, IA, where his students are pastors and lay people from around the state. He travels widely in a Bible conference ministry and has hosted 13 tours to Reformation countries in Europe and over 40 tours to Israel.

Ruth E. Thurman passed away January 30, 2021. Ruth was the wife of Robin C. Thurman (ThM, 1967). They served together with Wycliffe Bible Translators for forty years. They lived in Papua New Guinea with the Chuave people, learning their language and translating the New Testament.

Howard A. Eyrich (ThM, 1968) published a commentary James: The Other Side of the Coin, examining the intricacies of mature faith and its expression through good works.

James Phillips (ThM, 1971) pastors at Bentley Retirement, Avenues Assisted Living, & Carrollton Rehab. After having to use Zoom for church services this last year, the Bentley, the Avenues, & the Carrollton have all opened to inperson services on Sundays. On May 2, they were able to have in-person communion.

Richard Polcyn (ThM, 1971) is a retired theological editor (45 years); a prison, jail, and youth facilities teacher; a counselor; and an associate chaplain. Dick has nine children, thirty-five grandchildren, and forty great-grandchildren biologically and several who are adopted. Dick and Marge’s third child suffered from oxygen deprivation and several defects at birth because of hospital error, which gave them fodder to compassionately serve others in unexpected situations. Dick ministered in Rhode Island after graduating, and the Lord used a sermon series on the lordship of Christ to convict him and Marge to give their families to God. They had six more children, all who helped Dick, an “ex-atheist, two-time rocket scientist turned believer,” to be thankful to God for a wonderful wife and children. Dick’s wife of sixty-four years, Margaret, passed away August 17, 2020. Despite the difficulty, he has been able to use that to minister to others.

Don Hawkins (ThM, 1974) published Leadership Under Fire with Dr. Saji Lukos, the president of Reaching Indians Ministries International.

Lee J. Smith (ThM, 1974) is serving as interim pastor and transitional consultant for Heartland Community Church in St. Charles, MN.

Carey Childrey (ThM, 1976) completed writing “Your Survival Guide for the 2020's and Beyond,” a booklet to help the nations find the blessings of God as individuals, families and churches. He is working to complete “Your Hope for the 2020's and B eyo n d — M e e t i n g the Requirements of God.” This booklet aims to give cultures, churches, families, and individuals assurance of blessing not only for eternity, but for the here and now. By the grace of God, they raised funds for a biblically wholistic ministry started by Indian DTS nationals and friends. Please pray that it will further the impact the “unreached peoples of the world” for Christ.

Norman Mathers (ThM, 1976) published The Gospels: The Historical Foundation.

John Trent (ThM, 1978) and Dewey Wilson published The Relationally Intelligent Child through Northfield Publishing. The book teaches parents the crucial insights of a must grasp concept: relational intelligence. John Trent is the president and founder of StrongFamilies.com, which is a ministry dedicated to forming heathy and long-lasting familial relationships.

Virgil (ThM, 1979) and Lois Reeves have transitioned to serving as Ambassadors with Crossworld after over forty years of service. While they were living near the mission office in Kansas City, they have moved to Winona Lake, IN, to be closer to their daughters.

1980s Winter Star Productions produced Secret Agent Dingledorf & His Trusty Dog Splat, a children’s feature about the goodness and value of everyone God has created. Derrick R. Warfel (ThM, 1980) worked on the project as the founder and president of Winter Star Productions.

James Coulter (ThM, 1981) is working as a CA licensed professional fiduciary. He is working primarily with the elderly and widowed, protecting their estates and assisting with their ongoing care and medical issues. He is working with their family members to bring peace and understanding.

Gary Emrick (CBS, 1986) served as a chaplain at Geisinger Medical Center for 21 years and recently retired. He has been serving in a writing ministry in his free time.

Gordon (Robby) (ThM, 1982) and Rose Roberts (1982) continue to serve in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Robby was elected president of Union of Christian Bible Church (UCBC), May 2020, in the hopes that he would identify and preJohn Hutchison (PhD, 1981) has retired from his full-time faculty position at Talbot School of Theology after teaching as a Bible Exposition professor for 33 years. His teaching career at Talbot included 25 years as chairman of the Bible Exposition department, and he continues to teach Bible courses each semester as professor emeritus. While teaching and mentoring seminary students, John has also served in pastoral roles at churches in the Portland, OR, area, at Reinhardt Bible Church in Dallas, and at several churches in the greater Los Angeles area. He and his wife, Leah, have led many tour groups on study trips to Israel through the years.

Starting in June 2020, J. Paul Tanner (ThM, 1981) serves as the academic dean of the Arab Center for Biblical Studies and continues as the Middle East director for BEE World.

Perry C. Brown (ThM, 1982) published With You: The Promise of God’s Presence through the Ages.

James Kennington (ThM, 1982) retired from his position as senior pastor at Lake City Community Church in Lakewood, WA, after twenty years of service. Before that, Jim served as pastor at Warren Community Fellowship in Warren, OR, and First Baptist Church in Cedarredge, CO.

Jeffrey B. Kinley (ThM, 1986) serves as an author and speaker with Main Thing Ministries. He recently published Aftershocks: Christians Entering a New Era of Global Crisis through Harvest Prophecy.

pare young leaders and church planters from among the UCBC churches.

Charlie Bing (ThM, 1984; PhD, 1991) created a podcast called Simply by Grace. The podcast has over 8,000 downloads and is continuing to grow.

Pat and Kurt Nelson’s (ThM, 1984) eldest daughter, Tiffany, went to be with the Lord on March 8, 2021.

Jerry Rockwell (MABS, 1984) completed an update on the Rock of Ages Study Bible. He has been the General Editor since its inception in 2006. It is a publication of the Rock of Ages Prison Ministry in Cleveland, Tennessee.

Charles P. Baylis (ThM, 1985; ThD, 1989) published The Serpent and the Woman: The Biblical Adventure with BiblicalStory Publishing.

Carol and Gene Pond (ThM, 1985; PhD, 2001) enjoy running a bread and breakfast in Lincoln City, OR. Lynn Maynard (ThM, 1999) continues her work as a missionary lawyer based in Orlando, FL. Devendra K. Rai (ThM, 1985) is pastoring a new church plant that recently merged with Alliance University Center (CAMA), Bangkok. His work focuses on helping pastors, orphans, and widows impacted by COVID-19.

Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary received accreditation renewal

by Asia Theological Association for their bachelor’s and master’s programs. Imad Shehadeh (ThM, 1986; PhD, 1990) serves as founder and president of the seminary and is hopeful that their new DMin program will be accredited after its first year of evaluation.

Richard Griffith (ThM, 1987; PhD, 1990) taught at Singapore Bible College from 1991-2021 and is now serving as the professor in Bible Exposition at Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary.

Patrick Wright (ThM, 1987) wrote a companion novel to Portal of Hope with Christian Faith Publishing.

Steven Karpyak, the beloved husband of Linda Karpyak (MABS, 1989), passed away October 1, 2020. Steve was always engaged with learning, memorizing whole books of the Bible and earning his MBA at the age of 62. While he served as an engineer for most of his life, he also flew small aircrafts and loved doing ministry with his wife.

1990s Peter and Grace Wiazowski (STM, 1990) have the joy of sending their son-in-law to attend DTS from Poland.

Peter was the first student to attend DTS from a communist European country and continues to serve with Capturing Poland for Christ.

Two years after his wife’s passing, Doug Duerksen (MABS, 1991; MACE, 1992) married Shirley Mendoza of the Philippines in 2019. He is currently in the process of legally adopting his daughter, Sophie. They reside in Cebu City, Philippines, where he is on the preaching rotation at his local church.

He also serves as the chaplain for Restore Children and Family Services and as a police chaplain for the Philippine National Police.

Rowland Forman (MACE, 1992; MABS, 1992) founded BSL (Barnabas School of Leadership) in 2015 and is continuing his work there. BSL trains under-resourced pastors in the Majority World through a mentoring approach to leadership development.

Richard C. Weinert (MABS, 1995) continues his work with pastors and churches as facilitator of Church and Ministry Resources under Oak Hills Fellowship. Additionally, Rick now serves as senior vice president of Administration for Oak Hills Christian College.

Brent Burckart (ThM, 1996; DMin, 2020) started a new blog called The Productive Pastor to encourage and equip pastors to be faithful, fruitful, and fulfilled. He posts regular articles, inspiring quotes, and periodic training videos that cover a wide variety of topics, including preaching, discipleship, leadership, congregational care, church planting, various theological and cultural issues, time management, and caring for one’s own soul as a pastor.

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Alumni Connection Neil Tomba (ThM, 1996) published The Listening Road, where he captures his journey biking across the United States, engaging with people from all walks of life in conversations about faith, disillusionment, purpose, and Jesus—and his hope-filled discovery that even in the most divisive climate, connection is possible.

Gregory H. Harris (ThD, 1998) has almost 40 years of ministry experience and spent his last 13 years of active ministry as dept. head and professor of Bible Exposition at The Master’s Seminary. His latest book, The King and His Glory (Part 2), examines the book of Isaiah to find treasured insights into the Lord.

Miroslav Cizmanski (MABS, 1997) and his family successfully finished four camps at Camp Bethel in Serbia with 160 kids in four different age groups. Miro and Milotka’s daughter, Becky, finished her internship and they celebrated their 35th anniversary on August 2, 2021.

In addition to serving as pastor at Providence Church in Rowlett, TX, Eric M. Hartman (ThM, 1998) began working as an adjunct professor of English at Collin College in January, 2019, and graduated with a Doctor of Ministry in Expository Preaching & Teaching from Liberty University in March, 2021.

Mark A. Evans (ThM, 1997) published Broken Pencils: A Sinner’s Look at Genesis.

James Howard (ThM, 1997; PhD, 2004) published Freedom to Choose through Xulon Press. Seeing the gap in biblical teaching around the notorious “gray areas,” Jim addresses how individuals, families, and churches can use the Bible to answer questions that may not be directly asked. Jim is continuing his teaching ministry in colleges and conferences in Nepal and Mozambique while teaching in the DMin program at Denver Seminary and pastoring Dillon Community Church in Dillon, CO. George T. Smiling (ThM, 1997) published Live Your Life Now through Archway Publishing.

Michael Sprague (DMin, 1997) attended the Louisiana Governor’s Prayer Breakfast. He continues his work as the Louisiana State Chaplain with Capitol Commission.

Jogvan Zachariassen (ThM, 1997; DMin, 2011) serves with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, serving the Lord in the Faroe Islands and around the world in mission and equipping.

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Chloe Sun (STM, 1998) published Attempt Great Things for God: Theological Education in Diaspora (Eerdmans, 2020) and Conspicuous in His Absence: Studies in Song of Songs and Esther (IVP Academic, 2021).

April Graney (MABS, 1999) has published two children’s books with B&H Kids. The Marvelous Mud House (2017) is a true story of finding fullness and joy based on a trip to Kenya, and The Marvelous Maker (2020) is a rhyming retelling of the gospel story from creation to redemption.

2000s Blake Flickner (MACE, 2001) earned the NCAA National Coach of the Year honor for the first time in his career and led Dallas Baptist University to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the fourth consecutive year and the fifth time in the last six years.

Stratton Ladewig (ThM, 2001; PhD, 2010), Robert Marcello (ThM, 2011), and Daniel Wallace (ThM, 1979; PhD, 1995) published the New Testament Papyri facsimile collection, bringing three of the oldest manuscripts of the Bible to a modern audience. The partially preserved papyrus codices P45, P46, and P47 are dated from the third century and contain passages from

all four Gospels, the Book of Acts, the Pauline Epistles, the Book of Hebrews, and the Book of Revelation, making them some of the most significant witnesses to early Christian Scripture that exist today.

Ben Matthew (MABC, 2001) recently earned his PhD in Psychology from Northcentral University in San Diego, CA. His dissertation is titled “Experiences of Racial Animosity Among Interracial Married Couples in the United States: A Multiple-Case Study with Analysis through Critical Race Theory.”

Ben currently serves as Professor and Chair of the Counseling Department at Emmaus Bible College in Dubuque, IA, and maintains a private practice in the community as a licensed mental health counselor in the State of Iowa.

Amanda and Jason Post (ThM, 2001) are continuing their ministry in Ireland. While continued COVID-19 lockdowns have forced their family to be more creative in ministry, they are enjoying time as a family.

Since graduating, Shawn Rhoads (MABS, 2002) and his wife have served as missionaries on the foreign field as Bible teachers, a campus ministry director, and a guidance counselor.

Since returning in 2004, he served at his current school, Brook Hill, just south of Tyler TX, as house parent, Bible teacher, director of campus ministry, director of Campus Life, and director of Residence Life. They have students from almost 30 countries studying at Brook Hill this year.

By God’s grace, they have once again seen students from around the world come to Christ.

Alyse (MABC, 2002) and Craig (ThM, 2002) Thompson have had a difficult year quarantining in the Philippines, but they have adjusted to counseling and teaching at the International Graduate School of Leadership online.

Their church meets in a university campus, which has not yet been able to open, but they have been able to connect virtually as well.

Pedro Zayas (MABS, 2004) has been blessed with a family of 5 children and a beautiful, Christian wife. He continues to share the love of God with unbelievers and believers who have lost their way. Currently he is starting a Trail Life Troop in South Florida and mourning the loss of his friend Phillip Heidt (ThM, 2005).

Zyvonne Langan went to be with the Lord, October 23, 2020. She is survived by her husband Dave Langan (MABS, 2006). Zyvonne served in the military for eight years before serving as an airline pilot. She and Dave were involved with CrossPoint Church in Hutchinson, MN, and Zyvonne served in the Awana Ministry and in small groups.

She was well known for her love of the Bible, athletics, and anyone she met.

Joe M. Allen III (ThM, 2007) accepted a position as assistant professor of Missions at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, MO. He earned his PhD in Applied Theology from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and his ThM in World Missions and Historical Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. For the past fourteen years, the Allen family has lived and served with predominantly Muslim and Hindu peoples in South Asia. Dr. Allen led a team planting churches, writing and translating Christian literature, and reaching out to the community.

Jonathan Moorhead (PhD, 2008) published The Trial of the 16th Century: Calvin and Servetus through Christian Focus. In this book, Jonathan seeks to relay the story of Michael Servetus’s execution in light of the surrounding culture without taking a firm stance with or against the person of Calvin.

2010s John Black (ThM, 2010) is the field director and assistant professor of Biblical Studies IBEX, an academic program of The Master’s University and Seminary located on moshav Yad HaShmona near Jerusalem.

Nate Gunter (ThM, 2010) published The Best Bedtime Book: A Rhyme for Children’s Bedtime. The children’s book had been translated into German, Portuguese, French, Hindi, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Russian.

John Elmore (ThM, 2011) published Freedom Starts Today with Baker Books to help show how God is not only by your side through addiction recovery, but He is on your side. John serves as the leader of re:generation at Watermark Community Church in Dallas, TX. Eric Austin (ThM, 2012) published Altered: Discovering Unforeseen Joy Through the Suffering That Has Drastically Altered Your Life to illustrate that suffering and pain has its ultimate end in the life-giver Jesus.

Paola Fusilier (MABC, 2014) was elected and sworn in as Pasadena ISD Trustee. She serves in a private counseling practice in her Texas community.

Rebecca Porter (MACE, 2014) celebrated the marriage of her son, William Porter, to his wife, Chelsea Porter.

William T. Cox (MACS, 2016) continues working at 3Space Makers, which innovates technology in the construction industry. Their first project is in The Bahamas as they rebuild following Hurricane Dorian with hurricane-proof homes. Ted also serves at Idea Hatchery, where they teach innovation and launch companies in Christian schools and maker spaces.

Laura Simpson (MBTS, 2018) published Why the Wait, Lord with WestBow Press in April 2021, exploring the spiritual benefits of embracing our seasons of waiting through vivid examples of some influential women in the Bible, such as Sarah, Mary, and Anna.

2020s Tom McKay (MBTS, 2020) leads men’s ministry at Life Lift Church. Life Lift

is a new re-plant of a neighborhood church that was in danger of closing its doors. God is moving and working through this body to reach its local community. They hosted over 800 people outside at their Easter / Relaunch event.

Maxine McDonald (MBTS) published How to Talk to a Missionary, a playful advice guide written for adults and illustrated for kids.

Steven Nguyen (MBTS, 2020) is an ordained and licensed minister and a Level 2 ACBC certified biblical counselor with the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors. He is a former student pastor, current Health and Physical Education teacher in Dallas ISD, and a CrossFit trainer in the Richardson area. Along with these responsibilities he has the pleasure and honor of serving as an IMA Reserve Chaplain in the U.S. Air Force.

New Ministries LeRoy Redding (1981), online campus pastor, Grace Bible Church, Nampa, ID Richard Griffith (ThM, 1987; PhD, 1990), professor of Bible Exposition, Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary, Amman, Jordan Nate Ardle (ThM, 1998), associate pastor, Calvary Fellowship Church of Downingtown, Downingtown, PA Jeffrey R. Bucknam (ThM, 1999), lead teaching pastor, Harvest Bible Chapel, Elgin, IL Matthew Winquist (ThM, 2005), discipleship pastor, Wildwood Church, East Moline, IL Joe M. Allen III (ThM, 2007), missions professor, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City, MO John F. McClung (MACE, 2007), lead pastor, Living Faith Fellowship Church, Eureka, IL Toby Oaks (ThM, 2011), pastor, Stanwood Community Church, Navarre, OH Michael P. Ward (ThM, 2013), pastor, Hilltop Country Church, Morrison, OK Matt Brant (ThM, 2015), senior pastor, Prairie Hill Evangelical Free Church, Eden Prairie, MN

Josh Fortney (MACL, 2015), regional director, Skylark Camps, Dallas, TX Chad Bradley (ThM, 2016), associate pastor – south campus, Bethel Bible Church, Tyler, TX Christopher L. Scott (MACL, 2016), senior pastor, Lakeview Missionary Church, Moses Lake, WA Isaac Harris (MACL, 2017), communications pastor, Irving Bible Church, Irving, TX Alshare D. Hughes (MACE, 2017), director of outreach, New Life Fellowship, Arlington, TX Christopher Watkins (MACS, 2017; MBTS, 2017), pastor, New Community Church of the Nazarene, Collinsville, IL David L. Willy (MACE, 2017), senior pastor, Dogwood Baptist Church, Athens, TX Elizabeth A. Daoust (MBTS, 2019), teacher, Nelson Middle School, Frisco, TX Richard A. Oladapo (MACL, 2019), outreach coordinator, The Gospel Faith Mission, Farmers Branch, TX

DTS Alumni Stay Connected Please send your updates to alumni@dts.edu Dallas Theological Seminary Alumni Department 3909 Swiss Avenue Dallas TX, 75204 214-887-5100 888 DTS-ALUM (387-2586)

The Chancellor's Corner MARK BAILEY | CHANCELLOR | DALLAS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

The Physician and the Precipice With this article, we begin a series on the parabolic sayings of Jesus. These short pithy quips by the Savior preceded the official rejection of Jesus and the fuller parables which followed that rejection.

Jesus will ultimately reveal that there are two fundamental reasons people reject Him: a misperception of His true identity and the intimidating exposure of one’s sinfulness. Jesus experienced both of these in his hometown of Nazareth. Early in His ministry as recorded in Luke 4:16–30, Jesus spoke in the Nazareth synagogue. Proclaiming the redemptive nature of His ministry, He declared Himself to be the Spirit-anointed Messiah of Isaiah 61:1–2a and that His presence that day was actually a fulfillment of that Scripture.

Sandwiched between an appreciative response by those in attendance to His gracious message on the front end, and their hostile attempt to take His life at the precipice of the town cliff on the back end, was the questioning of His identity and the veiled exposure of Israel’s history of obdurate rejection.

To the challenge of His identity, Jesus responded with a parable. To expose the issue of sinful rejection Jesus illustrated with two Old Testament events from the ministries of Elijah and Elisha.

Knowing the doubts about His person, Jesus responded with this parabolic statement, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself.’ What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well” (Luke 4:23 ESV). They were thinking Jesus was no more than the human son of Joseph who Himself needed the saving message He was preaching. Such thinking missed the fact that Jesus was the virgin-born Son of God, the Messiah, who alone could bring the freedom prophesied by Isaiah.

The miracles of Elijah with a Sidonian widow and Elisha with a Syrian leper become mirrors of conviction reflecting the unbelieving character of Israel in contrast to the unexpected faith of Gentiles.

The irony that Jewish rejection results in blessing to the Gentiles is a repeated theme of New Testament theology. The synagogue attendees became furious enough to want to kill Jesus. They were happy with His lesson on the freedom of grace until He exposed why such freedom and grace was necessary.

People are blinded and imprisoned by sin, and without the gracious deliverance by Jesus they will remain that way. Even as the prophets Elijah and Elisha were rejected by Israel, Jesus was rejected in Nazareth forecasting His ultimate rejection and crucifixion in Jerusalem. The tragedy revealed at Nazareth is this: rejection is rooted in unwillingness to acknowledge sin and the refusal to believe in the person and mission of Jesus. Only He can bring freedom and forgiveness from its bondage.

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Words from Chuck Swindoll CHARLES SWINDOLL | CHANCELLOR EMERITUS | DALLAS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

Several times a year, Dr. Swindoll preaches in chapel, including Seminary Preview Day, to encourage prospective students. Here is a summary exerpt from his fall 2021 Chapel.

While it has been over six decades since I took my first class at Dallas Theological Seminary, I still deeply cherish those four vital years when I immersed myself in biblical and theological instruction. A relatively small faculty taught over 300 of us.

Despite having a full teaching load, some of these professors went on to become exemplary mentors who took an interest in both Cynthia and me by investing their invaluable time in us.

Right here on campus, we began our family, and I began my ministry . . . and it was their counsel and care that guided us through those foundational years just as it continues to guide us to this day. Yet, during my time studying at DTS, one crucial element for ministry was rarely mentioned in any class or chapel service. There wasn’t even an elective for it, and there isn’t one for it today, though it is the essential ingredient for any ministry—I’m referring to integrity.

kingdom, second in command only to the king. Just imagine the envy, resentment, and jealousy from among his peers.

You know the story. They eventually plotted against him, and Daniel was ultimately imprisoned by King Darius. Please take note of this brutal fact from Daniel's story: When you walk in exceptional integrity, the enemy is not far behind.

I appreciate the late Warren Wiersbe’s amplified definition of integrity which he gleaned from the Oxford English Dictionary. Let me summarize it. “Integrity” is from the Latin, integritos. It means “wholeness,” “entireness,” or “completeness.”

The root of integritos is integer, which means “untouched,” “intact,” or “entire.” Integrity is to personal or corporate character what health is to the body, or 20/20 vision is to the eyes.

Integrity keeps a person from being divided—because that is duplicity. Integrity keeps a person from pretending—because that is hypocrisy. A whole person, one who has integrity, has nothing to hide or fear. His or her life is an open book.

Daniel kept his integrity all the way into the lions’ den. Scripture states that no one could find any accusation or evidence of corruption in him because he was faithful.

God has, and always will, seek out men and women of integrity.

My message is for you who are preparing for a lifetime of ministry. It is a lifetime of serving upfront and being watched. You will be carefully and continually examined. Like it or not, you are the example. In any leadership position, you will always be observed and often quoted. It won’t always be fair, as we’ve seen with Daniel. So, unless you directly address those areas of hypocrisy within you now, then when you begin in ministry (if you haven’t already started), you will take that hypocrisy with you. Don’t do it. The older you become, the better you will get at faking it . . . and the more dangerous you will become.

Address your lack of integrity now! Pray for strength and stay on guard.

It’s necessary, then, for we who are in or going into ministry to ask: What does it mean to minister with integrity? I believe it means you are verbally trustworthy. You speak the truth publicly and privately; you don’t lie. It means you are financially accountable. You are privately clear and clean. You practice intellectual veracity. You are careful in doing your research and are ethically reliable. You are personally responsible. You give others the credit they deserve. You are openly vulnerable. You do not blame others for your wrongs. You own your own mistakes, faults, and failings. You are honest to the core.

Now we’re tempted to ask: Is this level of integrity even attainable? Of course! The Bible includes a unique example of integrity in the person and story of Daniel.

In Daniel 6, we find him as an aged man living in the vast and corrupt Medo-Persian empire. It was not uncommon for the upper crust to be politically dishonest and financially self-serving. For this reason, King Darius established 120 provincial governors over the entire kingdom, and Daniel was one of three commissioners placed in authority over all 120. He distinguished himself among his peers as a man of exceptional integrity. He was diligent, faithful, and trustworthy. As a result, King Darius planned to appoint Daniel over the entire

You are ministers of the gospel. If you haven’t already, resolve right at this moment that you will not let yourself fall victim to pressure and lose your integrity. Resolve not to do anything that you must hide. Resolve not to let any alien thought deceive you into sin. It is simply wrong! You will ultimately be found out. It will break your family’s heart. It will embarrass your ministry. Those who once trusted you will lose their respect for you.

His enemies finally resorted to a conspiracy of religious deception. They manipulated the ego of King Darius and persuaded him to sign an edict that all must worship only him. This corrupt law placed Daniel in direct violation because he was faithful in worshipping only the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. So the king had to imprison him in a den of lions . . . you know the end of the story.

Make it your primary goal to become a woman or man of integrity. It will not be reached easily or automatically. It takes vigilant effort, prayerful dependence, and humble obedience— all spanning a lifetime because we are forever dealing with the flesh. Remember, we serve an audience of One. He is the only One who will reward your faithfulness. Do not be impressed by power or seduced by money.

Remain in awe of the incredible wonder of God. He has called us to the highest standard of living by placing us in the ministry. So my prayer for you is that you will fulfill your calling which begins with the faithful and consistent pursuit of integrity.

VOICE.DT S .E DU /M AG A Z IN E DA L LA S TH E O LO G ICA L SE MI N ARY

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