The Staff and Hammer
Covering topics of interest to me, mostly involving theology and leadership.
See my bio here.
The “Staff and Hammer” is a place for me to share thoughts from study and observation. The “staff” denotes the biblical metaphor of the leader as a shepherd, while “hammer” represents my ultimate goal of building up the Church. It is a repository for my thoughts that I am willing to share with whoever will read them. As such, posts will be sporadic. While I may sometimes address topics of leadership and organizational culture, my primary purpose is for the edification of the Church, so most of what I post will be along those lines. Constructive feedback is encouraged but rudeness and useless argument baiting will not be tolerated.
Latest Posts
Links to Posts by Topic:
Leadership Topics:
- Bureaucracy Without the Burden
- No Gatekeepers Allowed
- The Purpose of Authority
- Leadership Lessons from the 2022 Southwest Airlines Debacle
- Wisely Disagreeing: Lessons in Followership from Daniel
- The Problem with Performance Evaluation
- Lessons from Proverbs 31
- Setting the Example
- The Nature of Responsibility
- How Boeing Went Off Course
Biblical Counseling Topics:
- The Need for Biblical Counseling
- Lessons on Depression from Elijah
- How Should Christians Approach Suicide
- Addressing Anxiety Biblically
- Men Need Biblical Counseling
Theology Topics:
- How to study the Bible
- Getting Through the Old Testament Doldrums
- Contend for the Faith
- The Church: love what Jesus loves, support the church,
- Divisions in the Church: sure sign of unbelief, dealing with conflict
- The High Calling of the Pastor
- When the Pastor Strays
- The Truly Successful Pastor
- Faith and Miracles
- Importance of Church Membership
- American Idolatry
- Corporate Nature of the Covenant
- Generational Responsibility and Representation
- Covenant Baptism
- Covenant Communion: Nature and Meaning, Recipients
- Images and the Second Commandment
- Miraculous Gifts and the Sufficiency of Scripture
- The Comforting Wrath of God
- The Surprising Nature of God’s Wrath
- What it Means to be Reformed: Five Solas, Calvinism, Confessionalism, COMING SOON: Covenantalism
Theological Illiteracy: This series covers the problem of theological illiteracy in the American church using the 2022 Ligonier State of Theology Survey. In it, I cover the problem in general then break it down by the subjects of Scripture, God, Man and Sin, Salvation, the Church, and Current Issues.
Practical Theology: These posts apply Scripture to a variety of challenging situations:
- The Law and Sabbath
- Difficult New Testament Commands
- Properly Approaching God’s Blessings
- Should Christians Tithe?
- Christian Generosity
- Marriage and Relationships: Beauty of Biblical Marriage, Importance of Mission in Marriage, Roles of the Husband, Roles of the Wife, Singleness in the Church, The Need for Men to Step Up and Build Families
- Obeying God amidst social pressure (using the example of participation in Pride Month),
- Christian response to preferred pronouns
- Wisely disagreeing (particularly with superiors)
- Biblical Approach to Fitness
- Stepping Out in Faith to Build the Church
- A Biblical Approach to Personal Finances
- Abortion and Our Culture’s Favorite Idol
- Submission: in the church, workplace, community, marriage, parent-child relationship
- Bringing Back Good Men to Leadership
Meditations on Particular Passages: These posts reflect come from meditating on particular passages of Scripture and the themes woven through them, normally as part of my regular quiet times.
- If God is For Us (Romans 8:31)
- More Than A Bite: Examining the Fall (Genesis 3)
- Faith and Firstfruits (Joshua 7)
- Great Sinner and Greater Savior: David’s Atonement (2 Samuel 12)
- The Real Enemy of God’s People (Esther 5)
- Lift Up Your Eyes: God Building His Kingdom Through Families (Genesis 13 and 15)
- Paul’s Secret to Facing Anything: Contentment (Philippians 4)
- The Fear of God (Malachi)
- The Pursuit of Pleasure (Ecclesiastes 2)
- Worthless People (1 Samuel 1-2)
Seasonal: These posts are pertinent to particular seasons and events in the church.
- Christmas and Advent: The Coming of Jesus and the Israel of God, The Victory of the Incarnation, Was Jesus Born of a Virgin?, How to Regard Mary, American Idolatry, Welcoming Christ as Lord and King
- Holy Week: Prelude, Palm Sunday, Monday, Tuesday part 1, Tuesday part 2, Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Saturday, Easter Sunday, Conclusion (All in one post)
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