Dr Paul Allen

M. Scott Coffman  Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them,  “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”  And immediately they left their nets and followed him.  (Mark 1:16-18 ESV) This is one of a plethora of examples in the Bible where context is everything. Just reading that passage by itself might make you say, “WHAT? How gullible are these guys? Was Jesus some kind of Pied Piper or something?” Because it sounds like He was just going for a walk, saw these two guys, called them, and they came. Obviously, there’s more to it than that, but you must know where to look. So, here’s some background. Simon and Andrew are brothers from Bethsaida, meaning House of Fish. They are working in a commercial fishing business in Capernaum, on the north end of the Sea of Galilee, where Andrew lives with Simon and his wife.   Andrew is also a ...

Mark 8:34 recounts Jesus’s most pointed teaching on the nature of discipleship. This instruction applies to all (i.e., not simply the twelve) who want to follow him and includes three elements:1denying oneself, taking up one’s cross, and following him. Mark narrates instances of each of the three elements, allowing us to see what they look like in practice.  The first is perhaps the most radical. One must deny not “things that the self wants, but the self itself.”2In 2 Timothy 2:13, Paul speaks about the impossibility of God denying himself, which would entail acting “contrary to his own nature, to cease to be God.”3 Calling his followers to do what is impossible for God, Jesus requires a “radical abandonment of one’s own identity and self-determination.” They are to join the “march to the place of execution.”4 The second element, to take up one’s cross, is Mark’s first reference to “cross” (stauros) and the only reference outside the passion narrative (Mark 15:21, 30, 32). It fore...

Have you ever tried to summarize for those in your care what the Scriptures teach about the behavior of real disciples, about the everyday lives of those who follow him? It’s an important subject, most of us would agree. But nowadays it’s hard to discuss without people interpreting such summaries as volleys in the culture wars. Summaries of Cross-Shaped Discipleship The Bible is full of moral admonition for disciples—abiding in Christ, putting his kingdom above all, living by its ethics even among our enemies, and so on. It seems to me, though, that when we look to the New Testament for summaries of genuine discipleship, three kinds stand out: (1) statements about the way of the cross (and the cost of discipleship), (2) summaries of the Law and the Prophets, and (3) new commandments about practically fleshing out love for God and neighbor. I want to underscore what Jesus said of cross-shaped discipleship—the first of these three kinds of summative pronouncements: If anyone comes to me ...

When Jesus tells us to follow him he doesn’t mean to subscribe to his updates on social media .  ‘ Follow ’ has come to mean a click of a button that indicates a momentary interest in reading other things someone has written. The truth is we can’t  really  follow thousands of people. All too soon our social media feed becomes clogged with stuff we are simply not interested in. Jesus is calling for us to follow him in a much stronger sense. He commands us to follow  only  him: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and  follow me . For whoever would save his life will lose it, but  whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. ” ( Matt. 16:24–25) “ Follow me , and I will make you become fishers of men .” ( Mark 1:17) “I am the light of the world;  he who follows me  will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” ( John 8:12 ) “ Follow me , and leave the dead to bury their o...

Nicolaus Copernicus portrait from Town Hall in Thorn/Toruń - 1580) Esperanto: Nikolao Koperniko (Portreto el Toruń - 1580) Polski: Mikołaj Kopernik (portret z Sali Mieszczańskiej w Ratuszu Staromiejskim w Toruniu - 1580 r.) Français : Nicolas Copernic, portrait exposé au musée de Toruń (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) In the sixteenth century, the Renaissance astronomer Nicholas Copernicus challenged the belief that the earth was the center of the universe. Copernicus argued that the sun didn’t revolve around the earth, but rather that the earth revolved around the sun. The Copernican Revolution turned the scientific world upside down by turning the universe inside out. In much the same way, each one of us needs to experience our own Copernican Revolution. The paradigm shift happens when we come to terms with the fact that the world doesn’t revolve around us. But that’s a tough pill to swallow. When we are born into this world, the world revolves around us. We’re spoon-fed on the...

Over the years I’ve seen that one of the most powerful moments in a new believer’s life is the realization that there is such a thing as a false convert. The sudden realization that salvation is not dependent on a prayer, a baptism or family history propels true believers to a whole other dimension in their walk with Christ . They begin to examine themselves properly ( 2 Cor 13:5), they become more evangelistic, they care more about theology and they appreciate being at church so much more. Understanding the fact that false converts are a reality is so important for those who call themselves Christians. There are few things more disappointing than when someone from our church walks away from the Lord. Especially when you’ve spent countless hours not only teaching and disciplining that person, but you have shared a myriad of hours of ministry with him. Maybe at some point in the grieving process, you will wonder why you weren’t able to tell that he was a false convert. M...

For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” ( James 1:23-25 ) The Word of God is not a magic mirror, but if we seek real truths concerning ourselves, the biblical looking glass can bring great blessing. He who reads or hears the Word, but does not believe or obey it, is “a forgetful hearer” (v. 25) who is deceiving himself. It is these who merely “behold” themselves in the Word. The Greek word used here for “beholding” and “beholdeth” means “looking from a distance”—standing erect, as it were, while posing before the mirror. The man who “looketh into” the Word, on the other hand, “and continueth therein,” being an obedient doer of its work, is the...