Jeremy R. Geerdes Posts

It is curious that six of David’s mightiest men are related. It suggests that there was something about their families that made it more likely for them to become heroes, but what could that something be?

It is easy to overlook Sheerah. This is the only time she appears in the Bible, and we are given almost no information about her life. She appears as a side-note in the middle of a genealogical record where most generations are given no more than a namedrop. Yet, there are two things that I would point out.

The fact of the matter is that it is profoundly encouraging that the city council is now potentially moving to act. Yet, we are still a long way from the goal. The next days and weeks have the potential to set a real precedent for our city, state, and even the nation. We all must play our part to ensure that precedent is done right and well.

People of the world – those who do not claim to believe in Jesus and are making no effort to follow him – are going to act in immoral ways because they do not know any better. We should expect no different, and so we should not flinch when someone tells us they prefer another pronoun. Rather, we should honor that preference in order to build a relationship with that person, so that we can share the gospel with them, so that they may eventually place their faith in Jesus and believered from all their sin.

At its August 7 meeting, the Des Moines city council will be asked to act under Iowa Code 66.29 to remove one of their colleagues from office. They have the opportunity to rectify an injustice that is happening right here in our community. One-quarter of Des Moines’ population – approximately 50,000 people – is underrepresented in its government. If there was ever a reason to be bold, this is it. Move to act according to Iowa Code 66.29 so that private citizens do not need to bear that burden, to send the message that Des Moines really does take seriously the need for all of its citizens to be represented, and to open the door for a special election this November.

On December 16, 1773, the Sons of Liberty boarded ships in Boston Harbor and destroyed an entire shipment of tea in protest of the Tea Act of 1773. Their mantra, “no taxation without representation,” became a foundational principle of our government. Americans elect individuals to represent them in a “government of the people, by the people, [and] for the people.” If our local, county, and state governments really value this American system of democracy, and if our officials really take seriously their responsibility to represent the people, then they must act now on our behalf. If Councilwoman Sheumaker will not resign, then it is time to remove her. Let us call upon our city council, the Iowa attorney general, and the Polk County attorney to act today.

In A Church Called Tov, Scot McKnight and Laura Barringer respond to the proliferation of high-profile church scandals by examining the factors which steer church cultures toward toxicity or health. Built upon the assumption that the Church is intended to be an agent for tov, the Hebrew word for “good!”, they first consider some of the warning signs that a church is heading in the wrong direction and then outline the seven foundational elements of a tov culture.

Jerome Van Kuiken’s latest book, The Judas We Never Knew, is an insightful exegesis of the epistle of Jude. With just twenty-five verses tucked in the midst of the more popular works of John, this letter from Jesus’ half-brother has often been overlooked throughout history. Yet, Van Kuiken effectively argues that the epistle offers a framework for negotiating the boundary between godliness and sin in a modern world desperate for such a thing.

Although it has been four decades since the book was first published, Lyle Shaller’s Growing Plans: Strategies to Increase Your Church’s Membership remains a supremely practical resource for pastors and church leaders seeking to spur their churches to growth. With a chapter dedicated to each of small, middle-sized, large, and new churches, the strategies Schaller prescribes are insightful, and because he focused on timeless principles rather than the latest trend or theory, these strategies are just as relevant today as they were when the first copy came off the press.

I would warmly recommend this book to anyone interested in a robust discussion over women in ministry. Complementarians will find it challenging as Gupta’s arguments will at the very least compel them to clarify and refine their arguments. Egalitarians will find it refreshing as Gupta brings serious hermeneutical scholarship to bear on the matter.