Christian Worker (Page 3)
A Brief Dossier on Jeremiah – Andy Baker
As a matter of help for the average Bible student, let’s make a dossier as we examine a few things regarding Jeremiah the prophet to help us to know some elementary things about him, his relationship with God, and with God’s rebellious people. Who: Jeremiah, aka “The Weeping Prophet.” His father was Hilkiah was the priest (who found the Book of the Law in the temple in Josiah’s reign. 2 Kings 22). He was from the priest city of Anathoth…
The Life and Work of Isaiah – Adam Orr
The Holy Spirit inspired the beloved physician, Luke, to record the conversion of a man from Ethiopia. He was a treasurer returning home from Jerusalem on the road that led to Gaza. Philip ran to the chariot and found the man reading. When asked if he understood what he was reading, the man said, “How can I unless someone explains it?” And beginning at the Scripture, Philip taught him about Jesus and salvation found only in His name. What was…
Setting the Stage – Cody Westbrook
As far as we know the designation “major prophets” is attributed to the time of Augustin who referred to the “the twelve prophets who are called minor from the brevity of their writings” and “those who are called greater prophets because they published larger volumes.” The ancient Jews divided their bible into three major sections: Law, Prophets, and Writings. The Prophets were divided into the Former and Latter Prophets. The Septuagint rearranged the order and gave rise to the current…
From the Director’s Desk (July 2024) – Trent Kennedy
And they’re off! The Bible program trains men and women to work in the Kingdom; we equip them to be effective preachers, teachers, missionaries, and servants. The course takes nearly two full years, but SWSBS graduates have a solid foundation after they finish. SWSBS has been training Christians “to know Jesus and make Him known” since 1978. This year marked our 46th commencement exercise. Among the nine graduates, three of our ladies will marry SWSBS alumni and help with their…
Elisha, the Son of Shaphat – Kevin Cauley
God told Elijah to anoint Elisha “as prophet in your place” (1 Kings 19:16). He was a prophet of war who would “sweep up” after Jehu by killing those who opposed God (1 Kings 19:17; 2 Kings 13:3; 2 Kings 9:22). When Elijah called Elisha, he slaughtered his own oxen, burned the yokes to cook the meat, and fed the people (1 Kings 19:21). He would not return to the farm. Elisha’s persistence resulted in his being given a double…
Elijah, the Tishbite – Bill Burk
Elijah enters the stage of history mysteriously, with little introduction and no fanfare. Immediately, the text presents him as a man of prayer. James, the half-brother of the Lord, explains that Elijah, despite being a man like the rest of us, was able to use his powerful prayers to start and end a drought (1 Kings 171; Jas. 5:17-18). In the same chapter, he fervently petitioned the Lord to resurrect a widow’s son from the dead, and God granted his…
Micaiah, The Master’s Mouthpiece – Cody Kilgore
The Lord will de-mask the disguised, so we learn in Ahab’s attempted conquest for Ramoth-Gilead. In 1 Kings 22, Ahab, King of Israel, had orchestrated an attempt to regain the land he deemed as his own. With the aid of Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, and about 400 prophets, Ahab became emboldened. While the voice of Jehoshaphat declared that they inquire from the Lord (v. 5), Ahab’s preference remained upon his men. In fact, unsatisfied with the prophecy of the near…
Nathan, the Courageous Prophet – Chase Green
“Moral courage is higher and a rarer virtue than physical courage” (William Joseph Slim). The Bible contains many examples of people who acted courageously. I think of examples such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Daniel and his three friends in Babylon, and many others, including the prophets of the Lord. One of the prophets that exuded courage was Nathan. This prophet may not have written a book of the Bible, but we might say he “wrote the book on courage,”…
The Life and Work of Samuel – John Haffner
One of the most well-known among the non-writing prophets, Samuel was a judge over God’s people, the last leader of this sort for Israel. His mother, Hannah, prayed earnestly for a child and she dedicated him to the service of God at a very young age. Samuel trained under the high priest, and eventually grew to serve and to lead God’s people through pivotal times of conflict and transition. He consistently showed a dedication to the Lord and His truth.…
The Unnamed Prophets
When we think of the prophets we tend to think of men like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Elijah, and for good reason. Their work in the service of God is renown to us, as it was during the time of the first century (cf. Matt. 16:14). But Scripture describes the work of many prophets of old. Some worked in palaces and some among the people. Some wrote, some did not. Some worked for many years, some for just a short time.…
From the Director’s Desk (June 2024) – Trent Kennedy
For decades the Southwest congregation has hosted a session of summer camp at Camp Hensel. SWSBS has a unique opportunity to be involved in this camp which gives our students valuable experience, exposure, and opportunities. Students are often placed in the role of camp counselor allowing them to guide, encourage, and interact with campers of various ages. These types of scenarios help our students know how to communicate with youth from various backgrounds, knowledge levels, and maturity. They give cabin…
Moses And Materialism – Mark Miller
We live in a very materialistic society. In this context we would define materialism as “a preoccupation with, or stress upon, material things rather than upon intellectual or spiritual values.” In America we like our stuff. Whether it be homes, second homes, vehicles of various types, clothes, jewelry, guns, sport vehicles, IT gadgets…we like our stuff! The Scriptures present to us a different set of priorities focused on spiritual blessings rather than stuff. In Matthew 6:19-21 we read, “Lay not…