Author Archives: Dave Yoon

Reflections on the Impending U.S. Election 2016

My mail-in ballot is sitting right in front of me, and I’ve decided not to vote. It’s been an interesting experience to be an American living just above the border in Canada, watching from a slight distance the debacle (that’s the best word I can think of) that is the U.S. Presidential election. People hereContinue reading “Reflections on the Impending U.S. Election 2016”

New Book: Paul and Gnosis

A new book published by Brill in the Pauline Studies series edited by Stanley E. Porter (my doctoral advisor) has come out. It is a co-edited volume (9) by Porter and myself, called Paul and Gnosis. Paul and Gnosis is a unique topic in the series, since the word gnosis can be interpreted broadly, relating toContinue reading “New Book: Paul and Gnosis”

Tullian’s Recent Resignation and the Mega-Church Pastor: Have We Learned Anything?

The story came out not too long ago, but news has spread that Tullian Tchividjian, pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, has resigned due to “moral failure.” He claims, in the article, that his wife had been involved in adultery, which led him to be involved in an “inappropriate” relationship himself. His wife seems toContinue reading “Tullian’s Recent Resignation and the Mega-Church Pastor: Have We Learned Anything?”

Celebrity Christianity and Modern Culture: 1 Corinthians 3 Applied Today

I’d be tempted to say “our culture today,” but it seems as if the ancients were not too different than us “moderns,” at least when it comes to socio-cultural issues. For instance, “our culture today” is obsessed with the celebrity culture. I mean obsessed. If you disagree, consider how much time most people spend on socialContinue reading “Celebrity Christianity and Modern Culture: 1 Corinthians 3 Applied Today”

The Role of Greek in Sermon Preparation (Part 2): Verbal Aspect

I heard of a seminary professor somewhat recently who said (paraphrased) that verbal aspect was something interesting in the 1990s and early 2000s, but that trend (not sure if this was the word he used) has now kind of faded. This was heard through a secondary source, so it may not be entirely accurate. But if thisContinue reading “The Role of Greek in Sermon Preparation (Part 2): Verbal Aspect”

The Role of Greek in Sermon Preparation (Part 1): Introduction

I’m beginning a new series of posts geared towards seminary students and preachers in using their Greek New Testament in preparing sermons. I’m assuming here that knowing the original languages is important to proper sermon preparation. But it seems to me that many pastors seem to have “lost” their original languages since leaving seminary, orContinue reading “The Role of Greek in Sermon Preparation (Part 1): Introduction”

Love Really Does Make a Difference: A Reflection on a Bus Ride

Last week, I took the bus to downtown Hamilton and back to campus. I rarely take the bus, but it was cheaper and faster than trying to find and pay for parking downtown. On the way back to campus, there was a lady sitting down, slightly overweight, huge bifocal glasses, scarf, and wearing layers of sweaters. SheContinue reading “Love Really Does Make a Difference: A Reflection on a Bus Ride”

Desiring God in the Midst of Suffering: Doing the Impossible

Have you ever wanted something so bad that there was absolutely no price that was too high for it? Perhaps, you’ve even sold your soul for it. Maybe it’s resulted in broken relationships, loss of trust, or whatever else is deemed to be valuable. Is that kind of desire possible with God as the object? CanContinue reading “Desiring God in the Midst of Suffering: Doing the Impossible”

“All Religions are Essentially the Same”: The Golden Rule and the Gospel

A current maxim of today’s post-post-modern culture is to say that “all religions are essentially the same.” What is usually meant by that statement is that, while many religions may differ in their particulars, they all essentially teach the same thing: love your neighbor as yourself. This is commonly called the Golden Rule, and is supposedContinue reading ““All Religions are Essentially the Same”: The Golden Rule and the Gospel”