FROM THE HILL: Kerns discusses church planting and evangelism, McCoy addresses J.K. Rowling and transgenderism, Wicker offers resources on humor in preaching

“From the Hill” is a regular series highlighting the work of The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s faculty. Check back here regularly to find articles, blogs, podcasts, interviews, and more.

• “‘Some Thoughts’ on the Retrieval of Jonathan Edwards by Pentecostals” (chapter in Pentecostal Theology and Jonathan Edwards), by Robert Caldwell, professor of church history

This volume brings ‘America’s theologian’ and one of the fastest growing forms of Christianity into dialogue.

• Inaugural Meeting of the International Alliance for Christian Education (IACE), led by David S. Dockery, distinguished professor of theology, theologian-in-residence, special consultant to the president

“We believe that this Alliance will be able to serve all sectors of Christian education, doing so in harmony. We want to emphasize unity, cooperation, and collaboration, promoting and modeling these themes at every opportunity.”

• “Adam Greenway on Advancing the Gospel” (podcast interview with The Baptist Messenger), by Adam W. Greenway, president of Southwestern Seminary and Scarborough College, professor of evangelism and apologetics

Hear Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President Adam Greenway talk about the Gospel and baptism.

• Our Northern Kingdom Podcast (interview with SEND Network), by Travis S. Kerns, associate professor of apologetics and world religions

“Don’t judge yourself on numbers. Judge yourself on faithfulness to the Gospel.”

• “Wellness: Get Inspired” (article in GuideStone), quote provided by Barry McCarty, professor of preaching and rhetoric

“If life and health are gifts from God, if our flesh and bone is the very temple of the Holy Spirit, if our service to Christ should include offering our bodies as living sacrifices, then shouldn’t we take good care of our bodies as well as our souls?”

• “Our Identity In Christ Looks A Lot Like This…” (article in For The Church), by Katie McCoy, assistant professor of theology in women’s studies

“The remnants of the old ‘you’ are now just a reminder of the miracle of who you’ve been made into. … We are remade and recreated. Once we were rubbish. Now, we are redeemed.”

• “What Can We Learn from J.K. Rowling’s Tweet on Transgenderism?” (article for LifeWay Voices), by Katie McCoy

“In an effort to sever one’s personal identity from one’s interpersonal responsibilities—in the struggle to free women from socialized femininity and the gendered expectations of men—ideological feminism has ushered in an ‘equality’ in which a man can determine who is a woman.”

• “Show Me the Funny: Using Humorous Pictures in Preaching and Teaching,” Pt. 1 (article in Didaktikos Journal of Theological Education), by Jim Wicker, professor of New Testament

“Pictures can be a highly effective aid in preaching and teaching the Bible. They can be attention-getting, memorable, educational, and humorous. This article will explain how to find good pictures and suggest useful ways to incorporate them into effective preaching and teaching.”

• “James Leo Garrett Jr. (1925–2020), the Gentleman Theologian” (article for The Gospel Coalition), by Malcolm B. Yarnell III, research professor of systematic theology

“Glory alone knows all the good works Leo and Myrta performed from their transformed hearts and as gospel ministers. For James Leo Garrett Jr. a personal life surrendered to Jesus’s lordship is necessary for a seminary professor.”