The Seventies: The Final Chapter
The neoevangelical movement arose primarily after the end of the Second World War. Of course, the movement had antecedents. For example, when the National Association of Evangelicals was formed in 1942, it explicitly rejected fundamentalist ideas about separation from...
The Seventies: Part Six
In the early 1970s Bill Gothard had begun to teach a series of practical Bible studies to large groups. In 1974 he began to call these the “Seminar on Basic Youth Conflicts.” They became famous for the red notebooks that attendees used. These seminars...
The Seventies: Part Five
The 1970s were an important decade for the evangelical doctrine of Scripture in more than one way. As we have seen, these years witnessed the beginning of a “battle for the Bible” during which evangelicals divided over biblical inerrancy. The inerrancy...
The Seventies: Part Four
The 1970s proved to be an important turning point for the evangelical doctrine of Scripture. Going into the decade, fundamentalists and other evangelicals shared a broad consensus (at least publicly) over the notion that inspiration was both verbal and plenary and...
The Seventies: Part Three
In 1970 American evangelicalism was divided into three main camps. A minority on the far right called for separation from all forms of apostasy, including the liberal denominations and the Roman Catholic Church: these were the separatist fundamentalists. A minority on...
The Seventies: Part Two
Perhaps the greatest problem that American evangelicals—including fundamentalists—faced during the 1970s was the development of a new youth counterculture. Of course, countercultures had existed in the past, but the one that started to appear during the mid-1960s was...
The Seventies: Part One
The 1970s are widely recognized as a period of American social and economic unrest. Economically, the decade opened with high inflation. Richard Nixon responded to this problem in 1971 with a freeze on wages and prices, among other measures. His interference in the...
Adoration
[This essay was originally published on June 19, 2015.] The adoration of God is one of the most neglected practices in American evangelicalism. Many evangelicals could not even describe what adoration is. This neglect is unfortunate. Adoration is the most fundamental...
On Hope
The story that I’m about to tell is not about me, but to understand it you need to know that I am a chaplain in the Civil Air Patrol (the USAF Auxiliary). You also need to know that one of the three missions of Civil Air Patrol is cadet programs. Cadets are...
They Matter
Day before yesterday I went to the gas station. I found that it was closing early because there weren’t enough employees to keep it open. The day before that I stopped at a favorite fast-casual restaurant, only to discover that their dining room was closed....
One Month Later
Just about a month ago both Mrs. Bauder and I tested positive for COVID-19. I wrote about that experience at the time, still under the influence of both the disease and its treatment. In retrospect, I believe that I’ve only been sicker once or twice in my life....
Central Seminary’s Doctor of Ministry
As a rule, pastors and other vocational ministers are more effective if they have been educated in biblical languages, biblical interpretation, Scriptural content, systematic and biblical theology, preaching, and ministry methods. While plenty of men have pastored...
A Good Decision
Good news out of Washington is uncommon enough these days that it is worth commenting on. Good news for religious people—including Christians—is even less common. This week, however, has brought some good news in the form of a Supreme Court decision, Carson v. Makin....
Managing Paul’s Entourage
As we have seen, Paul rarely traveled alone. Throughout his journeys he regularly recruited companions to accompany him. Sometimes he was joined for brief periods by messengers who were sent from churches. Other individuals traveled with Paul almost continuously....
Paul’s Missionary Entourage
In the beginning, Paul’s missionary strategy was assigned by the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:1–3), who specifically directed the church at Antioch to commission both Barnabas and Saul. Later, the chapter intimates that Barnabas was not Paul’s only companion. At...
Me Too
It’s been a weird eight days. Last Wednesday the girl who shares my life began to feel sick. By mid-afternoon she had decided that she would skip prayer meeting that night, so I went to church alone. I found that I was having trouble concentrating, and by the...
The Prophets and the Son: Hebrews 1:1–2
Before his death, Charles Hauser wrote a draft of a commentary on Hebrews, leaving the work for Kevin Bauder to complete. The following is an excerpt from that commentary. Some of the words are Bauder’s, but the argument is Hauser’s. 1God, after He spoke...
The Purpose of Hebrews
Before his death, Charles Hauser wrote a draft of a commentary on Hebrews, leaving the work for Kevin Bauder to complete. The following is an excerpt from the introduction to that commentary. Some of the words are Bauder’s, but the argument is Hauser’s....
Identity and Idolatry
[This essay was originally published on June 29, 2012.] When you ask people, “Who are you?” they usually answer first by giving you their name. A name, however, is only a label. It does not reveal the identity of the person to whom it is attached. If you...
The Christian and Fantastic Literature, part 10: Magic in Fantasy (Continued)
The Bible certainly distinguishes sources of the supernatural. Some supernatural events are caused by God. Others are caused by Satan and his forces. Satan is the prince of the power of the air and the god of this age. He and his demons can do things that are beyond...
About In the Nick of Time
Occasional Essays and Other Stuff for Christian Students Presented by the Research Professor of Systematic Theology of Central Baptist Theological Seminary of Minneapolis.
American Christianity needs Christian leaders. Christian leaders explain the Scriptures, bringing them to bear upon life’s urgent questions. Christian leaders exemplify the life of faith, finding their ultimate satisfaction in God alone. They unite intellectual discipline with ordinate affection, turning their entire being toward the love of God. These essays are dedicated to the task of inviting Christian students to become tomorrow’s Christian leaders.
—Kevin T. Bauder
“Be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”
APPLICATION & AID