The following is a collection of Articles written by members of the pastoral staff of Grace Bible Fellowship over the years.
An Anchor for the Soul - Hebrews 6:13-20
Undershepherd/Elder Eric Peterman. Written as a representative of the Conservative Theological Society as a contribution to the theological journal, Testamentum Imperium, Volume 1, Eternal Security.
Knowing God’s Will with Certainty
Are you wanting to know God’s will for your life, or are you confused about how to discern it? Is your church praying for God to reveal his special will for them before they take action? Are you a young person hoping to stay within God’s will for your life?
The Christian, Government, and Obedience?
Through consideration of Masking Orders, an audio book by Tim Todd
This book examines the believer’s relationship to government, through consideration of masking orders during he Covid-19 pandemic in light of passages like Romans 13, Titus 3, and 1 Peter 2.
The Right Idea, Wrong Text: “Taking every thought Captive.” (2 Corinthians 10:5)
This is a series of short articles on very common axioms or truisms, in our evangelical circles that make a somewhat true statement. However, they do so based on misusing a verse or a snip of one in the wrong way and out of context so as to obscure or obliterate the Biblical author’s intended meaning. These axioms become a sort of evangelical magisterial tradition that rules over and against the actual meaning of the texts.
Wringing the Scrawny Neck of a Verse
Some of us make a habit of grabbing a verse, giving it a good shake, and squeezing its scrawny neck until, in desperation, it gasps out what we want it to say....
The Resurrections
A Powerpoint Presentation on the resurrections of various believer groups at various times (all called “the first resurrection” as a classification), as well as unbelievers of all ages at the Great White Throne Judgment. Eric developed this in 2003 for presentation at The Conservative Theological Society meeting, and it’s part of his Foundations series of Powerpoints.
The pastor as teacher role: A Primary Purpose of Preaching is to Produce Cognitive Dissonance
Have you ever thought about what the primary goal of preaching the gospel, and teaching the scriptures is? How about your reason for listening to it? This article helps us understand what the scriptures are, what they’re for, how we are to think about their preaching and teaching, how the Spirit uses them for our growth and good, and how to faithfully approach selecting or even remaining in a church fellowship to invest our lives in.
The catholicity of premillennialism among the apostolic and sub-apostolic churches and fathers
You often hear that the belief in premillennialism is a recent invention and that the historic view is amillennialism or even postmillennialism. The article above shows that’s not true at all! Premillennial eschatology, that the 2nd coming of Christ is followed by 1,000 years of Christ’s glorious reign on the earth, centered in Jerusalem, with the glorified saints, was in fact the universal faith of the apostolic and sub-apostolic church! In other words, it was part of catholicity.
How long were the Israelites in Egypt?
The challenge of harmonizing the various passages on the length of time the Israelites were in Egypt has created much heat and some light over the years, and there are some good solutions, some so-so, and some very not good ones as well. Plainly, since the Scriptures are inerrant, being verbally plenary inspired, the Scriptures are right and the apparent difficulty is with us and not the Bible. This is part of the joy of wrestling with the Bible – coming to understand it by subduing our own biases and ignorance. This Scriptural textual solution at Answers in Genesis, combined with important introductory and Egyptian chronology notes by Eric Peterman, provides one good way of viewing and solving the harmonization challenge.
Should We Call it Easter?
Earnest, God-fearing Christians rightly wish to avoid being associated with pagan religious rites. They want their worship and lives to glorify God. One of the issues that comes around yearly is the question, “What about Easter? Doesn’t the name have pagan roots, and aren’t those eggs related to some fertility rites?” Setting aside that our culture tends to subsume Christian activity and words and Biblically or religiously significant dates (birth of Christ, resurrection of Christ), the question is, “What about the word Easter and what about the eggs? Pagan or not?”
Evidence (internal and external) for the darkness and earthquake at the resurrection
Research notes on the darkness of the Crucifixion written by Eric Peterman
Daniel 9:24-27 and the Date of Christ’s Crucifixion
Using all the best Biblical, historical, geological information available Vern Peterman, (GBF under-shepherd and former pastor of Holly Hills Bible Church, Denver) pinpoints the crucifixion to Friday, April 3rd, 33AD. Presented at BGF November 2017
Who Are the 24 Elders in Revelation?
Presented at Grace Bible Fellowship in April 2020, this article reviews the evidence (shown 12 times in Revelation) to determine who the 24 elders are mentioned in Revelation 4:4.
Pastor Candidate Questions
This is a useful list of illuminating questions that some of us at several churches have developed together to ask prospective elders/pastors. It is not exhaustive, but it should prove helpful to search committees, churches considering promoting someone to pastor/elder, and to candidates in their own personal development.
The Christian, Government, and Obedience?
Through consideration of Masking Orders, an audio book by Tim Todd
This book examines the believer’s relationship to government, through consideration of masking orders during he Covid-19 pandemic in light of passages like Romans 13, Titus 3, and 1 Peter 2.
The Pastor Teacher Role
Undershepherd/Elder Eric Peterman. The document is a chapter in the book Evangelical Bible Doctrine (700+pages), forward by Dr. Paige Patterson. Kindle version available here. The book is a collection of significant theological issues and perspectives as they impact the church in the 21st century. It is being written in honor of the ministry of Dr. Mal Couch (now with his savior, having finished his race in this world due to cancer), the founder of Tyndale Theologican Seminary in Ft. Worth, TX.