Part 2

My academic "conversion" has driven me to serve the church rather than merely the academy. Although I am a full-time professor of Old Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary, I also serve as Senior Pastor of Ballantyne Presbyterian Church (ARP) in Charlotte. The latter position provides me with the opportunity to put my studies into action. It gives me an appropriate outlet for and application of all the study and teaching I do at the seminary. In reality, the work at the seminary and at the church feed off of one another: I teach what I preach, and I preach what I teach. Over the years, the teaching and the preaching have begun to resemble one another more and more. Again, I am a disciple who happens to be a scholar.

This second "conversion" has also greatly affected my writing. My desire at this point in life is to write books that bridge the gap between the technical and the popular. I believe that one in my position ought to take all the exegetical skills to the text, but then explain the text in very practical and understandable terms. I believe our preaching ought to do that as well: do all the labors on the text, and then translate it for the people. This is what George Whitefield said was "preaching the market language." And, so, all my effort is to glorify Christ and to teach his church through my scholarship. I am a disciple who happens to be a scholar.