Theology for Every Person (3 volumes): God, Word, and Spirit

A few years ago, the good people at LifeWay asked me to propose a series of theology books either for the academy or for the churches. I chose to focus on the churches, and from my proposal we together worked up a series entitled "Theology for Every Person." The series is intended to help every person realize that he or she is called to know and love God with all one's heart, soul, mind, and strength.

The first volume in the series is entitled God and was published in 2024. This book helps the reader enter the conversation of talk about God. The overarching theme is that of a journey into knowing God. The major doctrines considered are God, revelation, and theological method. I have written about these doctrines in numerous academic works. The academic details are summarized and simplified as much as possible without losing their meaning. My hope is that the reader will be delighted to enter the conversation with and about our Creator. You can find the book on sale with the publisher, B&H, or at a major retailer, such as Amazon.

The second volume of Theology for Every Person is entitled Word and was published in 2026. This book helps the reader continue their journey into knowing God by focusing on the second Person of the Trinity, the eternal Word or Son of God. After two chapters on the Person of the Father are two chapters focused on the Person of the Word. Chapters five and six then consider the doctrines of creation and providence, while the next three chapters focus on who human beings are as created in the image of God yet as sinful. The final four chapters consider the work of Jesus Christ, centered in the cross but inclusive of his resurrection, ascension, heavenly session, and eternal reign. You can find the book on sale with the publisher, B&H, or at a major retailer, such as Amazon. 

I appreciate how pastors like the late Steve Gaines, as well as Andy Brown, Ryan King, and Darin Wood, as well as professional theologians like Rick Durst, Adam Harwood, Michael Haykin, and Kenneth Keathley, have kindly endorsed these books. 

The third volume will be entitled Spirit and is expected to be published in 2028. It will consider the doctrine of the Person of the Holy Spirit, as well as the doctrines of the Kingdom of God, salvation and the Christian life, the church, and the last.

I have taught portions of these books in various churches, testing them out on the laity, and been surprised by the great responses. I have also taught portions of these works, not only to University and Seminary students, but to gatherings of pastors seeking a refresher course in theology. Recently, the First Baptist Church of Midland, Texas, led by Dr. Darin Wood, recorded three such sessions delivered to pastors who came from all over West Texas, including as far as El Paso. You are welcome to sit in on those sessions by videos located here:

• Session 1: Theology is for Every Person 
• Session 2: Is God Trinity? 
• Session 3: What Must We Say of the Trinity? 

May the readers be edified and the Lord be glorified by all three volumes of Theology for Every Person.

The Kindnesses of My Lord Jesus

Twenty-five years ago, I walked into an examination room at the Theology Faculty of University of Oxford to defend my dissertation. I shook, fearing Oxford’s Professor of Reformation History and the Archbishop of Wales would return this boy from the swamps of Louisiana to his home without honor.

They stood in their full regalia. As I visibly trembled, Rowan Williams nodded to Sir Diarmaid MacCulloch and broke the news to me: “Please sit, and do not be anxious. If this viva goes as we expect, we will propose this be one of the few dissertations published by Oxford University Press.”

That was one of the kindest things that had ever been done to me in an academic setting, exceeded only by the call I received earlier from Bill Tolar of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, announcing that my beloved alma mater elected me to return and teach theology with my own mentor, James Leo Garrett Jr.

On that day in 2000, I learned how to pastor younger theologians in an academic context from the future Archbishop of Canterbury. Yes, he helped ensure my work was of the highest academic quality, but he also helped ensure I was treated with dignity as one made in God’s image.

Yesterday, it was a joy to reunite with Rowan Williams for a moment as we stood on the stage by the pulpit of B. H. Carroll at the First Baptist Church of Waco, Texas. I presented him a copy of my latest book, God, the first volume of “Theology for Every Person”.

I also presented Todd Still, the Dean of George W. Truett Theological Seminary, with a copy of Special Revelation and Scripture. Dr. Still and Baylor University kindly granted me the use of their rooms at Regent’s Park College in 2022 so I could write my portion of that book co-authored with David Dockery.

I was also delighted to renew friendships with Steve Bezner and Preben Vang, professors at the university which spawned my Seminary 120 years ago. Dr. Vang once prompted Baylor to award Garrett a rare third doctorate before he passed. Dr. Bezner and I have often encouraged each other.

While I missed the celebration of David Dockery’s birthday, I was elated to renew some important relationships in my own life. It was also good to hear the first two of Rowan’s three Parchman lectures on the Trinity. The second lecture in particular will help orthodox Christians.

I also want to thank Matt Snowden, the Pastor of First Waco, for his kindnesses to my Teaching Assistant and me. Finally, Derrick Bledsoe, who plans to write on the Trinity, traveled with me to hear these lectures on Nicaea. Derrick was, as always, a personal blessing to me.

Our God has been so good to me. I feel as if every moment of my life has been one act of divine kindness stacked upon another. While I sometimes worried I might not make the grade or wondered how I would provide food for my children, Jesus my Lord has guided my life every moment.

"Identifying the Crisis in Evangelical Theology" and "Baptists Who Confess the Nicene Faith"

Concluding a good week of reports from the Administration and the Trustees of the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, we held a successful Preview Day. To help with Preview Day, the Dean of our School of Theology asked me to provide an "exciting, engaging" lecture to our prospective students. I am happy to report there were more prospective students than we have seen in quite some time.

For the subject matter, I could think of nothing more important than to identify the most critical problem facing contemporary evangelical theology. I then proceeded to explain how our Seminary has long embraced the creeds as both necessary and beneficial. The lecture garnered a great deal of interest and affirmation as seen in the extended and positive Q&A period that concluded the lecture and the number of private consultations I fielded after the lecture. 

The first and more popular essay, "Identifying the Crisis in Evangelical Theology," will be published by another institution in a few weeks. I will post the link when that publication appears.

The second and longer essay used in the lecture was just published in The Southwestern Journal of Theology. You may read "Baptists Who Confess the Nicene Faith" on our Seminary's ETC website at this link. 

The PowerPoint for the entire presentation is available at this link.