I am a writer and speaker who is passionate about understanding the biblical text from the perspective of the visceral, rich and vibrant world of the ancient near-east. I am also passionate about sharing how understanding this world can open us to the depth and breadth of God’s redemptive history.
Biblical Remains is my personal blog where that happens. It is focused on understanding the Bible in its ancient Archaeological, Geographical, and Cultural context and on sharing those resources with individuals and ministries.
My hope is that by understanding the greater context of scripture you will come to know and appreciate the greater truths of God’s self revelation.
I have found that this type of study lets us:
- enhance our understanding of God and his son, Jesus Christ
- enjoy a more authentic, open and honest faith
- grow in our knowledge of scripture
- take pleasure in a more informed devotional life
- realize the compelling, and awe-inspiring nature of God’s story which is filled with people and places that are more real than we can normally imagine
If you are involved in ministry or simply interested in the cultural backgrounds of the bible then this blog is for you. I would encourage you to subscribe below to have new posts automatically delivered to your inbox.
I was born as a mason’s son, but I grew up to love history, specifically God’s redemptive history. Unfortunately, the thought of studying history or even the biblical text in a darkened room somewhere grated at my “work with your hands,” craftsman’s heritage. My solution was to do history with my hands, and to do biblical study with my feet.
As such, I have devoted my life over the last decade and a half to studying the biblical text in its ancient context. After graduating from Concordia College, Moorhead, MN with majors in History and Religion, I earned a Master of Arts from Wheaton College in Biblical Archaeology of the Old Testament and also earned a Master of Divinity from Bethel Seminary. During the last decade I have traveled to Israel half a dozen times. I have had the privilege of studying the biblical text with my feet at Jerusalem University College, and doing history with my hands for five seasons as part of the staff of the Harvard sponsored Leon Levy Archaeological Expedition to Ashkelon, Israel.
Traveling to Israel, and experiencing God’s redemptive history in such a visceral way has changed my life. It has opened up the depth and breadth of God’s word in ways I could not have even imagined. As such, it is my passion to share that depth and breadth with any who would seek a better understanding of the biblical text. I have taught biblical backgrounds classes at a number of locations in the past and continue to seek opportunities to share with additional ministries.
Today, I live near St. Paul, MN with my beautiful and loving wife, Erica and our three wonderful daughters, Lylah, Maura, and Alyse. We are members of Calvary Church. In our free time, my wife and I love to explore and travel. We have participated in missions efforts in Trinidad, Vietnam and Mexico.
