Gary Neal Hansen

Theology. It's good for you.

  • About
    • Speaking
    • Contact
    • Home
  • Books
    • Love Your Bible
    • Christmas Play
    • Kneeling with Giants
    • Review Crew
  • Library
    • Join
    • Login
  • Blog
  • Lectio Divina Class Log In
    • Advent Lectio Divina Class Info!
    • Class Info: Your First Sermon
      • Your 1st Sermon — Course Login
    • Lenten Prayer Class Info
      • Lenten Prayer Class log in
    • “Pray Like a Reformer” Class Info
      • Pray Like a Reformer Login
  • Christmas Play
  • Love Your Bible
  • Kneeling with Giants
You are here: Home / Archives for Gary Neal Hansen

Why Was Christ Buried? (Heidelberg Catechism Q41)

September 28, 2016 by Gary Neal Hansen 5 Comments

From Question 26 to Question 58, the Heidelberg Catechism explains the Apostles’ Creed line by line. (If you are new here, the Heidelberg Catechism is a widely-used and much-loved Reformed summary of biblical Christian teaching that I’ve been blogging on since its 450th anniversary in 2013.) Some lines get explored across a few questions. Some take […]

Filed Under: Heidelberg Catechism, Theology Tagged With: Burial of Christ, Heidelberg Catechism 46

Facing Futility (The Writer’s Inner Life)

September 26, 2016 by Gary Neal Hansen 6 Comments

Facing Futility

One of the struggles a writer faces (or anyone else with  creative projects as part of their vocation) is the sense of futility. It is one of those temptations that comes in a kind of inner voice. Why not be old fashioned and just call it one of our demons? The Demon of Futility It can […]

Filed Under: Saints, The Inner Life of the Writer, Uncategorized Tagged With: Antony the Great, Desert Fathers, Futility

Reading Dense Theological Texts (Letters to a Young Pastor)

September 22, 2016 by Gary Neal Hansen 4 Comments

learning to read old books

Dear ______: Ah yes, your preaching class is requiring you to read something by St. John Chrysostom. I’m so glad — when you get to know a great preacher like Chrysostom, you may end up with a mentor for life. And you might not pick him up on your own, right? But first you have to learn how […]

Filed Under: Ministry, Seminary, Theology Tagged With: Reading strategies, Reading theology

The Problem of Idleness (The Writer’s Inner Life)

September 20, 2016 by Gary Neal Hansen 2 Comments

problem of idleness

As Mark Twain, allegedly said (but probably didn’t), History doesn’t repeat itself — but it does rhyme. (The funny bits all get attributed to the same famous guys. As Abraham Lincoln said, The internet is being ruined by fake quotations. That one has to be true. I have it on a bumper sticker.) Fake quotation […]

Filed Under: Saints, The Inner Life of the Writer Tagged With: Abba Poemen, Desert Fathers, Free writing, Idleness

Learning to Read All Over Again (Letters to a Young Pastor)

September 16, 2016 by Gary Neal Hansen 4 Comments

learning to read

Dear ______: It does sound like you are now in the thick of things in your new semester. Glad to hear your new classes are exciting. Sorry to hear that you are finding yourself overwhelmed with your reading assignments. I remember one classmate who added up all the pages assigned for all his classes for […]

Filed Under: Ministry, Seminary Tagged With: Reading in graduate school, Seminary, Speed reading

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 80
  • 81
  • 82
  • 83
  • 84
  • …
  • 144
  • Next Page »

AWESOME children’s sermons? Absolutely! Here’s how.

I'd love to send you my free Children's Sermon Cheat Sheet! You'll learn eight solid strategies to engage with kids on the Gospel.

Subscribe and I'll send it to you -- plus all my new children's sermons will come to you in my almost-weekly newsletter.

Theology. It’s good for you.

I'm a Church historian by trade. My writing, speaking, and teaching explores the Christian past to equip today's disciples. Join me here for regular posts on the best of theology, spirituality, community, and ministry. read more…

Recent Posts

  • A Children’s Sermon on Matthew 15:10-28
  • A Children’s Sermon on John 19:1-16 — Jesus Before Pilate
  • A Children’s Sermon on John 18:12-27 — Jesus and the High Priest
  • A Children’s Sermon on John 13:1-17 — Washing the Disciples’ Feet
  • Shakespeare’s “The Winter’s Tale”

Search the site

Need a new way to engage with the Bible?

Subscribe to my newsletter and I'll send you a free ebook copy of Love Your Bible: Finding Your Way to the Presence of God with a 12th Century Monk. It's a modern introduction to a classic spiritual discipline that brings prayer and Bible study together.

It's manageable. It's fun. And it's free, along with my (almost)weekly newsletter that brings you every new article and announcement.

Archives

Let’s connect on social media…

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Search the site

  • Community for Mission
  • Letters to a Young Pastor
  • Christianity as a Second Language
  • Role Models for Discipleship

© 2026 garynealhansen.com · Rainmaker Platform