Tom Schmidt's Blog

This weekend I will presenting a paper at the SBL Central States Regional Meeting.  My paper is the use of irony in the book of Revelation, a topic that I find extremely interesting (I plan on linking the paper to this website after the conference is over).  I’m looking forward to being a part of […]

Two Sundays ago I preached on Phil 2:3-4 and considered how the glory of the gospel is greater than the glory of self.  I believe that when our hearts grasp this, we will love like Jesus (humbly and sacrificially) and reject the fruits of pride (selfish ambition and vain glory).   Here’s six ways that the […]

I have been wanting to read John Piper’s “Brothers, We are Not Professionals” for years, and was delighted to read through his recently updated version (2013) the past several weeks.  The push among many Christians and pastors to adopt “professional” techniques and attitudes in order to have a dynamic leadership-driven expanding “successful” ministries has long […]

The  commands of the Bible come at us a with a white-hot purity: ‘Consider the needs of others to be more important than your own’ (Phil 2:3-4).  Hearing such a command cuts us to the heart as the revelation of our own selfishness becomes clear.  We are self-centered, very self-centered.  The more we let the […]

Vanhoozer on the Inerrancy of Scripture I was always bummed that I did not get to take a class under the theologian Kevin Vanhoozer during my time at Wheaton.  His writings have really encouraged me and help me understand how to think biblically and theologically about the Bible as God’s revelation of Himself.  Today, I […]

Recently, my friend Dan Alcantara and I challenged each other to write a song that could be used in  corporate worship setting.  I love writing songs and think this will be a great challenge.  It has really got me thinking about the components of a good worship song.  In my own opinion, I believe a […]

This week I’m preaching on Phil 2:3-4. The passage has really got me thinking about the notion of selfishness and selfish ambitions.  We live in a culture which drinks up the belief that pursuing self interest at any cost will result in our greatest happiness and most vibrant liberty.  The most hienous evil is when […]

Over the next few months I’ll be working through these books.  I’m really looking forward to learning from these godly thinkers and hopefully growing in my pastoral knowledge.     What books would you suggest for those preparing to enter into full-time vocational ministry?

Happy Birthday to my beautiful, lovely wife Rach!

I love putting Scripture to music.  Over the years I have put different passages of the Bible to music (you can hear some of my songs here and here).  I find that putting Scripture to music is very edifying and encouraging to my own soul. A couple years back I spent a summer studying Titus […]