Conversations at the Ranch with Dudley Hall

We often cling to the belief that being a good person is the goal, and that God’s favor is dependent upon our being good. The New Testament gospel (the kerygma) counters that belief system, and the implications of Christ’s finished work become mandates for our ethic.  Invest in Kerygma Ventures: www. KerygmaVentures.com

When a person sees the cross as the center of the Bible story, it is either the best news ever… or the worst. From Paul’s point of view, the cross of Jesus Christ is the crux of the matter, the climax of the story, and the only hope of eternal life. Invest in Kerygma Ventures: www. KerygmaVentures.com/give

Dudley's Monthly Message for August 2022 Learn more: www. KerygmaVentures.com

It is important that we get a proper view of holiness because God is holy. He is the most liberated person in the universe. He is the most fulfilled. He is the most fun.  If he is holy, it must be a good thing.  Learn more: www. KerygmaVentures.com

There is no magic formula we can work to force God to send the revival we order, but there is a distinct pattern of how God has worked to bring life to dead situations. We can align with His pattern and trust Him to do what He longs to do through us. Learn more: www. KerygmaVentures.com

To repent is to bring our minds in line with the reality that Jesus now is the Lord over all things and that He is the full and final hope of Israel and the world. For more information, please visit: www. KerygmaVentures.com

We know that the life of Christ being manifest in believers makes us either attractive to those who are thirsty for life or scary for those determined to eliminate God from their existence. We either emit an aroma of life or death.  For more information, please visit:  www. KerygmaVentures.com

Because the gospel as proclaimed by the New Testament apostles is the only power able to transform people, the purity and clarity of it is the most critical issue of our day. In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he addresses the importance of the gospel of grace in initial salvation and in living as God’s people now and forever. Learn more: www. KerygmaVentures.com

It has always been true that the good news from God to mankind is offensive. It seems strange because, after all, it is good news. Typically we like good news. When the stock market goes up or the weather forecast is sunny and mild or the kid’s report card has “A’s”- we love it. Why then does the natural mind react to the news that God has acted in history to save us and that His mercy is behind i...

The inevitable fruit of grace in a person’s life is graciousness toward others. We are living in a time when graciousness is rare. Vitriol and contention are the more common modes of relating. Efforts to solve this growing cancer in our society don’t seem to be effective. It’s not that we can’t see the problem. It’s that we can’t see the deep root that is producing it. For instance, racism is not...

We are people of promise. The Law did its part. We honor it. Now we glorify His glorious grace. According to the biblical narrative, people are designed to live in the blessing of the good and sovereign Creator. That blessing includes the consciousness of His presence, the abundance of His provision, the guarantee of His protection, and the privilege of working as His partners in the development o...

The bedrock foundation of truth is the news that God has acted in grace. Our redeemed life is totally a gift and does its work only when it is received as a gift from God with no strings attached.  For more information, visit: www. KerygmaVentures.com

I’ve had several personal conversations recently that centered around questions and problems related to the doctrine of election. For centuries, Bible students have debated the Calvinist/Arminian positions regarding this precious doctrine. Whole denominations have been created because of a particular position, and, sadly, some Christian brothers and sisters have treated each other like enemies bec...

There are some things that we can enjoy best in moderation. Ice cream is better if tasted in small bites rather than gorging. Wading in a cold mountain stream is better if taken by degrees. Other things require total commitment. The gospel life is like that. It can’t be enjoyed in moderation. It is all or nothing. For more information, visit: www. KerygmaVentures.com

Humanity has a history of misidentifying reality and creating stories that often destroy millions of lives or lead societies down paths of fantasy and deception. Stories abound trying to explain the sounds we hear and the sights we observe. It is very confusing, unless there is an exclusive story that interprets the others and makes sense in the core of our being. There is!  For more information a...

Recent surveys reveal that 52% of American workers feel burn out, which has spiked during the Covid-19 era. A myriad of factors contribute to it, but an obvious one is the vulnerability of individualistic isolation. The old western civilization icon of the self- made, self-sufficient, enlightened human is being exposed as the fraud it has always been. Leaders in all spheres, including the church,...

The level of angst today in society in general and western civilization in particular suggests a deep longing for spiritual renewal and cultural reset. The people who believe that God acts in history in conjunction with the prayers of His people are engaging in prayer and asking: “What might a new awakening look like?” I offer a suggestion and a fervent hope: the kerygmatic option. For more inform...

The war between truth and deception rages in our culture in such an obvious way that one must hide to keep from seeing it. Some may be so distracted by self-absorption that they don’t bother to notice the battle, but most are aware... and nervous. Never in the history of this nation has the intensity been so high. 

In Psalm 12, David describes the alarm we sense when accosted by the noise filling the air around us: “Help, O Lord, for there is no longer anyone who is godly; the faithful have disappeared from humankind. They utter lies to each other; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak...those who say, “With our tongues we will prevail; our lips are ourown—who is our master?” (Psalm 12:1-4 NRSV)...

Storms should not surprise us when they come, yet we often find ourselves overwhelmed by their ferocity or rapidity. Like a child playing in the surf who is hit by an unexpected wave, before we can get up and wipe our face another one comes crashing in. Jesus predicted that storms would come into all of our lives, and that they would expose the foundations of what we are building.  Jesus’ emphasis...

The Christmas trees had many packages piled underneath for days before the big day. Now the floor is empty except for a few gifts left for family or friends who haven’t gotten theirs yet. Wouldn’t it be a shame if we left the big one with our name on it unopened - admired and anticipated, but left untouched? What if it contained the last will and testament of a rich uncle who left enough money to...

As believers, we celebrate the finished work of Jesus, emphasizing that He initiated and carried out redemption through His incarnation, perfect obedience, sacrificial death, miraculous resurrection, and majestic exaltation. We rejoice that there is nothing we can do to add to the full salvation He purchased for us. It is indeed glorious to meditate on the redemption story carried out in the life...

The recent election has revealed a tension many Christians feel as citizens of both heaven and earth. Some have concluded that, since we are born from heaven, we have little or no business trying to influence such matters as politics and civil government. Others have felt so connected to our earthly responsibilities that they have put too much hope in the civil structures of society. In the middle...

As Jesus came to save (heal) the brokenness of the fallen world, He released the power to accomplish His purpose and extended that mission through His corporate body. The doctrine of suffering has been neglected in understanding the Christian experience. Yet, sacrifice is the core expression of love that transforms. Having a consistent doctrine of the mission of the church, which includes sufferin...

We are designed to live in connection to a leader. As created beings, we properly respond to our Creator as One who is worthy of worship and trust. It was only when we bought into the lie that we can be our own leaders without submission to anyone that we as the human race lost our way.  Scripture relates a time in Israel’s history when the people were doing what was right in their own eyes and fe...