Speaking

I speak frequently to different kinds of groups in a variety of settings, large and small, including:

• Conferences
• Denominational assemblies for clergy, lay leaders, or youth
• Retreats for congregational leaders or laypeople
• College and seminary campuses
• Continuing-education events for pastors and other leaders
• Adult-education offerings in congregations

I focus on making my teaching energetic, informative, and peppered with enough humor so we don’t fall into the mistake of assuming there’s nothing fun or interesting about reading and puzzling over the Bible.

I teach about the Bible—how to read the Bible, the contents of the New Testament, the history behind the New Testament writings, and the history of the Bible itself.

But my teaching also expresses this insatiable curiosity I have about the Bible and how its readers have used and misused it over the centuries. Too many people have decided that the Bible is too confusing, too stale, too bizarre, or too irrelevant to be worth our time. I want them to read it more intelligently, more expectantly, and more imaginatively so they discover the insights and challenges it poses for faith and life.

You can find a list of topics I regularly speak about by visiting my Topics page.

If you’re interested in having me speak at an event you are planning, I invite you to contact me.

To download a high-resolution publicity photo of me, right click here and either select “Save As” or “Save Link As.”