Category Archives: Church of God

White Paper: Resentment as a Substitute for Formation: How Frustrated Longings for Power and Respect Corrupt Ambition

Posted on December 15, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary Across political, religious, academic, and organizational contexts, there exists a recurring pattern in which individuals who view themselves as visionary, exceptional, or uniquely insightful experience deep frustration when recognition, authority, or influence does not materialize as expected. When … Continue reading →

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Rejoicing in the Birth of Jesus Christ Around the Feast of Trumpets: A Biblicist White Paper on Timing, Theology, and Liturgical Meaning

Posted on December 14, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary This white paper argues that rejoicing in the birth of Jesus Christ in connection with the Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah) is biblically defensible, theologically coherent, and spiritually fruitful—particularly within a biblicist framework that prioritizes scriptural patterns over … Continue reading →

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White Paper: Stewardship Without Ownership: The Dangers of Informal Authority Capture in Outlying Congregations

Posted on December 14, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary Outlying congregations often depend upon long-serving members who host, organize, fund, or sustain local gatherings. While such service is frequently sincere and indispensable, Scripture warns repeatedly of the spiritual and organizational dangers that arise when service hardens into … Continue reading →

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White Paper: Called or Self-Appointed?: Distinguishing God-Raised Leaders from Self-Selected Teachers in a Biblicist Framework

Posted on December 14, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary Throughout biblical history, communities of faith have faced a persistent problem: the emergence of self-appointed leaders and teachers who claim divine authority without divine calling. Scripture repeatedly contrasts these figures with men whom God calls, forms, tests, and … Continue reading →

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White Paper: Artificial Intelligence in Biblical Hermeneutics and the Essential Role of Proper Prompt Design

Posted on December 9, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly large-language models (LLMs), is rapidly becoming a central tool for those who study Scripture—pastors, scholars, lay teachers, and content creators alike. While AI can accelerate research, generate linguistic insights, and offer comparative perspectives on … Continue reading →

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White Paper: The Necessity of Epistemological Humility in Human Judgment and Action

Posted on December 8, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary Epistemological humility—the recognition of our limited knowledge, fallible reasoning, and susceptibility to error—is not merely a philosophical virtue. It is a practical necessity for individuals, institutions, and societies navigating an increasingly complex world. Human understanding is unavoidably partial, … Continue reading →

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White Paper: Biblicist Grounds for Re-Baptism When Conversion Occurs After an Earlier Baptism

Posted on December 8, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary This white paper examines whether Scripture provides grounds for a Christian to be re-baptized if he or she believes true conversion took place after a prior baptism. A strictly biblicist approach reveals that Scripture neither trivializes baptism nor … Continue reading →

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Before Me:  Living In The Presence of God

Posted on December 7, 2025 by nathanalbright

[Note:  The following is the prepared notes for a sermon given to the Dalles, Oregon congregation on Sabbath, December 6, 2025.] Introduction: The Depth of Hebrew Words and the Challenge of Translation The Hebrew Scriptures are composed in a language … Continue reading →

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White Paper: Multi-Level Marketing in the Bible? A Biblicist Examination of Claims, Parallels, and Ethical Evaluation

Posted on December 7, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary Claims circulate in popular Christian teaching that “MLMs are described in the Bible” or even that “the early church functioned like an MLM.” These claims are typically made to legitimize a modern business model by analogy with perceived … Continue reading →

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White Paper: The Authority Paradox: Why Those Who Struggle to Respect Authority Often Seek Authority Themselves

Posted on December 6, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary Across institutions—families, churches, workplaces, governments—one repeatedly encounters a persistent paradox: individuals who resist, resent, or reject legitimate authority are often the very individuals who most desire to be seen as authorities themselves. They frequently fail to perceive the … Continue reading →

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