Question #1:
Just want to say how blessed I have been studying on your site. If it is okay with you, I would like to teach others in our local fellowship from you site. I have reservations about teaching, understanding that teachers incur a stricter judgment, but I have felt burdened to begin, and think that your site would make an excellent choice as a source for material. Hope this finds favor with you. Shalom
Response #1:
It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I would be most gratified to have you make use of the materials at Ichthys in teaching your own Bible study. That is one of the intended purposes of this site. There are usage guidelines posted at the site (see About Ichthys), but everything you are proposing here is certainly well within them.
While there is a relatively large amount of material presently available, the Bible Basics series is only about half complete. Most of the basic doctrines of scripture are indeed addressed within the "pages" of Ichthys (see especially the Subject Index), but not necessarily organized or detailed to the degree I would like (I am working on this while at the same time as pursuing my current main focus: finishing the Coming Tribulation series). This is a long way of saying that if you have any questions that come up in the process of preparing your materials, I would be more than happy to help.
Your circumspect attitude about taking on the role of "teacher" is a godly and a prudent one, but it really does sound from your e-mail like the Lord is leading you to it. In which case, I agree that carrying out this responsibility is priority number one (1Cor.9:16-17). I can personally testify to the fact that God is able to fill in all our deficiencies if we but have faith in Him and faithfully follow Him wherever He leads us.
I look forward to hearing more about the progress of your new ministry in the service of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In Him who gave up everything that we might in Him have everything, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Bob Luginbill
Question #2:
Dr. Luginbill, thank you for your lessons online. Especially the section on Old Testament Theophany. If you do not mind, I would like to use your presentation, given in print form, with full acknowledgment of your authorship and with a link to your site included, as a lesson for my Sunday school class.
Thank you again, and may our Lord bless you .
Response #2:
Thanks so much for your encouraging words. I am gratified to hear that you are getting some good use out of this study – by all means, I would be most pleased for you to make use of it as you propose.
Best wishes for your class.
Yours in our Master Jesus Christ,
Bob Luginbill
Question #3:
Is there any way to buy printed copies of these studies as books? I know money is not your priority, but if I can help, please let me know.
Response #3:
Thanks for your interest. All the studies at Ichthys are free and (I hope relatively easily) downloadable. They are not for sale because it is the objective of this ministry to make as much of God's truth as widely available as possible at no cost. This is important to me, so that while I understand it can cause some frustration, users can be sure that what they are getting is completely on a grace basis and completely free of commercial influence.
If you are experiencing any difficulty in downloading and/or off-printing of files or are for any reason unable to do so, please do let me know and I will see what I can do to assist you in this matter.
I also appreciate your kind offer/inquiry. This ministry has a low over-head, and God has blessed me with a good job. One thing I can always use, however, are your prayers.
Yours in Christ,
Bob Luginbill
Question #4:
Dear Sir:
I stumbled across your site by accident and found it very interesting. I have been involved with church, Sunday School, Youth Ministry, Evangelism and lately Prison Ministry, have started writing a daily devotional, and support these ministries by working full-time. I try to research carefully any reference to dates and places, and use the web for this, that is how I may have discovered you. However I find it tiring to read on the screen, and also it ties up my phone line for too long. So I'm wondering if you have the books in print and for sale, and what the cost might be?
Sincerely Yours in His Service.
Response #4:
Thanks much for your interest in the studies at Ichthys. I would also like to commend and encourage you for your labor in the Lord. As someone who also "makes tents" to support ministry, I have a good idea of the costs involved. But in my experience, the rewards of a clean conscience and lack of compromise more than off-set the demands on time, energy and resources.
This brings me to your question about books. I get this question rather frequently in one iteration or another and it is one that is frequently on my mind. I have not put these materials out for commercial production and distribution for two main reasons:
1) I am very reluctant to lose control of them to any degree. One of the benefits for me of electronic self-publishing is that I can add, emend, edit, improve, etc. at will – and put the new-improved material up on the Internet immediately. With a publisher, things are much more complicated. I would also be unwilling to let commercial concerns dictate content in any way.
2) I also have a problem with charging for these materials. It is a major blessing for me that I have been able to offer them for free. Nor do I solicit donations (in fact, there is no way to contribute financially to this ministry). It is my hope one day to be able to offer many of these materials in written/booklet form, but at present that capability is limited. What you might try is to save to your own computer the studies you are interested in Adobe PDF format. You could then read them "off-line" at your leisure, and could also print them out and avoid computer strain altogether. See the instructions on the download page (I am also happy to walk you through this if you experience any difficulties).
Thanks again for your interest and for the encouragement of your example in Jesus Christ.
Bob Luginbill
Question #5:
When will the rest of the theology lessons be online ?
Response #5:
Hello and thanks for your e-mail.
There are at present three series at Ichthys which are not complete, all of which deal with theology of one sort or another. The Basics study which deals with theology proper (including Theology proper the study of God, His nature, essence, the Trinity; see the link: Theology: the Study of God) is currently available through part 4A. The Coming Tribulation series is the top priority at present. I project the next installment (part 6) to be out sometime in the summer of 2010. I am also currently at work on part 4B of the Basics series (Soteriology). I hope to have this out by the end of the year. The Peter series is currently in hiatus.
Because of the nature of these series, there are very few topics of theology which are not covered in one study or another (the Peter series, for example, covers many basic doctrines in various degrees of detail). You might also try the topical index and also the search feature to run down your particular questions. Also of note is the page of e-mail responses which cover a wide-range of doctrinal questions and issues. I would also be more than happy to answer any specific questions you might have.
I do ask your patience and continued prayer support. Writing is a lengthy process.
Thanks again for your question, and I hope to hear from you again soon.
Yours in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Bob Luginbill