Robert J. Morgan Blog

What Happened to the Apostles?

Fri, 18 May 2012 03:08:31 CDT

Are some of the apostles buried under a mosque in Istanbul?

After the destruction of the city of Jerusalem, the center of gravity for the church moved to Turkey. Most of the New Testament books were written either in Turkey or to people who resided in Turkey. Some of the apostles based their [Read More...]

The Basilica of St. John the Apostle

Wed, 16 May 2012 00:47:21 CDT

On a hilltop near the excavated ruins of Ephesus are another set of ruins—a church built in the 500s by Emperor Justinian to commemorate the grave of St. John the Apostle. Our earlier Christian historians say that John left Jerusalem before the city was destroyed by the Romans in AD 70. He came [Read More...]

Visiting Ephesus – Part 3

Mon, 14 May 2012 19:39:42 CDT

Today I’d like to post a few more pictures from the ancient ruins of Ephesus. The site (which has been excavated by Austrian archaeologists for the past hundred years and is continuing today) presently consists of one very long street with a downward grade. The top portion of the street seemed to have been largely [Read More...]

Visiting Ephesus – Part 2

Sun, 13 May 2012 19:01:53 CDT

In my last post, I described the upper section of the long street that cuts through the heart of the ruins of ancient Ephesus. It’s an incredible experience to walk down this street or to study pictures of it, knowing that Paul and Timothy and John hiked up and down this same street 2000 years [Read More...]

Visiting Ephesus – Part 1

Sun, 13 May 2012 02:14:46 CDT

What a city was ancient Ephesus! The gateway from Europe to Asia in biblical times; a teeming city of 250,000 souls–the fourth largest in the Roman Empire; the scene of Paul’s greatest church planting project; home to Timothy, John, and maybe Luke; and the location of one of the most vibrant congregations in [Read More...]

Visit the Hagai Sophia with Me

Thu, 10 May 2012 02:12:57 CDT

If I were to ask about the greatest church building in the world, you might think of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome or St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. But for many centuries there was only one answer – the Hagai Sophia in Istanbul (eye’-ah / so-fee’-yah). Emperor Justinian built it in the 500s [Read More...]

New Rome

Tue, 08 May 2012 18:34:31 CDT

Istanbul is an Islamic city in an Islamic country. Imagine the mournful wails we’re hearing from the minarets. It’s also a city filled with Christian history, but you have to look very hard to find any traces of it now. For centuries Constantinople (Istanbul) was the foremost center of Christianity in the world. [Read More...]

Greetings from Istanbul

Mon, 07 May 2012 23:15:42 CDT

Here’s wishing you a cup of Turkish Coffee. Joshua Rowe and I had a safe and uneventful flight to Istanbul, arriving this morning about 10:15. The cab driver dropped us off about a half-mile short of our hotel, but we managed to find it without too much problem. After a brief rest, we [Read More...]

You Can Tell a Person’s Character by ____________?

Wed, 02 May 2012 06:07:58 CDT

You can tell a person’s character by…

You can tell a person’s character by how early or late they arrive at work—Susan Case in There’s a Dead One Alright
You can tell a person’s character when you check their groceries—Jonathan Kellerman in Time Bomb
You can tell a person’s character by looking into her eyes—Jessica [Read More...]

KALEO Notes: There is a River

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 02:56:10 CDT

[Note: This is the second part of this morning's sermon, which can be accessed here, under the title "There is a River."]

Scripture – Psalm 46:4: There is a river, the streams whereof make glad the city of God, the dwelling place of the Most High. God is in [Read More...]

The 23rd Psalm Manuscript Due Monday

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 02:31:08 CDT

Today I’ve essentially finished the manuscript (due Monday) of a book on the Twenty-Third Psalm. I’m not sure of the release date, but we’ll keep you posted. Here is a brief excerpt.

John Muir, a early naturalist who wrote about life in the American West, once described a shepherd in the California Sierras [Read More...]

Is Shakespeare’s Name in Scripture?

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 06:57:40 CDT

In preparing my current series of sermons for The Donelson Fellowship from Psalm 46, I’ve come across a mystery connected with this passage. It has to do with the rendering of Psalm 46 in the King James Version, which was authorized by King James I of England in 1604, completed around [Read More...]

A Very Present Help

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:31:37 CDT

Last Sunday at The Donelson Fellowship I preached from Psalm 46:1 and devoted the message to the powerful phrase: God is… is a very present help in trouble. Notice how this line expands, how it telescopes. Every added word and phrase doubles and redoubles its force.

God is a help.

[Read More...]

KALEO Notes: Christians on the Titanic, Pt. 2.

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 01:51:59 CDT

Scripture: Psalm 130:1 / Acts 16:31

John Harper was born in a small Scottish town on my birthday – May 29 – of 1872. His parents were dedicated believers. They had come to Christ during the 1859 revival in Ulster. His father ran a drapery business.

When he was [Read More...]

KALEO Notes: Christians on the Titanic, Pt. 1

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 01:36:48 CDT

Scripture: Psalm 130:1 / Acts 16:31

Introduction: Today marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. At the time of her construction, the Titanic was the longest vessel that had ever been built, over four city blocks in length, and the largest made-made movable object in the [Read More...]