THE BULLETIN OF IBTM
with Douglas Jacoby

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26 November 2025

Good afternoon from Atlanta! We’re back from Los Angeles and Boston for a few days before heading home to England. This week's bulletin, short and sweet, centers on Thanksgiving—especially for readers in the US—plus a reflective Advent series, back by popular demand.

A REFLECTION
Bill Gaultiere

Thanksgiving is an invitation to "count your blessings."  Gratitude is a powerful way to worship God and helps us become healthier and more loving in our apprenticeship to Jesus. This is why the Bible instructs us to "give thanks to the Lord" and affirms thankfulness as a virtue that leads to living in God's peace (Ps 136:1; Phil 4:6-7).

But what if you don't feel thankful?
You've probably experienced times when gratitude and praise flow out of you. Yet there are seasons when "counting your blessings" doesn't come so naturally. Maybe you are facing overwhelming challenges in your life, relationships, or ministry. Perhaps you're in the middle of significant loss and grief. Your spiritual life may be full of desolation and confusion. To "count your blessings" might feel inauthentic.  KEEP READING

THANKSGIVING REFLECTION
Douglas Jacoby

HERE is a talk (with notes) on Thanksgiving that I recorded 15 years ago—yet it’s still relevant. For even more Thanksgiving messages, please click HERE.

ADVENT CAROLS

In 2024 the series “Connecting with Christ through Carols” offered daily devotionals for each day of Advent (1-24 December). 24 brothers and sisters from around the world shared their favorite carols. The series, coordinated by Chase Mackintosh (Roswell, Georgia) was truly inspiring.

Because of your interest, we've brought back the series for Advent 2025. Connecting with Christ isn't just audio (music + comments), but also video. Please enjoy this special series—and share with your friends. Douglas & Vicki 

ACCESS THE CAROLS.

BOSTON REPORT

The week in Boston was both exciting and productive—the 2025 academic conferences (Evangelical Theological Society, Society of Biblical Literature, etc). Well over 10,000 participated! Some of the classes I attended:

  • What Could Go Wrong? The Ethics & Challenges of AI
  • What Could Go Right? The Promises and Possibilities of AI
  • Experiences of Beauty in Art as Signs of Transcendence
  • The Bible & the Nicene Creed
  • A Philosopher Among Theologians (challenges to biblical interpreters)
  • The Medical Realities of Crucifixion
  • Presidential address on the Workers in the Vineyard
  • A debate on authorship of the gospels: Bart Ehrman vs. Mike Licona
  • Stone-Campbell reception: a discussion on 1 Timothy
  • A Path through the Wilderness: Tracing Covenantal Economics in Psalms
  • Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Popular Culture
  • Church of Christ Scholars communion service
  • Patristic Testimony on Wearing Miniature Gospels Around One’s Neck

It was an honor to interact—even if only briefly—with men and women like Craig Evans, John Walton, Tremper Longman, Bart Ehrman, Eckhard Schnabel, Jeff Weima, Ben Witherington, Mark Wilson, Mark Fairchild, Heather Gorman, Tim McGrew, Nick Zola, John Boyles, Gary Habermas, Mike Licona, Dale Allison, Christopher Hutson, Jeff Childers, James Tabor, Heather Gorman, and Mark Hamilton. I also learned a lot (classes and speeches) from many other scholars, like Scott Stripling, Ellen Davis, Craig Blomberg, Mac Loftin, Stephen Haynes, Michael Kruger, and Lori Brandt Hale.

Every year I immensely enjoy these conferences. The cities rotate: next year will be in Denver. There’s always much to learn, and I’m reminded how much I stand in the debt of scholars whose lives are devoted to illuminating God’s Word and God’s world.

AFRICA

On Friday we fly back to Britain, and on Monday I’ll join my friend Daniel Bertholet (Geneva, Switzerland) in Kenya and Burundi, for the final teaching trip of 2025.

Thanks for your prayers. And for reading our bulletin. Extra special thanks to all IBTM supporters, without whom this ministry would simply not be possible.

Happy Thanksgiving! — D & V

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