Lighted Way Ministries

I just wanted to do a quick shout-out about Lighted Way Ministries. They're an interesting group that as far as I can tell, is on a very good path. I've had the privilege lately of going to a few of their lectures. Mark and Shauna Manfredine seem to be the principal speakers on theological issues (leaving other subjects such as healthy eating, medicine, and basic ethics to others,) and their presentations are highly compelling and show a real dedication to God.

Right now, I particularly want to draw attention to their answer to a question about Biblical inspiration. The distinction between "Word Inspired" and "Thought Inspired" is excellent. I've read an Ellen G. White quote that stated essentially the same thing, so I will share that here:

"The Bible is written by inspired men, but it is not God's mode of thought and expression. It is that of humanity. God, as a writer, is not represented. Men will often say that such an expression is not like God. But God has not put Himself in words, in logic, in rhetoric, on trial in the Bible. The writers of the Bible were God's penmen, not His pen. Look at the different writers. It is not the words of the Bible that are inspired, but the men that were inspired. Inspiration acts not on the man's words or his expressions, but on the man himself, who, under the influence of the Holy Ghost, is imbued with thoughts. But the words receive the impress of the individual mind. The divine mind is diffused. The divine mind and will is combined with the human mind and will; thus the utterances of the man are the word of God." (Ellen G. White ms. 24, 1886, Selected Messages, 1:21)