Category Archives: Giffones in Lithuania

Our journey to LCC International University in Klaipėda, Lithuania

New Publication on the NT’s Use of OT

I’m pleased to announce a new open-access article:

Benjamin D. Giffone, “Descending to Bring Up ‘The Knowledge of the Son of God’: The Descent–Ascent Use of Psalm 68:18 in Ephesians 4:8–10, Compared with Romans 10:6–8’s use of Deuteronomy 30.” Religions 2025, 16(5), 578; DOI: 10.3390/rel16050578. Special Issue: “Resurrection and New Creation in Ephesians.” Continue reading

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New Publication: Isaiah 63–66 in Mark 5

I’m pleased to announce that an article on the use of Isaiah 63–66 in Mark 5, cowritten by me and a former student, is now published:

Benjamin D. Giffone and Sage E. Wile: “No One Strives to Take Hold of You: Mark 5’s Echoes of Isaiah 63:7–66:17.” Neotestamentica 57.2 (2023): 229–243. DOI: 10.1353/neo.2023.a943176. Continue reading

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New Jobs, New Directions

It’s been a few months since I shared a personal and professional update. We have a lot of good news to report, and an invitation to a special event on September 1. Continue reading

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Theological Education in Missions

In this post, I want to highlight certain distinctions between different types of theological education (TE), while also presenting both the challenge and the rewards of investing in global theological education. My intended audience is mainly Western Christians, who might intuitively acknowledge that such investments are important, but might not understand many of the complexities–and the potential rewards for their own Western communities (besides the fruits of obedience to God). Continue reading

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Moving Again!

The last time I gave a significant update here was in June. That seems like an eternity ago, so it seems like a good time to share about our situation. Since we moved back from Lithuania to the US on … Continue reading

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Sermon: “We Are Members of One Another” (Ephesians 4)

This is the audio (37:24, 11.9 MB) of a sermon preached at Klaipėda Free Christian Church, on August 14, 2022. The main text is Ephesians 4. Continue reading

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Travels and Transitions

It’s been a very long time since I’ve shared a personal update on this blog–or really, anything other than sermons and links to publications. I suppose I have been so busy living life–surviving, if not always flourishing–that I have not always had time to process and share.

But it seems an appropriate time to share some important news, and what the past few months have looked like, and what we’re looking ahead to in the months to come. Continue reading

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Sermon: “Those Who Sigh and Groan” (Ezekiel 8-9)

Our passage for today is one that has been rattling around in my head for the last two years, and I’m finally collecting my thoughts to say something about it. It’s kind of like an expose, a bit of “hidden camera footage” that shows what the religious leaders of Israel were doing in secret, in the Jerusalem temple, in its last days before it was destroyed. They thought that they could use their power to do whatever they wanted, and that no one would see—including God. We will see from this passage that God does act to stop those in power from abusing their power in secret. And there is a message for us who don’t always have “inside access”: how are we supposed to react to corruption? And, how can we look to Jesus as an example of how to live faithfully in a sinful world? Continue reading

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Sermon: “Hide the Fugitives!” (Isaiah 15:8–16:5)

The church is Jesus’s household, his kingdom on earth. We should absolutely be a place of refuge for refugees and those fleeing for their lives—just as the Davidic kings of ancient Judah could be a safe place for Moabites and others from all over the world. Continue reading

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Sermon: “Oh, That You Would Rend the Heavens!” (Isaiah 63:7-64:12)

The prayer in Isaiah 63–64 is a great example because the faithful prophet knows what his people need: they need God to change their hearts, and they need God to be near to them. It is passionate, and thoughtful, and based on God’s promises to his people. It’s also beautiful for us to think about how God answered this prayer: including in ways that his people did not expect. Continue reading

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