1. You Believe that This World is a Safe Place Many of us were shocked at the terrible events in Texas last week as a disturbed and angry man assaulted a church near San Antonio killing many during a worship service. We should be surprised that this doesn’t happen more often! If we believe that…
500 years ago a Roman Catholic monk nailed 95 theses to the Wittenberg door. And 500 years down the road, the echoes of that hammer still ring loudly in the faith of many. I have been guided by men I have never met. My faith has been shaped and protected by the sacrifices of others.…
5 Reasons I am Visiting our Missionaries in Indonesia
September 14, 2017
Last week, my wife and I bought plane tickets for us and our daughter to visit friends from our church who are missionaries in Indonesia. I am looking forward to this trip for many reasons, but the central reason comes from the relationship we have with these specific missionaries. They are friends who we have…
The Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood came out with a statement that is being called the Nashville Statement. It was named for the location of the council that produced it, much like ancient creeds were designated by the location of their formation. It has been signed by many evangelical leaders and pastors and you…
I have been seeking to be more attentive to the joys of life all around me. There is good. There is beauty. There is awe and wonder. And if you are anything like me, you need to fight for it! As we get older, the things that produced awe and wonder in us when we…
What does it feel like to age? I have heard it said that the days are long and the years are short and that has made more and more sense to me. I feel like I can look back on the past three decades and see how small decisions have created a life that defines…
This week I will be preaching on 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8. In this text God calls his people to a theological sexual ethic that is meant to be a stable call to holiness for his church in a world with a sexual ethic that is always shifting. The apostle Paul is clear in this text that…
I was not made for rhythm. I can’t clap and sing at the same time. I have never played a musical instrument. For a very brief time in college I tried to teach myself guitar, but I quit when I realized that you need to have rhythm in order to strum. And apparently dancing requires…
I have this sneaking suspicion that I will not be the same person in two weeks. I do not know what I will be, but I will have experienced some unique experiences that I am praying will be formative in my life. On Monday, I will depart from Chicago O’Hare Airport and about 24 hours…
It is pretty rare for a Facebook post to turn into a blog for me, but after posting an article by Tim Challies regarding the upcoming movie that follows the best selling book, “The Shack” I determined a blog may be a good way to follow up. I wrote a review of this book way…
I have had people tell me what I am supposed to believe regarding immigration as a follower of Jesus Christ. I find that one of the most repugnant lines of religious abuse is found in the formula, “If you follow Jesus, then you will agree with (fill in the blank)!” I see no difference between…
I play video games. As a middle-aged man, north of forty, I feel like I just admitted to being immature, unproductive, and generally juvenile. I find that video games are a good way to unwind my mind. My StrengthsFinder profile reveals that I have input, learner, and ideation . . . Meaning that my mind…
