Denise has always wanted to visit the garden island of Kauai, in the Hawaiian Islands. So, we flew over earlier this month. I thought I would try paddle-board surfing while we were there and Hanalei Bay is ideally suited for a first timer. However, a day or so before we went north, I put on my fins to swim around Salt Pond Beach Park near Port Allen. When I left the water and pulled off my bootie, I found that the scarring over the tendon at my ankle had torn and I was trailing a lot of blood. This had never happened before while swimming, body-surfing or sponge-riding. … Read the rest
Category: <span>Christianity • Religion</span>
Someone posted this bizarre video of Benny Hinn on the Triune nature of God…
Which reminded me of a mathematics instructional video a friend pointed me to years ago.
Then, I recalled a bit of advice from Beautiful Eulogy
I’ve watched boys writhing in the pews and struggling to pay attention for years, as the preacher plows through the text, turning over the soil of the soul. Sometimes the man behind the music stand or pulpit is me.
Other boys get down on their knees, but not to pray. They face a chair with a pencil up and press their noses down close to a piece of paper or a flyer for some church event or a bulletin or a sketch pad, rendering caricatures of superheroes or Transformers or stock cars. Older boys may read an appropriate novel. Some do their homework, while others game away on a device of some kind.… Read the rest
Nothing is more helpful than a handy chart. You can find these 6 Counterfeits that Lead Away From the Biblical Gospel in this blog post at The Gospel Coalition, along with some resources to help you and others steer clear of some of these counterfeits that are often so close, but so far apart.
… Read the restPeople who use escape responses [to conflict] are usually intent on “peace-faking,” or making things look good even when they are not. (This is especially common in the church, where people are often more concerned about the appearance of peace than the reality of peace).
While I appreciate the emphasis on humility, I think Karina Kreminski’s take is predictably defensive and thin. Here’s the post: The Church Is In Post-Christian Exile – But Should We Really Respond Like It’s a War?
The short answer to the question she poses in the title of her essay is, Yes. If we take Jesus and the apostles at their word, standing on the shoulders of the prophets and patriarchs, we are in a war. The Bible uses colorful language, simile, metaphor, and other figures of speech to describe or illustrate the Christian life. Jesus followers are both in exile and at war. … Read the rest
Why do I blog? There are a number of reasons, I suppose. 
I came across a quote which answers that question and may give you some insight into why I do whatever I do:
… Read the restOur calling is to enjoy God as well as glorify Him. Real fulfillment relates to the purpose for which we were made, to be in reference to God, to be in personal relationship with Him, to be fulfilled by Him, and thus to have an affirmation of life. Christianity should never give any onlooker the right to conclude that Christianity believes in the negation of life. Christianity is able to make a real affirmation because we affirm that it is possible to be in personal relationship to the personal God who is there and who is the final environment of all He created.
Have you ever noticed how one-sided your relationship with God is? You would almost get the impression that it’s all about Him. I was thinking about this today and, as it turns out, it’s probably more accurate to speak of His relationship with me. Consider this:
- God took the initiative. We love because he [God] first loved us. (1 John 4:19 ESV) I wasn’t consulted, when the Lord first loved me. Nor, was I even around when He decided to embrace me (we’ll talk about that in a moment). I’m not eternal, contrary to the fantasies embraced by some religions. Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
This past week was the celebration of the 17th anniversary of our battle with necrotizing fasciitis, the flesh-eating bacteria. I was moved to remember and reflect on some of the new and different experiences the disease brought with it. Here are just a few highlights:
- I had the blessing of saying my final farewell to three of four family members and survived to remember it, urging them to look to Jesus! I hope to be able to do the same the next time around. Camille was sorta freaked out, because she had finals and wondered if she should go to school or stay with me.
Let’s talk about 
I suppose this is exciting news for fans of Marvel Comics… and, the Bible.
From The Guardian, Jackman had this to say about his father, who is a Christian:
“He takes his religion very seriously and would prefer I go to church,” Jackman revealed. “We’ve had discussions about our separate beliefs. I just find the evangelical church too, well, restrictive.
I think the actor may be surprised to learn that many Evangelicals would agree the faith is “too, well, restrictive” and are ditching long-held teachings and practices of both Jesus and His apostles, as well as the prophets.
I think Michael Bird has the right take on this casting decision, as well as the storyline for a future project:
… Read the restPersonally, I’d love to see Jackman do an Apostle Paul/Wolverine re-mix, and pull out the retractable bone claws to emasculate the judaizers in Galatia!
Last year, I joined a group of men reading through the Bible in a year, with the aid of this Biblical theology, The King in His Beauty: A Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments. It was an incredible experience, hearing the Story of God in a cover-to-cover reading of the Scriptures. So, it was both shocking and delightful to hear Nancy Guthrie express many of the same discoveries our men’s group made, covering essentially the same ground. I highly recommend a good listen to this podcast for anyone, at any stage in your story, following Jesus: WHI-1254 | Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament, Part 1 – Out of the Horse’s Mouth.… Read the rest
Bruce Hindmarsh is the James M. Houston Professor of Spiritual Theology at Regent College in Vancouver. Perhaps you’ve heard the term Spiritual Disciplines. Bruce is an historian who thinks we’re entering uncharted territory with social media, communication via screens and devices, as well as a shrinking number of people who remember a time without the internet. One of the remedies to this phenomena? Dr. Hindmarsh suggests that God may be calling some Christians to become digital monks. Is it possible that God is calling you to eschew a digital culture, in order to live a life of handmade writing (letters), no internet and, perhaps, only a phone (and, a landline at that)?… Read the rest
I’ve finished reading Fierce Convictions: The Extraordinary Life of Hannah More? Poet, Reformer, Abolitionist
… Read the restMore was born in a rapidly changing society, and her life embodies many of those changes. She was born to laboring class parents but became an early example of social mobility by rising well above her station by the end of her life. But having both lower class origins and upper class attainments gave More an opportunity to effectively reach both rich and poor and in between through her writing and her reform efforts.
Nope, you don’t want to believe everything you read. Christianity in America, particularly the Evangelical stream, is certainly under pressure from all sides. But, is the situation as dire as some like to think? Joe Carter takes on the doomsday crowd , beginning his factcheck on this nugget of conventional wisdom:
… Read the restIn a recent interview in which she announced she had joined the Episcopal Church, Rachel Held Evans said,
“Just about every denomination in the American church— including many evangelical denominations — is seeing a decline in numbers, so if it’s a competition, then we’re all losing, just at different rates.”
Have you ever found yourself suddenly emerging from a blur of flashing lights and activity, slowing down to a crawl like the Millennial Falcon leaving light speed? You take a breath, look around and wonder where all those days went. Jon Bloom has some good news for those of us who feel like we’re rushing at breakneck speed through the mundane: but, first he sets it up like this:
… Read the restLet the unremarkable years of Genesis speak to you. A few days of your life are remarkable, containing events and experiences where you see God’s providence with startling clarity and when your faith and life course are indelibly and memorably shaped.
I know it may sound cynical and even presumptuous to impute motives, but I have to come clean. Any time I see a move towards classical liberal theology, from a more conservative view, I have the same thoughts as Michael Bird does. But, he is able to articulate it in a clearer and more memorable fashion:
… Read the restI think Langford fails to recognize that what drives much of liberal theology is not so much rationality, but culture, the attempt to make Christianity palatable to the reigning cultural zeitgeist. That is why I’ve often thought of liberal theology as theological form of “Stockholm syndrome,” where liberal theologians identify with the values of their cultural captors in order to survive under adversity or strive to impress their contemporaries.
What is “liturgical” worship? Here is a simple, yet informative video that concludes with this summary by Mark Galli
God gathers people for a great banquet at which he presides, gives us a Word, and offers us the fruit of his labor of love. From there, God sends us out to participate in the great gathering work.
With my first post about Ministering to Problem People in Your Church: What to Do With Well-Intentioned Dragons, I wanted to kick off the series on a positive or constructive tack, rather than just whining or blaming. Every church, going all the way back to Corinth and beyond, has had its share of folks who pass over the threshold of acceptable or normal misbehaving and into those super-descriptive, unflattering Scriptural categories reserved for the worst cases: they are gossips, slanderers, divisive persons, judgmental and evil, wild waves, and blemishes on your love feasts.1 The Lord is not pleased with those who trouble the church. From… Read the rest
They are not merely watching an historical drama, they are witnessing the passing of a world. And that larger story, inadequately portrayed within Downton Abbey, is a story that should not be missed. That story is part of our own story as well. It is the story of the modern age arriving with revolutionary force, and with effects that continue to shape our own world.
Read Al Mohler’s essay at
Downton Abbey — What Are Americans Really Watching? – AlbertMohler.com.… Read the rest
Get More Rings in Your Tree from The Gospel Coalition on Vimeo.
The Gospel Coalition has a number of good videos and this one is worth watching and not so much because of the people they name, who actually influenced them: when all is said and done they only name a few! Rather, what I found most valuable are the reasons why they urge us to read, watch or listen to a variety of Christian thinkers, leaders, and noteworthy historical figures, after reading our Bibles. The panel is mainly addressing preachers or leaders, but I think their advice is sound for any Jesus follower.… Read the rest
Yeah, I’m really put off, too, when someone says, “you just have to read this.” But, if you’re leading the church in any capacity and especially if you are an idealistic young (or, not so young) church planter or minister, this book is a gem.
I wish someone would have pointed me to it back in 1994, when it was first published. Of course, at that time I probably wouldn’t have thought it that helpful. After all, I had my Bible and the Holy Spirit living inside of me. I was part of a young, growing movement of Christians, multiplying and establishing on-fire churches and ministries.… Read the rest
Christian theologian Francis Schaeffer once wrote:
in God’s sight there are no little people and no little places. Only one thing is important: to be consecrated persons in God’s place for us, at each moment. No Little People
This should be very heartening because, like me, in the grand scheme of things you will probably find yourself serving the Lord as one of the little people. There: I said it. I hope this wounding truth won’t drive you away. It’s not my intention to discourage or disparage you but, rather, to remind you that if you know who you are in Jesus and are consecrated or set apart to God and for His purposes, your little efforts may play a disproportionately large part in His plans.… Read the rest
The ministerial work must be carried on purely for God and the salvation of souls… They who engage in this as a common work, to make a trade of it for their worldly livelihood, will find that they have chosen a bad trade, though a good employment. Self-denial is of absolute necessity in every Christian, but it is doubly necessary in a minister, as without it he cannot do God an hour’s faithful service. Hard studies, much knowledge, and excellent preaching, if the ends be not right is but more glorious hypocritical sinning. Reverend Richard Baxter1
I’ve been blogging off and on for years, finally arriving at this moment when I can put proverbial pen to paper, in order to recount, report and reflect upon over 30 years of formal ministry as the director of two apologetic groups, Ex-Mormons for Jesus and Jude 23, as well as serving in the role of an elder (pastor or overseer) and church planter for most of that time.… Read the rest
Help My Unbelief
I know the Lord is nigh
and would but cannot pray
For Satan meets me when I try
And frights my soul away
And frights my soul away
I would but cannot sing,
guilt has untuned my voice
My sin, just like the serpent’s sting
Has poisoned all my joys
Has poisoned all my joys
Chorus
Help my unbelief
My help must come from Thee
I would but cannot love,
though wooed by love divine
No arguments have power to move
A soul as base as mine
A soul as base as mine
I would but cannot rest
in God’s most holy will
I know what He appoints is best
And murmur at it still
I murmur at it still
Chorus
I would but can’t repent,
though I endeavor oft
This stony heart can ne’er relent
Til Jesus makes it soft
Til Jesus makes it soft
Wilt Thou not crown at length
the work Thou hast begun?… Read the rest