Pursuing a holistic expression of Christian faith that is true to the Bible and applicable for today’s world.
A Personal Essay About Encountering God, Prayer, and Hiding in a Prayer Tower The afternoon assignment at a writers retreat is to take a walk and describe our observations. Leaving the rest of the group in search of some needed solitude, I come upon a sign that simply says, “Prayer Tower.” I can’t ignore the […]
We Have Many Tools Available to Explore the Word of God I love to study the Bible. I often talk about reading and exploring scripture. This may conjure up an image of me sitting in a chair with an open copy of the Word of God in my hands. While this is an apt understanding, […]
Many People Struggle to Ascertain God’s Will for Them, but the Bible Already Gives the Answers In our post about discovering the will of God, we noted three things he wants us to do: rejoice always, pray continuously, and give thanks in all situations. But that’s not all. The Bible also gives us other passages […]
We Have the Right to Choose, but God Already Knows Our Decision Some people insist that God gave us free will to make our own decisions, that we hold our future in our hands. Others claim our future has already been set, that God charts our course, with the outcome predestined. Which is it? Both. […]
The Bible Contains Epic Stories, Profound Poetry, and a Compelling Narrative In my continuing series of why I love the Bible, here’s reason number 10. The Bible is classic literature, that transcends the ages. The Bible has withstood the onslaught of time and the attacks of its detractors, who have sought to destroy its existence. […]
Dividing the Church by Forming Denominations Isn’t Biblical, and It’s Time to Move Past It Jesus prayed for our unity, that we would be one—just as he and his father are one. He yearned that his followers would get along and live in harmony. Dividing into religious sects wasn’t his plan. Yet that’s exactly what […]
Regardless of our behavior, God’s love for us is unconditional When we do something nice for someone, we often expect something nice in return. And when they do something kind for us, we desire to reciprocate. It’s human nature. And if someone is mean to us, our first impulse is to respond to them likewise. […]
It doesn’t matter which version of the Bible you read, as long as you read it People often ask me, “Which version of the Bible should I use?” My answer is quick. They should select a version of the Bible that they will actually read. An unopened Bible means nothing. In my decades of reading […]
Though We Cite Scripture When We Take Communion, We Don’t Do it in a Biblical Way Most Christian churches celebrate communion in some form in their worship practices. Though they do this in different ways and with varied frequencies, the central process is similar. As a basis for their practice of communion—also called The Lord’s […]
In matters of faith, it’s not what we believe, it’s what we do One of the promises during the modern era was that through the Age of Enlightenment (Age of Reason) we could pursue truth and it would eventually converge on a single understanding of reality. This didn’t happen. Instead of converging to reach consensus, […]