Pursuing a holistic expression of Christian faith that is true to the Bible and applicable for today’s world.
The Myth of Self-Sufficiency The ideal in the United States is personal self-sufficiency. But this is a myth, an unattainable pursuit that will eventually leave us broken or alone—or both. John Donne understood this. He said “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent.” We need others; […]
I ran track throughout high school, earning four varsity letters in the sport. I relished the comradery and loved the competition. We won many more meets than we lost, which was a great bonus. As a sophomore, I ranked number five in points on my varsity team. My future as a track standout looked bright. […]
Be Careful What We Sing at Church The tempo was upbeat and the song was inviting. Though new to me, I picked it up quickly. On the third time through the chorus, I started really contemplating the words—and I stopped singing. Really, I did—right in midsentence. The words were wrong. Though it’s technically illegal for […]
Meeting in Jesus’s Name Jesus says that whenever a few people get together in his name, he will be there. Isn’t this what church is? Jesus shows up when we collectively meet and treat him as the main attraction; this is the church at its most basic and purest level. Though we typically think of […]
Identify What Is Important to You The 2007 movie Bucket List followed two terminally-ill men facing the end of their lives. They each listed things they wanted to do before they “kicked the bucket” (died), which they called their “bucket list.” Then they set out to do as many of those things as possible. This […]
Understand the Word of God In the letter Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus he tells them to put on spiritual armor. Included in his list of gear is only one offensive item: “the sword of the Spirit,” which he says is the word of God. Many people understand this as a reference to […]
Most people whose faith is more than in name only, have certain religious rituals as part of their spiritual practices. A common one is church attendance. Another may be giving money or tithing to the church. Participation in a Bible study, small group, or midweek meeting is a third practice many people pursue. Introspective spiritual […]
In this blog, I write a lot about the church. My comments are mostly critical. This isn’t because I hate the church. It’s because I love the church. Really I do. If I didn’t care, I wouldn’t bother to point out how church could be better. The church often falls short of what it could […]
Whenever I come across the word Pharisee in the Bible, my first thought is, I’m glad I’m not a Pharisee. Then I rush on to read the next verse. Pharisees comprised a sect of Judaism. A religious bunch, they received the bulk of Jesus’ criticism over their conceited behavior and self-righteous attitudes. Though Jesus accepted […]
Most people who go to church say they want their church to grow. However, they usually have an unstated assumption: they want the new people to be just like them. Although understandable, this is also wrong. Unfortunately, the only place to find more people like them is at another church. In essence, they want to […]