“The idolatry of the family can be a real problem, either from the church that ignores singles and gears everything toward married couples with children, or from the individual whose practical commitments underscore the unfortunate reality that blood is usually thicker than theology.”   “One of the acceptable idolatries among evangelical Christians is the idolatry... Continue Reading

“While we were out walking Archie and we watched him sniffing constantly I remembered reading some incredible facts about dogs’ noses, but they were so astonishing that I thought I must have got them wrong so I went to check. I had got them wrong—they were far more mind-bogglingly amazing than I had thought!”  ... Continue Reading

“We know how to have fun with our children, but do we know how to weep with them? If we only expose them to life’s joys, but not its trials, are we truly preparing them for a world that groans under the burden of sin (Rom. 8:20)?”   Should you take your child to a... Continue Reading

“To be historic it has to have special significance and special impact on life. So the Bible is the record of God’s historic works of redemption within the context of space and time. Take the Gospel and its message out of the context of history, and Christianity is destroyed altogether.”   “Once upon a time….”... Continue Reading

First, Paul prays that the love of the Philippians “may abound more and more.” Paul provides no specific object. He doesn’t say “that your love for God may abound more and more” or “that your love for one another may abound more and more.” I suspect he leaves the object open precisely because he wouldn’t... Continue Reading

“The best way to grasp the literary context of a passage is to read it yourself. Unlike historical context, where we mostly need to depend on experts, any ordinary person with a Bible can see the literary context. When studying a smaller passage of Scripture, it is a good practice to read the entire book... Continue Reading

“Why is this a dangerous question to ask? It’s because the question itself implies a level of authority for you or me that we simply don’t have. It supposes that you and I have the right to determine what a passage of Scripture means to us. And what it means to me might not be... Continue Reading

“Writing is enormously helped by living. And for pastors, well, we must prioritize our callings. You do not learn to be a pastor by immersing yourself in writing, you learn to write by immersing yourself in pastoring.”   “You probably won’t have much to say until you are forty.” The words passed easily enough over... Continue Reading

“Grace is the fuel in our tank that will never run out. Paul demonstrates to us that God’s grace not only saves us but sustains us. Grace is God’s presence and thus his provision for every circumstance, no matter how difficult or how sharp the thorn may be.”   While there are so many things... Continue Reading

“We all know churches (maybe our own church!) where the gap between membership and attendance is vast: a membership of 600 with an attendance of 150, or an impressive membership of 5,000 with 1,800 on most Sundays. This should not be.”   There are two numbers in the life of the church that are too... Continue Reading