“Every addict tells four kinds of lies: lies about God, lies about themselves, lies about the sin, and lies about others. The only way to deliver addicts is to rip out these lies and replace them with truth.”   It doesn’t matter what kind of addiction it is—drink, drugs, food, gambling, porn, spending, tanning, people-pleasing,... Continue Reading

“Dads, be tender with your kids. Yes, discipline them. Set boundaries and rules and set up consequences and stick to them.  Care enough to hold them to high standards. My dad did all of these things. But, don’t lose your tenderness toward your silly, awkward, messed up, mixed up, attitude-ridden kids.”   It was well... Continue Reading

When we say that so much of the Christian life and pastoral ministry is in the recovery, we are not intimating that it’s all up to us or “we just have to try harder” and “just try to do better.” What we are saying is that what we do after we fail or falter is... Continue Reading

“Yes, there is value in large groups. I love big and megachurches for what they add to the body of Christ. But there is something wonderful to be gained in a church youth group where the youth pastor knows every kid by name, school and family situation.”   I’m taking my family to a bigger... Continue Reading

“If Christ’s atonement is unlimited, then He universally dies to save every human being. So is my salvation fully accomplished by Christ? Not completely, since I can still suffer the judgement of condemnation for my sins in unbelief. Christ’s offer of salvation becomes provisional, depending on my response.”   All too often, when the doctrine... Continue Reading

“57% of young adults admit to seeking out porn at least once per month. 46% of men admit to the same. Meanwhile, 49% of young adults say that most or all of their friends use porn on a regular basis. Significance: Porn use is rampant across most age categories, but is particularly pronounced among young... Continue Reading

“I’ve been moved to tears reading other books, but this book actually reads me, wrecks me, and rebuilds me. What’s more, I’ve seen and experienced this same thing with other people. This change is not limited to gender, ethnicity, geography, or even time. This book claims to change lives, and it actually does.”   As... Continue Reading

“We cannot overwork our bodies and minds, for example, and expect to thrive in our spirituality and our relationships. Neither can we expect to neglect the soul and remain balanced and healthy in other parts of our lives. Remember, nearly 50% of respondents said that more consistent use of the spiritual disciplines would have prevented... Continue Reading

“By defeating Satan through his death and resurrection, Jesus reframes our ethics by showing that our primary moral adversary has no lasting authority or power on those who are in Christ. By conquering sin, he reshapes our ethics by demonstrating that all this world can boast is nothing compared to the glory of faithfully obeying... Continue Reading

“For preachers, Berger’s observations are tremendously important. We, above all others, need to realize the culture no longer shares our worldview and the very language we use may mean something entirely different in the ears of our listeners. The meaning of words like morality, personhood, marriage, or virtually any other moral term has radically shifted.”... Continue Reading