The Compromised Church is very attractive to the world. Why not, after all, it’s worldly. It has no requirements of repentance or denying of self or dying to self. Instead people go to these “mega-churches” to be entertained for a couple of hours and told that they are fine and are on their way to... Continue Reading

We should be very careful in how we parse issues of guilt, repentance, and reconciliation. We sympathize with Christians and Christian leaders who are passionate to see the church in the vanguard of demonstrating racial unity, care for the vulnerable, and a desire for just laws. But we must always allow our theology to be... Continue Reading

The book of Ecclesiastes shows us there are no pat answers in matters pertaining to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He does whatever he pleases, which often will look to us like “time and chance” (Eccl 9:11). But his word never fails, his promises are sure, and his commandments are not... Continue Reading

In other words, the ancient Near Eastern mythical concept of semi-divine dragon-like creatures may reflect the nations’ faint memory of that primeval serpent-like creature in Eden. The fact that the angelic guardian-creatures called “cherubim” (כרובים) were also present in the Garden of Eden (Gen 3:24; Ezek 28:12–16)29 lends further support to the view that the “primeval serpent”... Continue Reading

Missionaries would be wise to keep an eye out for the presence and importance of threshold rituals among our focus people groups. Some of them, like those of my Melanesian teacher, will be so serious as to warrant repudiation as an expression of true faith. Others, like those in my Central Asian context, are not... Continue Reading

Christians today can be joyfully content in the Lord in the midst of food shortages, persecution, relational and church conflict, protests, unemployment, illness, death and everything else under the sun because Christians do not find life and purpose in those things. Life cannot be found in those things, because life cannot be found in created... Continue Reading

We might pursue holiness out of logical life planning. Reading God’s Word, we might see the sheer utility in God’s commands and wisdom. Obeying God, while difficult, often leads to simply a more successful life. But at some point, the cost of obedience will outweigh its usefulness. None of these are bad. But neither are they... Continue Reading

How many times have we had an impulse to deny ourselves — put down the drink, give away the bonus, go talk to that neighbor, confess the embarrassing sin — only to have some part of us, like Peter, begin to question our good resolves? “Now, now, there’s a more comfortable way to glory, isn’t... Continue Reading

In a season like this, we are all tempted to turn inward. That’s natural enough – we need to take care of ourselves, we are all by ourselves, and we all have our own opinions. But for the Christian, our focus should be different. Our eyes should be fixed on a different place. And ironically,... Continue Reading

Nothing happens in your life that God doesn’t already know. Tomorrow’s news headline might be a surprise to you, but even now, God is already aware of it and working in many mysterious ways to prepare you for what will come. This doesn’t make these events less shocking when they occur, but it does give... Continue Reading