In response to criticism—and despite a public apology for his actions—the Birmingham Board of Education voted June 9 to no longer allow the church to hold services at two local high schools. The day before, the Housing Authority of the Birmingham District (HABD) voted to no longer let church volunteers and clinic workers from the... Continue Reading

Christian profit has little to do with what I want, what I want to encounter, and what I have done. We are not called to measure our profits by liberty, ease, or achievement. Rather, our profits are found when we lose them for Christ.   In the business world, it goes without saying, profits are... Continue Reading

In the secret of your heart, how does Jesus stand up to your other loves? Does every other good, every other talent, every other relationship bow before him? Or does he often get lost in the weeds of other pleasures?   Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed,... Continue Reading

If you are like we were, we desperately needed friends to hold us, weep with us, allow us to verbalize our pain and questions with no expectation of a good answer. The Bible calls this lament, and there is a place for that. In the midst of the valleys, we often need the Psalms. Romans 8:28 is... Continue Reading

In the prophecy of Zechariah, God talks about pouring out a spirit of grace and supplication. That suggests that God gives freely the help needed to pray. When Jesus taught on prayer in Luke 11, He says our Heavenly Father will not refuse to give us the Holy Spirit if we ask Him. That’s great... Continue Reading

The unpardonable sin is not an accidental failing, nor a misguided moment of irreverence, nor is it even willfully committing a sin when you know you shouldn’t. For those who look to Christ for their only hope of salvation, all sins are forgiven.   In Matthew 12:22–31, after Jesus had just cast a demon out... Continue Reading

Nobody wants to be a Pharisee, yet our flesh seems naturally bent in that direction. The good news of the gospel seems too easy for our works-based, achievement-driven hearts. We know Christ achieved it all, but we still want to contribute. Even while we proclaim the gospel of grace, we fight the intense pull toward... Continue Reading

The conscience can be a tricky guide.  It is possible for example to think you have a clear conscience, when in fact you are objectively guilty and should “feel” guilty.  On the other hand, a sensitive conscience can paralyze a believer, condemning them and preventing them from moving forward from their sin.  The believer must... Continue Reading

“Nigeria has fully become a killing field of defenseless Christians,” the Anambra-based nongovernmental organization International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) said this week in a new special report, titled “Nigeria: A Killing Field Of Defenseless Christians.”    A Nigerian civil society organization claims that no fewer than 350 Christians have been... Continue Reading

Since we can no longer reason, anyone who believes in truth and threatens the dogma of relativism will be bullied. Might makes right is the only logical outcome in a culture that denies reality.   We are a people clamoring to be heard. Everyone seems to have a grievance they want to air, and it... Continue Reading