When you read Deuteronomy 33:27 — “The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms” — you find a solid foundation for security. Our identity in him takes away the shame that society, with its competitive ethos, inflicts upon us. For “those who look to him [daily] are radiant, and their... Continue Reading

Looking and sounding like the world mutes the true spiritual difference between the world and the Christian message. The entire progressive project is an attempt to create an ethos within the church to address the problem of church attendance as if that was the first concern of the church. Now the music, the message, the... Continue Reading

The UMC now joins the Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church USA, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the United Church of Christ as being among those to ordain gay clergy. Christ has removed his lamp stand from these churches (Revelation 2:5), and the Holy Spirit is not there. Interestingly enough, the liberal African Methodist... Continue Reading

Instead of having time to become bored, as it were, with resting and naturally begetting excitement for an upcoming event, we instead have no time amid the general rush to keep up with commercial demands. We find ourselves constantly too busy—not only for meaningful connection with other humans, but for celebrating holidays, living seasonally, and... Continue Reading

 Humankind needs desperately to find this deeper meaning of Christmas which transforms people’s hearts and consequently their whole lives and relationships. This is the eternal mystery of Christmas, its great power and light, its everlasting gospel of love, unity and purity, its infinite joy and gladness. We must discover what it means that the kingdom... Continue Reading

If you claim to follow Christ, your interactions—whether in person or behind a screen—are not neutral. Every word you type reflects either the flesh or the Spirit. Anonymity may shield you from others, but it doesn’t shield you from the Lord who purchased you with His blood. He calls you to holiness, even in how... Continue Reading

Whether we are consciously aware of it or not, we are all on a search for “the good life.” We are all after that person, place, or thing that will make us satisfied, someone or something that will give us meaning in this world. And since that’s what we’re all looking for, that’s what everyone... Continue Reading

The message seems clear: the national leadership can communicate as it wishes, while the rest of us should practice restraint. For commissioners who care deeply about the EPC’s future, this feels less like a call to unity and more like an attempt to avoid dealing with the real issues. It is an approach that risks... Continue Reading

I discovered that I had some gifting in public ministry. This was confirmed by the people whom I served. Theologians refer to this dynamic as the “external” call, that is, the confirmation by others that this might be what the Lord has in store. Of course, the consummation of the external call is the confirmation... Continue Reading

There are many different kinds of gifts that God gives His people (see, for example, 1 Cor. 12:8-10, 28-30; Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Pet. 4:11). We should help one another recognize our gifts and encourage one another to use them for the edification of the church. Our gifts are “for building up the body of Christ”... Continue Reading