Aim Your Boy at Manhood
To help prepare our boys for manhood, we can communicate the calling, instruct him for it, and lean on the help of others.
Even though the specific applications will look different for other families, I advise fellow parents to consider intentionally cultivating mature manhood in their boys through a clear aim, persevering and patient preparation, and a definitive declaration and commencement. If we continue without clear direction, our boys may grow up confused and unprepared for manhood, leaving... Continue Reading
“The Karate Kid” & the Merits of Authority-Based Discipleship
It is precisely the virtue of submission and obedience that is essential for the student’s growth.
Obedience and authority may seem like old-fashioned ideals. The positive virtue of “obedience” has been substituted for the negative term “subservience,” and the positive virtue of “authority” has been substituted for “authoritarianism.” Even those who value obedience struggle to articulate what true obedience and just authority might look like. We may grant that Mr. Miyagi... Continue Reading
Finnish Bishop Elect Charged Over Historic Christian Teachings On Human Sexuality
Rev. Juhana Pohjola, Diocesan Dean and Bishop Elect of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland has been charged by Finland’s Prosecutor General with incitement against homosexuals.
At the same time, he continued, “this does not remove the fact that, according to the Bible and the Christian conception of man, homosexual relations are against the will of God, and marriage is intended only between a man and a woman. This is what the Christian church has always taught and will always teach.”... Continue Reading
Deconstructing Doubt in the Church
While it might seem like your world is being shaken, perhaps even like you’re experiencing a kind of death, we are convinced a more robust, settled faith can exist on the other side.
Christianity—to be more specific, Jesus—can help, whatever your questions. Whatever your struggle, it gets better with more—not less—Christianity. It might be tempting to leave the church in order to find the answers. But we want you to reconsider the church as the best place to deal with your doubts and deconstruction. Deconstructing, however jarring and... Continue Reading
The Work of Ministry
Corporate worship is formational, but it is not individualistic formation, it is corporate formation.
Just as an eye needs a hand and a foot needs a leg, so each of us need each other, with our unique and diverse giftedness, in order to grow in our relationship with God. This is true for our Christian lives in general, but it is particularly true for the corporate gatherings of the... Continue Reading
Deconstruct Your Culture, Not Your Faith
Learning to disenculturate the gospel from evangelicalism has not only saved my faith. It’s helped me love the gospel more.
Disenculturation is the process used by missionaries to differentiate the gospel from culture. Having moved from one culture to another, missionaries can see that the gospel is like a kernel protected by an outer husk (culture). Their job is to ensure that the gospel kernel is free to enter new cultures without being captive to... Continue Reading
The Explosion of the Protestant Reformation
We need men who are willing to do far more than tell the story of Wycliffe, Hus, Luther, and Tyndale. We need men who will stand with them.
As we trace the Reformation from Germany through England—we must note that something explosive happened in Worms in 1521 when Luther took his bold stand at the Diet of Worms. It resulted in a German Bible which influenced Tyndale to translate an English Bible. Without those two Bibles, we would still be in the darkness... Continue Reading
How Much Should a Pastor or Elder Tell His Wife?
After years of mistakes, I now think through three questions before sharing any information about issues or people in the church with my wife.
Dear pastor or elder, your congregants need to know that you don’t share everything with your wife. Trust can quickly disappear otherwise; and, your wives need to be protected from carrying unnecessary burdens. We are shepherds of the church–and of our spouses. Let us be wise in fulfilling our callings and responsibilities. Ask yourself a... Continue Reading
Four Defining Moments for Young Marriages
God often uses marriage to draw out our remaining sin, and that’s good.”
A defining moment — that “first link on a memorable day” — can set the direction of a marriage for years to come. How newlyweds respond to these moments determines whether they stumble along separately or move forward together. Young couples, mark these four moments as divine opportunities, and allow the good news of the Father’s love for... Continue Reading
Don’t Underestimate the Value of Rest
Find ways to recharge in the presence of God for the health of your soul.
Like training for a marathon, rest from ministry will produce great results. It will keep you from burning out or getting injured. You need rest, perhaps especially when you’re feeling strong. I’ve been working my way through a half marathon training plan for a race in May. The plan has me running a few... Continue Reading
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