Life as Tragedy: Farther Along
Death is a harsh reality – oft denied, oftener still pushed down in our consciousness
Christianity is not for those in denial about life and sin, frustration and death, tragedy and grief. It is a realistic and substantial religion. By its realism and sustantiveness Christianity is the most help to us. In life we puzzle. At death we grieve. Till Christ comes. Only then will tragedy become triumph and death... Continue Reading
Theology in a Reese’s Cup
Vital lessons about life from a Reese’s Cup
I knew something was wrong. What was it? Well, the real problem is inflation. Inflation is a result of the civil government “printing dollars” without limitation. This causes the value of the dollar to drop continuously, and the price of everything to go up continuously. It takes more to buy less. It happens over time... Continue Reading
Christian Doctor Killed In Afghan Attack
A pediatrician from Chicago, others, gunned down by a policeman in Kabul
For years, Umanos and his wife Jan, along with their children, lived in the Lawndale community of Chicago, an area battered by 1968 riots that never came back economically. Lawndale Community Church launched a community development corporation that spurred urban renewal with housing, vocational training, and the Lawndale Christian Health Center, a clinic where Umanos... Continue Reading
Are We Expecting Too Much or Too Little From the Church?
“What are you looking for in a church?” “What were you unhappy about in this church?”
The church’s role is really quite simple: to make and train disciples. If we do this then we will create a culture where friendships grow out of the gospel rather than in spite of it. Other programs will see their rightful place in the life of the Christian. As Christians we should all work together... Continue Reading
Concern For The Prodigal Son
When the Parable of the Prodigal Son is used to eviscerate the essence of the gospel
Beginning with an effort to read into it all the Gospel, or at least the essence of the Gospel, it has ended by reading out of the Gospel all that is not in the parable. And thus this parable, the vehicle of a priceless message, has been transformed into the instrument of a great wrong.... Continue Reading
Seven Things I Believe Jesus Would Say to the LGBT Community
When you give God your heart, he will comb the kinks out of your life in due time
The Bible affirms the importance of human relationship and provides wise guidance on how to we can be healthy and happy people here and in eternity. God as our creator made us as we are, knows what is best for us under all circumstances, and made the guidelines clear in his Word. He also knows... Continue Reading
Small Private Colleges Are in Deep Trouble (as They Should Be)
These are agonizing times for small, private colleges. Enrollment is falling. Debts are rising. Tuition is high as it can go.
What we’re witnessing right now, then, is a small brush fire, clearing out some of the unhealthier institutions in higher ed. It will be wrenching for the schools and the people who work for them. But hopefully, it will also inspire some better ways of doing business. These are agonizing times for small, private... Continue Reading
Renewed Barrage of Overtures Targets Israel for PCUSA Rebuke
The campaign to bring the church’s condemnation upon Israel will be back at this year’s Presbyterian Church (USA) General Assembly
There are seven overtures and two agency recommendations coming to the Detroit assembly that all seek to convey criticism of Israel’s human rights record, by harsh words or by BDS economic pressure. On the other side, there is only one overture casting doubt upon this confrontational strategy. Regarding the rest of the world, there are... Continue Reading
How I Almost Became a False Teacher
What does a false teacher in the church look like?
I found less careful writers on this subject who made absurd assertions about biblical passages. They did so in peer-reviewed journals without actually explaining how they came to their conclusions. Disability was being used as a weapon against God’s word. And there was a certain attraction to it. I was on the verge of swallowing... Continue Reading
Youth-Driven Culture
We all need a church of young and old—and in between—that proclaims and lives the gospel.
Youth culture today faces a great deal of anxiety. On nearly every level, an uncertain future waits on the horizon. But these anxieties are only the symptoms of the real problem, shadows of the anxiety humanity faces because of alienation. Our sin separates us from God. And we need someone to believe in. None of... Continue Reading