Pithy phrases catch my attention. The Bible is the source of the wisest ones, of course, with the enduring advice of Proverbs. For example, “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.” A quote from the 1880s, which could have been spoken in 2013, shows us foolish thought is still... Continue Reading

At the recent national Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) conference in November 2012 in Milwaukee, WI, Douglas Moo spoke in the second plenary session on “Biblical Theology and Creation Care.” I appreciated Moo’s emphasis on all truth being God’s truth. I have possibly been too dismissive of Scientists in the past. I agree with Moo that... Continue Reading

“In evangelical circles, there is a lot of hand-wringing about how we can “fix what’s wrong” in Christendom. For what it’s worth, I don’t think the problem is a lack of manpower or zeal. Perhaps it’s just that so much of what we do is misdirected. We are perpetuating an evangelical funhouse, with mirrors to... Continue Reading

The cause of the unborn will triumph, ultimately, because Jesus is alive and justice will win. Until then, polls go up and polls go down. We advocate for life, whether “winning” or not, because life isn’t a government grant or an act of charity granted by the “choice” of another human being.   This week’s TIME magazine... Continue Reading

Change is needed because there are things in you, or in your ministry situation or relationships, that need to be uprooted or torn down, and if change is actually going to be change, there are new things that need to be planted or built in the place of what was uprooted and torn down.  ... Continue Reading

As Paul explained, our media diet will not only change the way we think, but the way we feel, speak, and act. Hardly surprising, is it? Just as the quality of the food that we put in our mouths affects our thinking, feeling, and doing, so the kinds of words, sounds, and images we put... Continue Reading

As long as there are people in rural communities not being reached by the gospel, we need to revitalize and plant healthy gospel-centered churches there. It takes gospel partnerships and some bold new thinking to do it well.   Do we really need more churches in rural America? When I first moved to the States... Continue Reading

With that said, though, within confessional bounds intellectuals should feel exhilarating freedom as they research, write, and teach. They are serving the Lord in their work just as Christians in all other honorable professions and callings do. They are not hampered by the Bible; they are set free by it.   But when the Pharisees... Continue Reading

It’s just so much easier (and more pleasant) to work out how other people should change than it is to unsettle our own hearts and lives. If you really want to listen to sermons in an apparently godly but non-growing way, pick one encouragement from the sermon which will make no difference to your life,... Continue Reading

“Marriage is, of its essence, a comprehensive union: a union of will (by consent) and body (by sexual union); inherently ordered to procreation and thus the broad sharing of family life; and calling for permanent and exclusive commitment, whatever the spouses’ preferences.” To summarize: Sex. Kids. Faithfulness.   What Is Marriage? Man and Woman: A... Continue Reading