Sometimes the right thing to do is to let a person go if need be. Some of them it seems will not be reachable. For others we seek to still reach out to them. Christ reached out to everyone, even his enemies. We are called to do the same. And some of these folks who... Continue Reading

We are raising people created in the image of God. When we keep that in mind, then we come to see activities in a new light. We come to see that all those things they’re doing are not the center of who they are; they only serve to support who they are. And if that’s the case,... Continue Reading

One year on from the outbreak of the pandemic, we would do well to recognize the tragedy of the 2.7 million lives lost and the many families grieving the loss of a loved one. At the same time, we should maintain some sense of perspective. We live in a world where 3.1 million children die... Continue Reading

Before the night of Jesus’ betrayal, Peter warmed himself at that courtyard fire (Mark 14:54), he had not armed himself. And he fell apart. Christ restored him, however, and despite those shameful moments, Peter armed himself thereafter with Christ’s way of thinking. As exiles in this world, our life, in God’s providence, is made up... Continue Reading

Do you realize that the church witnesses to the world simply by withdrawing from it each Lord’s Day and gathering together in worship? God calls the Sabbath Day a sign in the Scriptures, for it sanctifies or sets apart God’s people from the world (Ex. 31:12-13). Indeed, the Lord’s Day is a reminder to the... Continue Reading

It is considered virtuous to feel no pangs of conscience as we watch other people disrobe and do their utmost to convince us they are having sex. It is considered legalistic to suggest that perhaps this is unfitting fare for Christians and inconsistent with Scripture. It is considered absurd that perhaps, just perhaps, this is... Continue Reading

How then does a church maintain unity in these kinds of situations? At the expense of oversimplifying, the answer is to love. Seriously. Think about the Corinthian church, arguably the most dis-unified, tribalized church known to the Apostles. How does Paul address them? What imperatives does he apply out of the Gospel message? “Pursue love”... Continue Reading

I still believe that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit and a determination to resist the siren songs of the partisan slogans on both sides of a culture war divide, Christian unity can be maintained even among those with sharp partisan differences… The Stone-Campbellites failed to look beyond the partisanship a century and a... Continue Reading

In an addendum released shortly before the author’s death in 1963 – Screwtape Proposes a Toast – Lewis pivots from dispensing universal wisdom to directly criticizing social trends of his day, trends which have gone from mere whispers on college campuses 60 years ago to become orthodoxy with the power of law today. Reading it today, it... Continue Reading

Just imagine the Devil had a playbook – that he had written down all his tactics and strategies for tempting Christians. And imagine you had the chance to get hold of it. Wouldn’t that be very useful? What an edge that would give you over the Enemy of your soul! Instead of being blindsided by... Continue Reading