Can you imagine a pastor/teacher that doesn’t have any good things to say-ever? Of course not! They wouldn’t last five minutes. Having some good things to say does not qualify anyone for ministry. So, this problem is twofold: first, there are unqualified “ministers” who really think they’re doing God’s work (but they’re not), and second,... Continue Reading

It is one thing to reason that God is with us when things are going well. It is another to conclude the very same thing when things are going badly. And yet, this is precisely what Moses does. Joseph “was there in prison,” but “the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and... Continue Reading

I belong to a religious tradition which forbids the Church from speaking officially to political matters, “except by way of humble petition in cases extraordinary.”  In that spirit, as a minister within this tradition, I have never spoken publicly about any ongoing political race.  However, I believe the current successful candidacy of Donald Trump for... Continue Reading

“If you could get any five pastors in a room, you might hear them say that one of their top frustrations is the seeming unwillingness for their people to engage the mission of God and share the good news of the gospel with those in their immediate context.”   A recent Lifeway research survey revealed... Continue Reading

Along with a loss of moral consensus, our culture is challenged to wrestle with complex moral dilemmas in a reasonable and clearheaded way. Instead, “we increasingly argue by shibboleth and anger, and if you try to argue a certain case regarding, let’s say, homosexual marriage, then you are easily and quickly dismissed as a bigot.”... Continue Reading

“You crossed swords with them a few years ago, maybe a doctrinal argument or the discipline of a family member. Those wounds have never healed and now they are just waiting for the right time to exact vengeance.”   Every pastor will eventually have to face enemies within the church, people who are dedicated to... Continue Reading

St Francis of Assisi famously said “Always preach the gospel, if necessary use words.” Well, it is always necessary to use words. People don’t think “What a nice Christian man doing nice Christian things” and get saved. They need content in order to believe. (Rom 10:14) …And how are they to hear without someone preaching?)... Continue Reading

As Berkhof explains, if we depart from the specific teachings of Scripture and begin to speculate about the nature of the Trinity, it is very easy to fall into error. If one denies the unified essence of being of the three Persons, it will inevitably lead to tritheism (the belief in three separate and distinct... Continue Reading

But just as we lack the ability to redeem ourselves, we also lack the ability to redeem the groaning creation. Paul uses the closest and most obvious example of creation’s redemption—our own bodies (v. 23). A quick glance in the bathroom mirror works as proof enough that our gravity-laden bodies await the final day of... Continue Reading

While recognizing his many admirable traits—compassion, courage, commitment, and integrity—we should be wary of many elements of his theology. He imbibed large doses of Continental philosophy, including Kant, Hegel, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, and Heidegger—that profoundly influenced his worldview. His theology reflected Barth’s neo-orthodox theology, which called Christians to get back to Scripture as the source for... Continue Reading