The Doctrine of Interposition teaches that lesser magistrates have the right and responsibility to interpose themselves to protect the citizens under their jurisdiction form the hegemony of higher magistrates. The most famous implementation of this doctrine was our patriot forefathers (lesser magistrates) who interposed themselves between the people of the colonies and the Parliament of... Continue Reading

“Through success and failure I have learned a bit about New Year’s resolutions and want to share a tip— a two-part tip. It’s a simple but important one: Resolve them prayerfully and plan them carefully. This, I think, is a key to successful resolutions.”   Tis the season to begin to consider those annual New Year’s... Continue Reading

“Liberals love to point out the fractiousness of the GOP, whose dramatic fissures have racked the House of Representatives and tormented party leaders. But as Matt Yglesias recently pointed out, Republican divisions are actually signs of an ideologically flexible big-tent party, while Democrats are in lockstep around an agenda whose popularity they too often fail... Continue Reading

Suicide is quite a different animal than other deaths. Not only is there no time to say goodbye, but the survivors are left with a million guilt and shame-ridden questions. “Why did I not see it coming?” “Could I have stopped him?” “Was it my fault she killed herself?”   Lilly’s eyes were as hollow... Continue Reading

“First, there’s what we’ll call the “youth group” approach. It’s not so much about the sermons, but more what happens in the small groups. Sometimes, when the discussion moves along, people will begin to talk about areas of “struggle.” One person shares, then another identifies with the same struggle, and pretty soon you have people chuckling over shared foibles and... Continue Reading

“Unlike some others, Middle East Christians have nowhere else to go. As a result of turmoil not of their making and beyond their control, these Christians are the region’s ultimate homeless. Should some sort of peace ever return, the likelihood is that maps will be redrawn, carving up the pie among larger ethnic groups. There... Continue Reading

“Pariahs, undesirables, the unlovely of the Jewish culture—all these gathered around Jesus. This disturbed the Pharisees and scribes, the dignitaries and clergy of the day. They had adopted a tradition that taught salvation by segregation: keep yourself away from anyone who is involved in sin; that is how you can secure your own redemption.”  ... Continue Reading

As we move into 2016, may God give us the grace to see that “the church comes first.” In turn this will be evidenced by the way in which we structure our lives. God has spoken to the corporate church rather than simply to individuals. The love of the members of the church is to... Continue Reading

It’s well-noted how often sexuality over-determines a woman’s reputation; a woman who maintains her purity is characterized as pure and honorable, while one who loses her virginity before marriage or sleeps with many people is deemed loose and immoral (or worse, “damaged goods”). Male sexuality doesn’t line up with this dichotomy as much, even in... Continue Reading

A person who speaks this way–whether he is in your circle of friends, in politics, or in the church–is not telling you the truth. He may use the language of “truth,” but he is manipulative, self-assured, and dishonest. He many not be the “smooth-talker” that we generally associate with falsehood, but he is speaking falsehood... Continue Reading