“If we preach the gospel without words through our behavior, what we end up doing is pointing to ourselves instead of Christ. We communicate a salvation by works. Words are necessary to qualify our behavior and point others to Christ.”   Children at my church made a “wordless” gospel bracelet as a project. It consisted... Continue Reading

“Well-intending church members often begin sentences with, “Pastor, we need to . . .” Those sentences are expectations members have on pastors and staff. The temptation for many of these leaders is to say “yes” to most of the requests. But saying “yes” to everything means you will do nothing well.”   Every day, pastors... Continue Reading

“The calling of being a coach, for some, has devolved into a self-centered, and winning-at-all-costs profession. The question must be asked: Is athletics about the coach and winning or is it about the privilege of investing in and building up young men and women, making a positive difference in their lives?”   Winning has commandeered the... Continue Reading

Notice how City Church’s rationale for accepting homosexuality marginalizes the authority of Scripture.  Consider the explanation by a City Church representative that the leadership studied the issue by “reading the gospel, books by evangelical theologians and social science research.”  What does “reading the gospel” mean?  It seems to mean drawing broad conclusions from Jesus’ graciousness... Continue Reading

It is tempting as moms to think that what we need to make our lives better is a quick solution — something tangible that we can implement tomorrow to make things run smoothly and comfortably. When the daily challenges of running a home and raising children overwhelm us, we think that what we need most... Continue Reading

Don’t be so legalistic, we say. But is faithfulness legalism? Legalism is fastidiously holding to the letter of the law in order to gain merit. Faithfulness is obedience–even when we don’t feel like it. I suppose from the outside they appear the same. At least they have the same results. A legalistic mama is pretty... Continue Reading

I know this post might induce a seizure in Tullian Tchividjian. He is famous for his commendable crusade to re-introduce a focus on what Christ has done for us, vis-à-vis the perceived preoccupation in church with what we need to do in sanctification. I’m not sure what circles he moves in, but the evangelical province... Continue Reading

I know it is not the perfect standard by which to judge, but I often find myself thinking it: If others speak of me the way I speak of them, I would be devastated. If I could hear what people say about me, and if they could hear what I say about them, I don’t... Continue Reading

They have a gentle spirit. We often forget that gentleness is part of the fruit of the Spirit. In this hypercritical social media world, aggression and negativity have become normative, even in our churches. These pastors, to the contrary, have a calm and gentleness that can only come from the Holy Spirit.   Determining the... Continue Reading

Think of all the good God uses our authorities to do for us. They make laws that protect our property and lives. Our military personnel risks their lives so we can enjoy peace and freedom. Things like speed limits, seat belts, sanitary restaurant regulations, requirements for hospitals, food labeling regulations – sometimes they seem like... Continue Reading