“Citing Marshall McLuhan and Neil Postman, Hipps said that you can’t have people come and watch a screen without expecting that the core message will be framed in terms of the screen: namely, entertainment. As one football coach said in defending his highly confrontational style, “You can’t coach in soprano and hope your team will... Continue Reading

“Judgmental Jesus” sounds harsh. But what draws me and others to Christianity is not a fluffy self-help Christ. The character of Jesus and his disciples display courage, boldness, honesty, grace and mercy in the face of intimidation, even death. Because if the testament of the Gospel is not a motivator for speaking truth in love,... Continue Reading

“Questions can certainly be loaded and problematic (as in ‘When did you stop beating your wife?’) but it is very difficult for them to be slanderous or to break the Ninth Commandment.  Slander and lies involve false assertions.  To state the obvious, questions are not assertions.”   I do not usually respond to criticism but... Continue Reading

“I’m not saying that every person who makes a big deal about a particular doctrine or conviction is blowing smoke. But I am saying that many who do so are creating a smokescreen to hide their sin. Whether you’re a pastor or not, keep this in mind. Be observant. Don’t be fooled by the smoke.... Continue Reading

“In a word, what the disciples experienced on the Sea of Galilee that night was the holiness of Christ. They liked His power when they were in trouble, so they were quick to wake Him when the boat seemed endangered. But when He showed them His power, they said: “This is not common power. This... Continue Reading

“This method has gained popularity in recent years, first in private devotions and increasing in sermon preparation. “And even where it is not practiced by name, it is remarkably similar to the way a lot of young preachers are taught to prepare. They are told to read the Bible devotionally, quietly, waiting upon the Holy... Continue Reading

The Gospels reveal a Savior who was the superior social justice advocate. It is without dispute that Jesus conducted works to alleviate health concerns (Matt. 8:1-17), shined the light on religious injustice (Mark 3:1-6), fed the hungry (John 6:1-14) and extended grace beyond ethnic barriers (Matt. 15:21-28). In all these acts of human relief, Jesus’... Continue Reading

What is amazing is that Vines and Evans have little formal theological education and yet have widespread popularity, especially among Millennial evangelicals. As one of my friends pointed out to me, Evans in particular is the perfect writer for this low-attention-span generation which eschews dense reading and complex arguments. Young evangelicals have been raised in... Continue Reading

Lawmakers in Florida recognized what civil rights groups have urged all along — that our courts and judges are competent to apply foreign law within the limits of American public policy and constitutional values. Given our ever increasing transnational world where Americans routinely establish business family relationships abroad, this rule of public policy allows our... Continue Reading

“If there is one central area of confusion surrounding progressive sanctification, I think it has to do with the role of exertion in the Christian life. Is there any place for God-infused effort as we “grow in grace” (2 Pet. 3:18)? When we meet people whose hands and feet cause them to sin, can we... Continue Reading