At the same time I do believe there are things church members can do to support their pastor. It won’t mean a pastor won’t struggle. Pastors are imperfect humans. Just like if a pastor does everything he can it does not mean church members won’t struggle. But together I think pastors and church members can... Continue Reading

Holland writes that he had a Christian upbringing and attended Sunday school, but eventually turned his back on Christianity, preferring to explore his fascination with dinosaurs and ancient empires. He was drawn into what he saw as the glamour of the Greek and Roman gods, preferring their ideology of egoism to biblical values. “If they... Continue Reading

I struggle with depression, and in those moments when my mind and my emotions tell me lies and leave me feeling isolated and hopeless, I cling to those around me who help me change whatever narrative has me spinning. I surround myself with people on whom I can depend to come after me and pull... Continue Reading

“Because the Son’s sinless, voluntary, and sacrificial gift of himself to the Father has infinite worth it not only satisfies the offended honor of God but also wins a reward that is graciously lavished on us. In this way, Anselm’s theory of vicarious satisfaction of divine honor is compatible with the medieval scheme of merit... Continue Reading

Your pastor is a fallen human being just like you. A theological degree should not be confused with sinlessness or perfect faith. Your pastor needs someone to talk to, someone with whom to be honest, someone who is going to have his back and the backs of his family members. There are few pastors who... Continue Reading

Among the many responses it got was a frequent call for a follow-up article in which I could talk about some things that I’ve found helpful in my battle with anxiety and depression. Well, good news. Seven years of dealing with these disorders—coupled with an incorrigible tendency to analyze and over think everything—have yielded a... Continue Reading

I woke the next morning and everything had changed. There was a sudden clarity and brightness to familiar faces and objects; they were alive with meaning and with my own delight in them. I called this experience “the joy of my joy,” and it came to me again whenever I prayed. Naturally I began to... Continue Reading

And so the Republican party asks, “Why shouldn’t we do what we want with our money and do all we can to maintain our nation’s power?” And so the Democratic party asks, “Why shouldn’t we fulfill every desire that is in our hearts?” Embedded in both is the same question: Why should we deny ourselves... Continue Reading

Because he is the “authority” in the local church, the one who is called to bear the burdens of others, the one who is supposed to have all of the answers, the super-Christian who never does anything particularly egregious, your pastor is less likely to share with anyone else the doubts, fears, shameful thoughts and... Continue Reading

This is how Scripture can declare all believers to be saints in the here and now. What is true of Jesus is true of all those unite to Him by faith. When believers come to understand that their sainthood is founded on the sufficiency of the work of Jesus Christ, they learn that the ups... Continue Reading