Dec 13, 2019 | Theology
Eight years ago or so I got on my knees, feeling like the miserable Christian I thought I was, and committed to God that I would read the Bible and pray every day. Whatever I could or couldn’t do, I knew I could at least do that. I had been a Christian for 30 plus years, and a seminary graduate, so I knew what I believed and why I believed it, but the reality of those beliefs wasn’t impacting my life in the profound way it should if this whole thing is actually true. Our Sovereign, Creator, Savior God is of course working in us through every up and down of our lives, and this was definitely a down period. In January of 2012 my wife and I were becoming members of the church we were attending, and we were asked to write a testimony. I quote from the last two paragraphs to better make the point of this post: (more…)
Jul 24, 2019 | Theology
Those of you who are parents know those moments Madison Avenue has coined as “priceless.” I had one the other night that thrilled my soul when my son said something to the effect, “I’m so glad that God is my salvation.” The subtitled of my book gets at why this was so thrilling for me: “God’s Provision for Building an Enduring Faith in Your Children.” It’s very easy for Christians, saved fallen sinners that we are, to think our salvation is up to us: if we just do the right things, make the right decisions, live the right way, then God will be a little more pleased with us than he otherwise would be. The focus tends inward, subjective, on us, something I’ve taught our kids all their lives is not the Christianity we embrace.
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Jul 16, 2019 | Culture, Theology
God saves sinners. That thought keep ringing in my brain as we recently watched a new documentary about the Brian Welch, the lead guitarist of a heavy metal band called Korn. Loud Krazy Love, is not for the faint of heart (or children), or those sensitive to F-bombs. It portrays the world of heavy metal, after all, so it’s expected. Here’s a description from one review:
Billboard described “Loud Krazy Love” as “part rock doc, part faith testimonial, part family drama.” It’s a fearless coming-of-age story that grapples with faith, teen depression, the quest for identity and the hope of a father willing to do anything for the one he loves. The film explores the relationship between the Welches and how Jennea saved Brian’s life, as he walked away from a $23 million record deal and overcame a crippling addiction to drugs to focus on becoming a good father.
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Jul 13, 2019 | Parents and Family, Theology
At my other blog I’m writing my way through the Bible, one of the best things I’ve ever done, and something I highly recomend for anyone who loves Scripture and likes to write. The last couple mornings I’ve been focused on this passage in Acts, and I make the case that all Jewish Christians, which would have been all the first Christians, would have baptized their children. I think I make a pretty good case. If you’re open or curious, here it is:
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Jul 4, 2019 | Theology
Since everyone else it seems has commented on the unfortunate and untimely death of Ms. Evans, I figured I would as well because there are important lessons to be learned from her short time on this earth. In case you are not familiar with Evans, she was an author, blogger, and provocateur who embraced something called progressive Christianity. This version of the faith is nothing new, having been invented, if you will, in the early 20th century amid the fundamentalist-modernist controversies. Those conflicts gave us “liberal Christianity,” the forerunner of the progressive Christianity of today. (more…)
Jun 22, 2019 | Theology
All Evangelical Christians know what the gospel is, right? It’s the good news (in Greek) that Jesus died for our sins. Unfortunately, most Christians see the gospel as the means of becoming a Christian, and then it’s on to other things, like learning how to become a better Christian. The problem with this mindset is not only that it’s untrue, but that it turns Christianity into moralism, more law than gospel. The former is the means by which sinners think they can gain approval and acceptance before God, and at the same time proves we can’t. Law shows us the need for gospel! But unfortunately we too often confuse the two, and turn law into gospel, and gospel into law. That’s like confusing the Titanic with a rowboat!
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