A friend’s grandmother just died. Another friend just lost custody of their child. Another lost their job. Another’s son won’t speak to them, and they’ve yet to meet their grandchildren as a result. The brokenness of our world is heavy. This list could go on and on, these are simply some of the most recent […]
Jesus is not a crutch
I will sometimes hear people say that Jesus is just a crutch for needy people. They don’t need Jesus because they are strong and have their head on straight. Faith is just what some people need to get through life, something hopeful to believe in to make life worth living. It’s helpful for the poor […]
No Plastic Christians
There are days when I feel very inept to be a pastor. I’ve said something stupid to someone and now they have an opinion of me that is true based on my mistaken comment, but not true of who I really am. I fear upsetting people with leadership decisions to be made. I have upset […]
Facebook, Christians, and Political Views
To my Christian friends on Facebook…please realize that everything you do is meant to be a light for Jesus. Please realize that you have friends on Facebook who are not Christians (or at least you’d better). Please realize that there are many many many non-Christians out there who are hostile to Christ because they associate […]
God’s victory is, and has always been, counter intuitive
God sees all things from all time at one time. He sees the end, what everything is pointing toward. We only see what is right in front of us. Jesus hangs on a cross. On the surface: a colossal failure. In reality: The ultimate victory over sin and evil, the victory that allows us an […]
Getting off the hamster wheel of accomplishment
The gospel frees us from this pressure to perform, this slavish demand to “become.” The gospel liberatingly declares that in Christ “we already are.” If you’re a Christian, here’s the good news: who you really are has nothing to do with you—how much you can accomplish, who you can become, your behavior (good or bad), […]