I credit many people as being positive personal influences in my life. Some are long-time influences, while others are short-lived. Likewise, there were many events and happenstance that I pinpoint as personal influences of both me and my entire generation. Take a...
The inquiry into why we sin has to be one of the most asked questions of all time. And that is probably true of both believers and non-believers. Though the latter may not ask specifically why we sin, they probably wonder why we do bad things. Jonathan Edwards...
There often seems to be a lacking of personal accountability in our world. In fact, it seems like personal accountability is a dying skill, much like cursive and Latin. That's why I love that Edwards built personal accountability into his 23rd resolution. And I don't...
Not a day goes by that I don't find myself judging others. On the one hand, I grow angry with myself because I am judging others. On the other hand, I thank God for revealing to me those things I should seek to rid from my life and being. In that regard, it is a gift....
One of my former pastors encourages people to ask “what is the right Christian response to this?” when faced with conflict. It's not just conflict, though. It’s an appropriate question for all matters of life. Being able to press pause for questioning an appropriate...
Even unlikely hero's can experience a hero's journey. In An Outlaw Makes It Home: The Awakening of a Spiritual Revolutionary, author Eli Jaxon-Bear frames a memoir modeled by Joseph Campbell’s the hero's journey. In so doing, he details, in vivid detail, his...
I tried to find the origin of the phrase, Christian Living. I failed. It’s not overly surprising to me. However, I have seen it in many avenues over the last several months, so I thought there was a chance. But the art of Christian Living may be one of the most...
What if your church is doing discipleship wrong? Is that a question you’ve ever considered? I doubt many of us have. And that’s okay. But the reality is, discipleship is serious stuff. That being the case, we should give serious and proactive thought to how we are...
The hostile culture of the U.S. is pretty obvious to anyone who pays even a bit of attention. There are warring factions on multiple sides of virtually every topic. Unfortunately, one seemingly can no longer live in peace. That’s because choosing a side also means...