Traditions have a deeper hold on us than we realize, and at no other time of year than Christmas is this truth more prevalent or more easily recognizable. Christmas is first and foremost about the birth of our Lord and Savior. As Christians, this is a truth we affirm wholeheartedly in principle but too often…
Thanks-Living: A Reminder for Christians on Thanksgiving
"I think that is a better thing than thanksgiving: thanks-living. How is this to be done? By a general cheerfulness of manner, by an obedience to the command of Him by whose mercy we live, by a perpetual, constant delighting of ourselves in the Lord, and by a submission of our desires to His will."
Here’s Why You Need a Biblical Theology of Suffering
Throughout the course of history, the question of suffering has been at the forefront of philosophy. Why do we suffer? Why disease, famine, and death? Why rape and murder? Why me? I don’t think I go too far in saying that our perspective on suffering is intimately tied to our understanding of God.
Should Women Be in the Military?
This is a tough one for me. In the course of considering this post, I’ve written half a dozen introductions, ranted to friends and family, shouted mental objections at myself, binned the whole idea, retrieved the crumpled paper and smoothed out the edges. Still I feel no closer to expressing what I really want to…
It’s All Greek to Me: Resources to Learn New Testament Greek
While I’m blessed to be part of a church devoted to discipleship (including wonderful pastors willing to teach the original biblical languages), I know not everyone is so fortunate. Seeing as September is typically back to school month, I thought it might be helpful to provide information on the resources I'm using to learn Biblical…
Israel: Whose Land is it Anyway?
If you’re a Christian living in the United States, you have certainly witnessed the politicking surrounding the nation of Israel. It’s likely your pastor has even thrown his hat in the ring, particularly if you attend a church with a premillennial dispensational eschatology. In fact, American evangelicalism is so tied to the Promised Land that…
Should We Use Red-Letter Bibles?
Ever wondered why some Bibles emphasize Jesus’ words in rubric (red lettering)? Who originated this tradition? For what purpose? What about the impact of this practice on our reading of the text? As a writer, I was certainly curious about this typographical feature, and so set out to uncover the meaning behind those infamous red-letter…
The Inconvenient Truth About Christianity
Growing up Southern Baptist, I learned at an early age that God wanted to give me stuff. It was simple. All I had to do was name it and claim it and have faith that God would do his part. For the first half of my “Christian” life, this is how I treated our Lord…
San Diego Comic-Con: Your Husband is a Superhero
This weekend I’m attending Comic-Con in San Diego. Not only is this the 50th year of the event, but 2019 also marks 80 years since Batman’s inception (see what I did there, Christopher Nolan). Given that I’m a diehard Batman fan, one of the highlights of the trip has been a 68,000-square foot experience honoring…
Masturbation: A Christian Woman’s Perspective
Like men, women struggle with pornography and masturbation. But unlike men, women feel alone in confronting these sins. Sermons and statistics tend to focus on men in addressing the issue of pornography and masturbation. This article from Desiring God, though dated, explicitly states its intended audience is male. Not much has changed in the decades…
Bone of Bones 