Charles Spurgeon, a famous British preacher in the latter half of the 1800s, used the phrase, “What would Jesus do?” in a sermon. If you’ve ever read any of Spurgeon’s sermons, you know he had a knack for turning a…
Would Jesus wear $800 sandals?
A couple of decades ago, when I was working as a church consultant, I had an interesting conversation with a young pastor. He was probably 20 or so years younger than me, and it was obvious from our conversation that…
Are you sure that all lives matter?
I have struggled for the past several years with understanding how so many Christians can support politicians and preachers with glaring, public moral failings. I’ve been discipled in Christian values my entire life, and what I observe with many Christians…
Is the church only for ‘good Christians’?
I recently read an article about an organization that provides background checks for churches. If a church wants to feel safe about those who volunteer to work with children or serve in a leadership position, it might be a good…
A prescription for healing the American church
I’ve been to my share of doctors. Many of those visits happened when I was so young that they have no conscience in my adult brain. My earliest memories were of Dr. Matchett, an orthopedic surgeon who was assigned the…
Let’s make America great again
My middle son is a car guy. I have no idea how that happened since there are no other car guys in the family, on either side. It started with his first car. I told him and his older brother…
When a Facebook ‘friend’ told me I didn’t understand the power of God
My 70th birthday arrived recently, and my wife, Sharon, kept telling me it’s a big deal. I think she means a big deal this year; next year, when it’s her turn, we’ll see. It causes me to think about why…
A long line of sinners
March 2, 2015 By Terry Austin In the Central African Republic, a political/religious faction known as Anti-balaka has been accused of violent crimes. Their actions include gruesome mutilations, forcing thousands of people from their homes and killing an untold number….