The world continues to change — but it didn’t used to seem like it did. Back “in the day,” it seemed to me that there was a great deal of consistency in the life of the church. Growing up in…
Upside Down Advent: Anxiety versus peace
I had the good fortune to spend three hours in the car with my son Garrett Saturday. He’s our avant garde jazz saxophonist and composer/arranger. He told me about a Substack he’s reading that’s written by a well-known figure in…
The church helped me when I was a refugee. It’s called to do the same today.
In the late 1970s, the church sent a missionary pastor to the refugee camp in the Philippines where my parents were living to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. A little over a year later, the church sponsored our family…
The Church Is Fragile — And Unshakable
The burial plot of Jesus is a mess. More accurately, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem—marking what is thought to be the tomb Jesus occupied for three days—is a mess.
Hooters and the Future of the Church
Those of us who are traditionalist Christians have long said that the Hooters restaurant chain is morally bankrupt, but the time has come for it to be financially bankrupt too. Before we “family values” types take a victory lap, though, we should…
Are we expecting too much of the church?
We should expect the Christian church to be a community that faithfully preaches and teaches the word of God, a place where people are safe from predators and fraudsters (or where predators and fraudsters are dealt with swiftly, justly and…
How Religious Institutions Can Tackle The Rising Costs Of Health Insurance
Churches, temples and other religious organizations often employ experienced, highly skilled people — talented employees who could otherwise find work in the private sector but are called to service by their faith and belief in their community’s mission and values.
Who needs the church when we have the biblical worldview?
After his second visit to New York in 1939, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrestled with the character of Protestant churches in America versus those in Europe in an essay titled “Protestantism without Reformation.” Even as he introduced his argument, which plays up…
Pope Francis is good for Christianity
As Pope Francis visits the United States, Catholics are full of excitement as the Holy Father visits in Washington, Philadelphia, and New York. It is very clear that his leadership will set a very different tone for the Catholic Church….
Does God promise you a spouse?
As couples begin to plan for summer weddings, I’m starting to receive “save the date” reminders. I received one and started thinking back to my youth. I grew up going to southern Baptist youth camps where preachers would proclaim that God…
Churches and water balloons
Sitting in a dunking booth at a children’s water day is a wake up. Cold water splashed on me as children enjoyed hitting the target to dump water on the preacher. We raised money for a playground and we had…