Let God Prepare The Heart (And The Harvest)

Sometimes I think we believe we have to do it all ourselves: that we have to pick people we suspect are in need, that we have to make them understand the lack in their life, that we have to sell Jesus to them like a product - to make Him valuable enough that people will want to take Him home. But we are intermediaries, sent by God to help people along in the process that He has already started. [Click title to read more.]

Don’t Say “I’ll Pray For You” (Unless You’re Willing To Follow Up)

Prayer can't become a believer's band-aid. It can't become that thing we do so that we don't have to do anything else. In the times that it's possible to do more than shoot a wish skyward, we are obligated to do so - for those to whom much is given, much is required. Follow up. Give. Care. Our role in grace-giving does not end the moment the words leave our lips. Love does not stop at the foot of the throne. [Click title to read more.]

An Introvert’s Confession Pt. 2: How To Fix The Problems In Church “Small Groups”

Small groups propose to be different from "Sunday School" in that they are about experiencing life together, about Christians banding together in tiny tribes to work with and love each other. And if that is so, then small group life needs to extend beyond the once-a-week commitment many are willing to give to it - either that, or we need to stop pretending it's something more noble or life-enhancing than a once-a-week-study. [Click title to read more.]

The Duggar Dilemma: When Christians Do Awful Things

If, as believers, we are unable to extend the same grace to non-believers who disagree with us as we are to Josh Duggar, then we have failed. If we are so concerned about the church looking bad, or people having a bad impression of Christians, that we are unable to step back from an awful thing and say with the rest of the world, "This is terrible," then we have failed. Our job is not to protect our own. [Click title to read more.]

An Introvert’s Confession: I Don’t Like The “Small Groups” Church Trend

In theory, at least, small groups are meant to resemble the New Testament churches. The problem, however, is that small groups have the potential to fall short of that ideal: to place an emphasis on fellowship rather than study, to cultivate shallow relationships that masquerade as serious ones, and to alienate introverted believers who prefer one-on-one time or dedicated study to group discussions and open sharing. [Click title to read more]

Wayfaring Stranger

The Bible exhorts us constantly to be awake and alert - to keep our lamps lit, to keep our eyes open. These admonitions are usually given in the context of Christ's return, to remind us that we never know when He will come. This is true, and yet I think those instructions are also useful to apply to the current moment, as well. [Click title to read more.]

My Students Don’t Read

I can't give up on them. And I can't because there are so many things I don't do, even when I know I should and have clear instructions and plenty of time and every reason in the world to be motivated. [Click title to read more.]

Building A Bridge Between Faith And Academia: Three Thoughts

If you watch the news or listen to enough general talk, you'll hear this: that academics think Christians are fusty, backwards, ignorant folk who are anti-science and anti-education and anti-learning, and that Christians think academics are liberal secularists bent on annihilating Christianity as we know it. As always, the most popular narrative isn't always the correct one. [Click title to read more.]