Now that school is out for summer (cue Alice Cooper) I’m back home working for my church as a youth ministry intern. As we began to plan for the summer and what we should teach on I recommended books like Colossians and Philippians. You know, something short and sweet that would be really encouraging. So when my youth pastor called me and told me we were going to be teaching through James this summer, I...
Wilkin, Robert N., Thomas R. Schreiner, James D. G. Dunn, Michael P. Barber, and Alan P. Stanley.Four Views On the Role of Works at the Final Judgment. Edited by Alan P. Stanley. Counterpoints. Bible and Theology. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2013. 234 pages. Softcover. Retail: $17.99. ISBN: 9780310490333 “The Role of Works at the Final Judgement,” edited by Alan Stanley admirably expands Zondervan’s “Counterpoints” series. For those unfamiliar with the series, these volumes bring together divergent...
This is a post I wrote on my personal blog a few years ago. I think it still holds true but would like to hear your thoughts I think evangelicalism has failed on two major fronts. One is the preaching and teaching of the Sanctification process through the power of the Holy Spirit. So much of evangelicalism is about prompting people to make a decision for Christ and then counting them as a statistic. Baptisms...
= Equality = If your facebook newsfeed was anything like mine, pink and red was the dominant color scheme of the beginning of the week. As if Valentine’s Day was having a month late resurgence, signs for equality have flooded the social media and blogospheres in the supreme courts pending ruling on the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act. As the news coverage and national anticipation increases, activists and advocates draw attention to memories...
I don’t remember ever saying this, but here goes. I’ve never been more confident of my salvation. I’ve never felt so secure. I’ve never been so satisfied in Christ. And yet, at the same time, I’m more aware of my sin, ready to acknowledge it, even willing to tell people about it. Sound like a paradox? Welcome to the Christian life. I’m convinced that a true understanding of the gospel allows these two truths to...
A pastor once told me that God’s people are simply pawns in his ultimate plan to glorify himself. Seriously. He said “pawns.” That would be a great metaphor if chess players actually loved their pawns, but they don’t. The world’s greatest chess player never loved his pawns, much less died for them. So when I asked him about his semantic mishap, he said perhaps it’s better to say we’re “incidental” to God’s plan. I’ve heard...
As the New Year is approaching, I cannot help but to remember my past and stand in awe of God. June 2013 will mark my ten-year anniversary of being a Christian, and August 2013 will bring my 30th birthday! Spending the entirety of my twenties figuring out life as a Christ follower has been challenging, rewarding, and completely life altering. 2013 will also bring the opportunity to be a full-time writer here at The Two...
I know it’s the 21st century, but here’s the thing: I’m a Christian. By definition, I have old-school beliefs. That might be a newsflash to the critics, who often react to biblical, traditional and altogether unsurprising beliefs with dropped jaws, as if Christians haven’t preached these things for two thousand years: “Do you seriously believe that?” Yes. Yes, I do. I still believe the Bible is the word of God. It’s true and inspired and...
Last week I watched a few episodes of “Beyond Scared Straight,” the reality show that follows a group of rebellious teens to prison, where they get a taste of life behind bars. Aside from being thoroughly entertained, I learned a lot about false hopes and society’s view of redemption. The show introduces us to fresh-faced juvies caught up in drugs, sex and gangs. Their parents enroll them in prison programs designed to scare the shiz...
How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God (Luke 18:24-25) So said Jesus to the rich young ruler who, when instructed to sell his possessions and follow Christ, wilted and walked the other way. You’ve probably heard the statistics. The income for...
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