I’m easy to talk to. I’m very intelligent. I’m an excellent communicator. I’m hilarious. I’m creative. These are all lies that I tell people everyday in hopes that my image isn’t sullied. I don’t tell them with my words – that would be too obviously arrogant. Instead, I only let certain parts of me show so that no one gets the idea that I have something wrong with me. This is probably an exercise in...
I have always found the spiritual life intimidating at best. How do I ascend to those vast heights of knowing God when I live, not exactly in the Valley of the Shadow, but at least on the Plain of the Ordinary? I am often rendered immobile in my spiritual walk by a haunting complex which does its best to convince me that holiness and knowing God are out of my reach because the road to...
“What is the meaning of life?” The age old question, if asked of myself, or many a believer, will likely result in a prompt answer along the lines of “the Gospel,” “the worship of God,” or “to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.” But “What is the purpose of today?” is a question that I don’t always have an answer for. Let me rephrase that- I’ll likely have an answer. The matter is really...
You will look in vain for a section of the Bible entitled “Guidelines to Christian Parenting.” There are a few texts and they are extremely important and they fall under the general heading “Families that serve the Lord and live for him do these things.” With regard to children, parents are to instruct their children in the ways and commands of God (Prov 22:6; Eph 6:4). Fathers in particular are to guide their children in...
Last week, I talked about my obsession with Human Planet, the BBC series that brings the triumph of manly dominion to our TV screens. I’ve since finished the final two episodes (in all their high-definition glory) and although I’m impressed, even moved, by how well the series depicts our God-given rule over the earth, the story still feels incomplete. What Human Planet fails to mention is the extent and exclusivity of man’s dominion. Right now...
There has seeped into the church culture a “new normal” with regard to children “growing up Christian.” I say “new normal” because I can only imagine it has not been this way in past generations of believers. Nothing in Scripture seems to support the idea that children growing up in a Christian home will “graduate from God when the graduate from high school” and return after they are married with children of their own. That...
I have a new addiction. Every night before bed, when no one is watching, I sneak into a dark room, turn on the television, and pop in another episode of Human Planet. Six episodes into an eight-part series, I’ve soaked up every second. This is no ordinary nature show. Whereas its predecessor, BBC’s Planet Earth, focuses on plants and animals, Human Planet celebrates the crown jewel of God’s creation: mankind. Human Planet takes us from...
As most readers are aware, I am currently a seminary student. Most people think this probably means a lot of reading. Lots of writing. Lots of Greek and Hebrew. And… they’re right. But, this training involves some other activities. Activities such as what I will be doing this weekend. On Saturday, I and the eight other classmates that comprise my Spiritual Formation cohort group will be participating in a “Life Sculpture.” Ever seen Who’s Line...
We came, we cleaned, we conquered. This weekend our small group, armed with Clorox and Windex, stormed the church, leaving no cranny unclean. For a few months now, we’ve brainstormed ways to become more engaged members of the congregation, and adding our names to the cleaning rotation seemed a good place to start. Saturday was our inaugural cleaning day. Top to bottom we mopped, vacuumed, dusted and disinfected, and by the end, the whole place...
In a recent staff meeting, the children’s ministries director told us that a family was “leaving our church for another place where their children could connect.” The presenting complaint was that the pre-teen and teenaged children could not understand the Sunday sermons. Therefore, they had a find a church where the preaching on Sunday suited their teen children. Being the elder who does the majority of preaching, I’ll leave the quality of my sermons and...
© 2024 — Highend Theme
Created with in London, UK.
Recent Comments