Charles Bridges: The sudden flash of light leaves no influence. There is no movement from the heart, till the truth is clearly exhibited to the mind, set strongly and constantly in view, deeply pondered and closely applied. The Christian Ministry,…
Thank God for third grade Sunday school teachers
With my sermon complete, I sat down in my study on Saturday evening to read the thoughts of others who have preached on Ephesians 4:1-16. My reading included Bryan Chapell’s commentary on Ephesians. Chappell is the president of Covenant Seminary…
CNN considers the downside of “friends with benefits”
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles…
If you’re not suffering now, you will soon – – Preparation is so important
In seminary, I began wondering how I would shepherd people through deep valleys that come with the changing seasons of life. One of my seminary professors once told a story about a family that faced a terrible tragedy. I asked…
Shannon Popkin: “Tossing Seeds on Cement”
Shannon Popkin posts about Tom Hammond, a pastor who was a very significant influence in my life. I can vividly remember watching Tom share the Gospel when I thought, there is no way this will take root, yet it did. …
A Nazi work camp contrasted with the castle at Neuschwanstein
Our family may be able to visit both the Neuschwanstein castle and Flossenburg this summer. So, I was interested in this post from that angle. But, more than that, because I have a great appreciation for Bonhoeffer. Gene Fant writes:…
Collin Hansen asks, “Is 26 the new 18”?
Collin Hansen raises an interesting question about the implications of health care legislation. Following this blog, I figured the best way to rack up comments was to write about health care. So I thought I might explore one element of…
A.B. Candeday: “Being forgiving doesn’t always mean being forgiving”
One of the distinctions I made in Unpacking Forgiveness: Biblical Answers for Complex Questions and Deep Wounds was that while we should always have an attitude of forgiveness, this doesn’t mean that we should always forgive. A discussion has been…
Self control and eating
Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control (Proverbs 25:28). Self control is a spiritual issue. When we lack discipline, we are open to every invader that can come our way, whether it is…
Two false notions American churches should reject about global ministry
Mark Noll, in his important book, The New Shape of World Christianity: How American Experience Reflects Global Faith: For American churches to participate in the universal body of Christ in ways that reflect the deepest realities of that body, it…