guilt shame doubt disapproval self-loathing apathy unconcern happiness acceptance From early on in our lives, we all have a sense of a need for approval and a feeling of disapproval when we mess up. Sometimes the feeling of disapproval is verbalized to us, “I am disappointed in you.” Other times it is given as a direct attack against our personality, “You’re a failure who can’t do anything right.” In the face of this ingrained sense of disapproval, some look at their faults with acceptance and approval. “That’s just who I am.” or “God [or whoever—fill in the … [Read more...] about How Should We Feel When We Sin?
Christianity and Atheism in an Age of Science
I and some other men have been talking to a young man who joins our church gatherings. Recently, he said, “I want to believe but I don’t know if I can. As I see it right now, I have a 50/50 chance that either atheism or Christianity is true, and I’m just not sure which side to believe.” He later asked if one day he decided that Christianity is wrong and atheism is right, would he still be welcomed at our church? “Of course…” We also have another young man who faces the same dilemma, though he seems closer to belief. If he rejected Christianity he would likely choose deism as opposed to … [Read more...] about Christianity and Atheism in an Age of Science
The Anatomy of a Sermon
“So what was the fallen condition focus of your sermon?”—yes, I actually had a church member ask me at lunch this past Sunday. Maybe it’s my fault for giving him a copy of Bryan Chapell’s Christ-Centered Preaching. Of course, this is a man who believes God has called him to be a pastor, and I have been mentoring him in various things including building a sermon. One day, he came into my office and was looking at my book shelf. Counting Chapell’s book, I have twelve about preaching. He asked me which one was the best…I gave him a blank stare for a moment. “You know, I don’t really … [Read more...] about The Anatomy of a Sermon
The Lord’s Prayer, part 3: The Requests Concerning Us and Conclusion
This is part three of a study on prayer I wrote for my church. You can read part one here, and part two at this other here. Part Three :: The Requests Concerning Us (6:11-15) As with all things in life, prayer is primarily about God. Yet, prayer also has benefit for us. After establishing the first set of three requests concerning God, his name, kingdom, and will; Jesus gave a second set of requests concerning God’s work in our lives. In these requests we do not merely ask for things to happen or go well in vague and general terms, rather we ask God to work in our lives in particular … [Read more...] about The Lord’s Prayer, part 3: The Requests Concerning Us and Conclusion
The Lord’s Prayer, part 2: The Requests Concerning God
This is part two of a study on prayer I wrote for my church. You can read part one here. Part Two :: The Requests Concerning God (6:9-10) This first section of three requests begins with a direct address to God, specifically God “our Father in heaven.” This is significant in three main ways: Prayer is personal. Prayer is reverent. Prayer is corporate. First, prayer is personal. The Bible fills our minds with great and glorious thoughts about God. He created all things; he is all-powerful, all-knowing, and everywhere-present; he is awesome and fearful; he is holy; his ways are … [Read more...] about The Lord’s Prayer, part 2: The Requests Concerning God
The Lord’s Prayer, part 1: Introduction and Commandments about Prayer
Recently, I put together a study for my church covering the Lord’s Prayer. It is something we will we doing this spring at Wednesday night prayer meeting and Bible study. I figure if we’re going to have prayer meeting, it is probably good to talk about prayer! This is the introduction and part one… Introduction In Scripture, we have two accounts of Jesus teaching what we call “The Lord’s Prayer.” The first, and most well-known, we find in Matthew 6 where Jesus taught on prayer during the Sermon on the Mount. The second, Luke recorded in 11:1-4 of his Gospel. Luke tells us Jesus was … [Read more...] about The Lord’s Prayer, part 1: Introduction and Commandments about Prayer
Forget Calvinism and name changes… let’s talk about something really important!
In case you have missed a part of the social media bandwagon, pictures of brooms standing on end have been appearing all over the place. Even saw a Christian message board go nuts at the phenomena—it must be a sign of something. Popular explanation—Jupiter, Venus, and Earth are all in some sort of crazy gravitational alignment. My church custodian and I would like to see your broom, and raise you four brooms, a dust mop, and a dustpan: Is it nary but a sign of the closing of the age? Brooms standing on end, dogs and cats living together…mass hysteria! With this harbinger, I have … [Read more...] about Forget Calvinism and name changes… let’s talk about something really important!
Why I have a more exclusive wedding policy…
One of the practical, and usually fun, outworkings of pastoral ministry is performing marriages. Yet as pastors, we are faced with a bit of a dilemma—we live in a culture of diverse peoples, backgrounds, and beliefs, yet the Bible doesn’t explicitly tell us which marriages we can oversee and which we cannot. In fact, the Bible doesn’t even tell us that as pastors we have to oversee wedding ceremonies, but it does tell us to obey the law of the land, and the law basically states that you either have to be a justice of the peace or some kind of recognized clergy-ish official to perform … [Read more...] about Why I have a more exclusive wedding policy…
Reflections on my first journey out of the states, and the return home…
It only took 31 ½ years to make my first journey out of the country and my first missions trip outside of the boarders of these United States. I know many here have made trips before, and some even presently live in other countries as they serve the Lord. But the personal newness of the experience still compels me to write! I took a two-week trip to Zambia in southern Africa to work as a teacher at the International Bible College operated by Gospelink. We were able to go into some of the local villages and attempt to share the Gospel, but this was mostly missions in the vein of Acts … [Read more...] about Reflections on my first journey out of the states, and the return home…
The Centrality of the Lord’s Supper to Church Life
The Lord’s Supper serves as one of two symbols depicting for us the reality of the Gospel, baptism being the other. Whereas baptism tells the story of our union with Christ in death, burial, and resurrection to new life (Romans 6), the Lord’s Supper paints a picture of how Jesus accomplished such new life for us in the sacrifice of his body. In John 6, Jesus (rather graphically on the surface) told his followers, “Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink” (6:54-55). … [Read more...] about The Centrality of the Lord’s Supper to Church Life