In a recent Christian Post article entitled “How Christians Can Change Our Culture,” devotional writer and conference speaker Os Hillman makes the following statements: "We must realize that making more converts will not necessarily change culture. It is important to have conversions, but it is more important to have those who are converted operate at the tops of the cultural mountains from a biblical worldview. Those at the tops of these mountains are expressing their liberal worldview through these cultural spheres. The more godly the change agent at the top, the more righteous the … [Read more...] about Priority #1: Placing “Our People” Atop the “Seven Mountains of Culture”?
Social Issues
Pray for Oklahoma
For we know the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now… ~ Romans 8:22 Oklahoma is sort of a “stomping grounds” for me. Though I was born, raised, and presently live in Missouri, I graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2003 with a degree in Meteorology. People see me going around all over the place with an OU hat and they immediately think, “Football.” Yes, that’s part of it, but before I became a student there I didn’t grow up with an affinity for a crimson-clad football team. For me it was all about the weather. I have had a passion for … [Read more...] about Pray for Oklahoma
I Can’t Change, but Jesus Will Change Me
This past Wednesday night (May 1) on The Colbert Report, the mock-conservative pundit hosted a hip-hop group known as Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, performing the song “Same Love” off their album The Heist. The song, based on Macklemore’s family experience with homosexual uncles, stands as a piece of cultural protest aimed in favor of same-sex marriage. The lyrics speak to the predisposition of homosexuality, bash the notions of therapeutic and religious change, and quote the Bible—particularly from 1 Corinthians 13 and Paul’s admonition that love is patient and love is kind. The chorus line … [Read more...] about I Can’t Change, but Jesus Will Change Me
When God Judges a Culture
“The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave…” ~ Genesis 18:20 With the gay marriage question before the Supreme Court, the media (social, news, or otherwise) outlets of our culture have seen an explosion of activity and strong opinion in both directions. At the core of this issue is the notion of homosexuality itself, and such always seems to draw minds to the story of God’s judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis. God determined to rain his judgment and wrath upon the culture of those cities because of the greatness of their sin. A hint of this sin is … [Read more...] about When God Judges a Culture
A View of Rome
As anyone who has followed what I have written on blogs in the past six years or so will be aware, an issue about which I am very interested and concerned is that of a biblical approach to Christian unity. One of the most important and thorniest aspects of Christian unity, in my opinion, has to do with how we as Evangelicals (and as Baptists) should relate to Roman Catholics and to the Roman Catholic Church at large. Having served for 18 years as a missionary in Spain, a country which traditionally has had an overwhelming Catholic majority but which in recent years has become increasingly … [Read more...] about A View of Rome
Words Worth Forgetting
No sticks or stones have broken my bones, but words have surely hurt me. And I've never broken bones with sticks and stones, but surely I have hurt with words. Maybe it was easy in kindergarten to chant them away with a catchy limerick, but, it becomes harder as we grow and find that there are meanings -- well and not -- attached to most words, whether hurled in anger, served softly with a sob, uttered in exasperation, sighed in resignation, delivered with blunt accusation, wrapped in hope or enunciated with grace. Words are too often the weapon of choice. Words said to you. Words said … [Read more...] about Words Worth Forgetting
When You’re Tempted to Tempt Temptation
I find myself in an odd situation at this point in life: looking for a suitable job. Three years out of “early retirement” from AT&T, with two books behind me and The Guest House established, I am in an odd position that seems best described as between doors. So many have closed behind me to make me realize I was in so many places at one time that it may not have been very clear to anyone who knew me exactly where . . . or even who . . . I was. Suddenly, it seems, doors are scarce. And, I like work. Not just because I want to continue to eat or be able to read with a working … [Read more...] about When You’re Tempted to Tempt Temptation
Beyond Chikin and Kissin’ are People in Pain
Chicken sandwich wrappers are headed to the landfill in record numbers. Digestive juices have done their duty. Thousands upon thousands of waffle fries have worked their way into the calorie count. And it's Thursday and we're hungry again. Thousands of men and women who struggle with sexual identity, poised between the pain of the pull, paused to watch the lines grow and the commentators commentate and the pundits pundit and beneath the wash of explanations and declarations, they pondered the rationales and motivations and tried to uncover what it all means for the gnawing … [Read more...] about Beyond Chikin and Kissin’ are People in Pain
Holy Festival
Yesterday, it was brought to my attention by one of our contributors that the Muslim month of Ramadan is underway again. There are Christians who have developed prayer guides and such to lead fellow believers in praying for Muslims during this time, that they would see the true God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and more importantly get to know His Son, Jesus Christ. I can commend that effort without reservation. But this reminder got me to thinking about something related to this topic. Several years ago now, I ran across a news article highlighting the fact that many guys from the … [Read more...] about Holy Festival
Universal Issues
The longer I live and the more I see and experience, I have come to realize that some things are truly universal. Like, no matter what church we have a community event in here in Langdon, the back rows always fill up before the front ones. I specify church because I found that the baccalaureate in the school gym doesn't suffer from that same problem, which I attribute to the fact that it takes more effort to climb bleachers in order to sit at the back. Because of this truth, I am always excited to see when someone else has done the hard work of illustrating one of these universal issues … [Read more...] about Universal Issues