When “Biblical” is Just Another Hashtag
Putting it another way, we’re already pretty sure we’re right, so we try to pull the Bible in on our side.
And the problem, of course, is that the ideas just come from our own brains, not the Bible. I’m afraid, sometimes, that because whole generations of us grew up knowing all the Bible stories backwards and forwards, we go into life with the unspoken assumption that “if I’m pretty sure it’s right, it’s biblical.” But... Continue Reading
When Dad Doesn’t Disciple the Kids
In homes where dad is spiritually absent, I believe mom is called both to pray and to act.
In the absence of dad’s help, move forward to fill the gap. Without vilifying dad, simply begin having the conversationsnecessary to guide your children safely to adulthood. Continue to pray for dad. Continue to invite him periodically to join the conversation. Continue to honor him by committing to speak well of him to your children.... Continue Reading
5 Bad Substitutes for Discipline
Five poor substitutes that fail to address the heart.
There is nothing easy about parenting, and nothing easy about the responsibility of training our children in obedience through discipline. Because discipline is unpopular and unpleasant, parents often find themselves looking for substitutes. In her book Parenting Against the Tide, Ann Benton lists five poor substitutes for disciplining our children—five poor substitutes that fail to... Continue Reading
California Orders Churches to Fund Abortions – Or Else
A regulatory change in California has placed abortion in the category of ‘basic health services’ all insurance plans must cover. Even those that churches buy.
Several other California churches have received similar notices from their insurers, and others will follow. While California (like the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS) exempts churches from its contraceptive mandate, there is no exception to this bureaucratic abortion mandate. This leaves California churches in the illogical and impossible position of being free... Continue Reading
10 Reasons I Quit Competitive Parenting
Resigning from the sport of competitive parenting
So there you have it: just ten of the reasons why I feel like I’m losing at this sport of competitive parenting. So I’m done. I quit. I’m exhausted and just can’t do it anymore….To the rest of you parents who are as tired of the rat race as I am, won’t you join me... Continue Reading
When Jesus Calls You Satan
We sin like Peter when we refuse to accept those mysterious and hard-to-swallow truths
So what is Peter’s error? What is Peter’s sin? What was Peter’s thinking that smelled like smoke and resulted in the reprimand of Christ, “Get behind me, Satan!” Peter’s error is his refusal to accept persecution, pain, destruction, and death as part of God’s best plan for advancing His glory and expanding His Kingdom. Peter... Continue Reading
The Defense of Marriage Isn’t Over
The Supreme Court’s action is a setback for sound constitutional self-government and for a healthy marriage culture. So where do we go from here?
Whatever the law or culture may say, we must commit now to witness to the truth about marriage: that men and women are distinct and complementary, that it takes a man and a woman to bring a child into the world, and that children deserve a chance to grow up with a mom and a... Continue Reading
Leadership: American Style
The flaws of two men who excelled due to their charisma and ability to connect with “the people” : Bill Clinton and Mark Driscoll
The similarities between Clinton and Driscoll’s trajectories to leadership should disturb us, for they reveal something troubling about the nature of “successful” church leadership in American evangelical circles. The common denominator is an ability to communicate effectively, connecting with the people through dynamic speaking and charismatic leadership. Such skills cover a multitude of sins in... Continue Reading
Reconciliation or Justice?
We can't have reconciliation in its truest sense without justice
Forgiveness does not mean leaving the helpless undefended, and the refusal to call power to the acknowledgement of truth and justice is an abandonment of the very ones God calls us to champion. Oppression hides behind self-justification, excuses, rules, systems, etc. Truth must dismantle everything that allows unjust outcomes and love must bridge the breach... Continue Reading
An Ontology of Marriage
Marriage is “between a man and a woman,;” it’s better to define it as being between a “husband and wife;” this is closer to a tautology and analytically true
A husband without a wife is a contradiction — it is ontological nonsense. A wife without a husband is impossible — an ontological absurdity. A marriage without a husband or a wife is a contravention — an ontological irrationality. A female husband or a male wife, likewise, falls into the category of the absurd. And... Continue Reading