Low-Maintenance Children
The tasks of raising children and participating in ministry require lots of work, but the rewards are great.
Ministry requires prayer, sweat and tears. Parenting does, too. As a busy ministry wife and mother, I understand the desire for efficiency and freedom that low-maintenance children would allow. Such offspring don’t exist. In reality, Christian parenting is messy and fraught with sacrifice. In addition, child maintenance is required at inconvenient times, such as when... Continue Reading
Whatever Happened to Bobbie Gentry or Why Don’t Christians Sing Like They Used To?
What is happening to singing in the modern church, and particularly in my particular part of it?
I think we don’t sing loud because we don’t really have the sacred affections that Edwards wrote so eloquently about nearly three centuries ago. The only thing that will help our singing is if the Holy Spirit puts the song back in our hearts. I long for that to happen. I long for a church... Continue Reading
The Death Of New Calvinism
The idea of holiness is almost a peculiar doctrine for the new Reformed movement
The problem young reformers seem to have is in regards to the fruit of that “Great Exchange” – the fruit of our lives, the good works we are to do, the life of holiness. It’s clear throughout God’s word that we are to love our neighbor, serve the poor, give generously, cloth the naked, etc.... Continue Reading
The Trouble with Cussing Christians
Do Christians have a unique call to avoid strong language?
If profane language has a privileged place in the lexicon of contempt, then Christians have a unique mandate to avoid profanity. It’s not that abstaining from pejorative language outfits us with some holier-than-thou halo. It’s that we are called to live with a servant’s heart, affirming the dignity of every human and the sacredness of... Continue Reading
Leadership as Stewardship, Part Two
The requirement of stewards is that they be found faithful. That’s why leadership is only for the brave.
We are the stewards of truth and teaching. This is the essence of convictional leadership. Leaders are entrusted with truth, with deep beliefs and framing convictions. Those convictions must be taught and retaught, affirmed and reaffirmed, protected and cherished. Otherwise, everything we believe can be lost into confusion, corruption, and worse. As the stewards of... Continue Reading
Not Allowing Boys to be Boys
Though some girls are diagnosed with ADHD, it’s overwhelmingly a “disorder” of boys—boys being boys, in most cases
They were not made to sit in a classroom for six hours per day at the age of 5. Unless preconditioned or drugged, they burst into tears and beg to go home. They need to be outside playing in tree houses and organizing their own baseball leagues and exploring the woods—even just being quiet by... Continue Reading
Joy or “Just Wait”?
Parenting can be utterly daunting. It just doesn’t help when others douse young parents with stories leading to doubt and despair.
We seem to live in a country overrun by a great lot of negative naysayers when it comes to parenting. I remember hearing comments like that when I was a new (and overwhelmed!) mom. It seemed that many parents were suffering from a chronic case of disappointment and dissatisfaction called ”Just-Wait-itis,” characterized by the inflammation... Continue Reading
Christian Journalist: Tell the Truth and Be Prepared For Rejection
Christian journalists must never be afraid of reporting the truth of a given situation, even when the truth is ugly and unpleasant
Christian journalist, your dominant role in this passage is an unrelenting “striver for verifiable truth.” That is, the journalist is to discover and report the truth in a given situation so as to inform the public in order that the public can make salutary decisions based on verifiable information. This role is counter-cultural in our... Continue Reading
Bigger Than the Box
Susan Hunt: "“Are we leaving our children vulnerable to the world’s approach to sexuality, marriage, and life itself?"
Before getting into the principles of biblical womanhood, she issued a warning to us. Another thing that happens when our biblical understanding is weak is that we get reductionistic. With intentions to counteract the world’s messages and be biblical women, we can condense biblical womanhood into a set of rules, legalistic moralism. Susan warned us... Continue Reading
Courageous Leaders, Bullies and Weasels
4 traits of courageous character for ministry leaders
Part of the reason we are put in a position of leadership is because we are expected to have the courage to deal with challenges like this. When dealing with those who may be undercutting the people around them, true leaders confront, encourage change, and in certain instances, extend grace and a second chance. However... Continue Reading
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