God in a bowl When told that nature reveals the glory of God, Woody Allen replied that he only saw a giant restaurant. Fair…
Understanding Scripture Correctly, Part 1
It is a dangerous conceit to imagine that when we read the text of Scripture we do so from an entirely neutral vantage point.…
Understanding Scripture Correctly, Part 2
Consider this thought experiment. You are attending a small group Bible study, and the discussion has been lively. Someone comments, “Jesus came into a…
Sin that Afflicts the Righteous
Faith / Maturity and Flourishing / Spirituality
When I was twenty-five years old and a graduate student in Baltimore, I entered Johns Hopkins Hospital for surgery on my knee. An old…
The Reason for God (Tim Keller, 2008)
Engaging Doubt for Clarity’s Sake Some things should become habits of the heart. Things like not agreeing to commitments until we’ve had an adequate…
Loving the Rich (and Us)
Community / Faith / Spirituality
An All Too Common Story “Tom” is a doting father of four kids: 3 boys and one infant daughter. (When Tom’s daughter reaches dating…
A Practical Method of Bible Study for Ordinary Christians
Consider the classic definition of “thinking Christianly” formulated by Os Guinness and notice the central relationship the Christian mind has to the Word of…
When the Church Fails Us
Discernment / Faith / Spirituality
We recently received an email which I wanted to answer, but decided it deserved more than the brief response which would fit on the…
Repose in Grace
“John Calvin believed that an unredeemed life keeps oscillating back and forth between pride (‘I’ve made it!’) and despair (‘I’ll never make it!’). In…
Where Least Expected
Dick Lucas, rector of St. Helen’s Church (London), says that one question worth asking as we read the Scriptures is, "What is surprising in…