Gender Identity & A High Regard for Scripture: A Review of Understanding Gender Dysphoria

Disclaimer: the post that follows is a recent book review that I did for a Christian publisher. As such, I was mainly critiquing the author’s work. The main title for this review borrows a quote from the book’s author, Mark Yarhouse. He details a disparaging story (as most of his eventually are) of a man who, […]

Nothing Is Beyond You

The famed artist Rich Mullins was working on a project at the time of his untimely death. Some fellow-artists took up that project and finished it in his honor. Among those tunes are this gem… one of my all-time favorites. I love the way it attempts to describe the otherness of God. Where could I […]

The Spirit of Jesus and Religious Freedom

With all of the venom (from both sides of the issue) coming from and to Indiana regarding the recent Religious Freedom Restoration Act, I thought it might be helpful to be reminded of the words of Jesus. The phrase I use in this title is one I have come to use frequently. I am often asked […]

God’s Most Difficult Command

The Bible is filled with commands that followers of Jesus are meant to embrace. Perhaps none is more difficult than the one found in Proverbs 3:5-6… Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do… Sounds simple, you say? I suppose at […]

You’re Not JUST A Youth Pastor

Thursday afternoon near the end of my work day I stopped at a coffee shop on my route. I noticed a guy with a Bible and a few other books at a table nearby. We had a short conversation as he was leaving. Included in that exchange was my question, “Are you a pastor?” His […]

What You Probably Never Knew About Robin Williams

The answer to this title… anything. For the last few days I have read and heard pontifications surrounding the unfortunate death of Robin Williams. The fact is that a very minute number of those same people knew anything about him. Most of us only knew his persona. So for anyone to draw “certain” conclusions about […]

The Stickers That Saved My Life

Before we begin, no, I don’t believe the stickers literally saved my life. And, no, I am not even talking about my physical life. However, none of that makes any part of my story any less true. Recently a new friend of mine learned that I had been a church planter and that our church closed. […]

Scrapping My Plans

We were asked to write in my senior yearbook about what we thought we’d be doing years down the road. I don’t remember the assigned numeric value of said reach. Of course answers ranged from silly to sillier with a dash of serious. Without searching through dozens of boxes for the exact words, I can […]

An Eye for An Eye

Comedian Ron White hails from the great state of Texas. Part of his routine includes a bit about the death penalty… That’s right, if you come to Texas and kill somebody, we will kill you back. That’s our policy. That would be funny, except that it isn’t. Most of us do not need any convincing […]

No Greater Joy

All of my adult life I have been a teacher. I am in my element when I am helping people understand the message of the Bible and what following Jesus entails. The season that I am currently in has allowed for (even demanded) moments of deep reflection. This week I’ve been thinking through the things that […]

The Noah Movie: Storytelling

Let’s begin where the Book does… 5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7 […]