A week ago Suzanne Sataline published an article in the Wall Street Journal entitled “Veneration Gap: A Popular Strategy For Church Growth Splits Congregants.” The article examines several examples of churches that have experienced great trial and turmoil as a result of attempting to become Purpose Driven. The article does not seem to be an…
Bright and early each Friday morning I meet at a local coffee place with a couple of friends. We read a portion of a book during the week and get together once a week to discuss what we’ve read. Having previously worked our way through Os Guinness’ The Call, we have now begun The Knowledge…
I try to avoid writing about what feels like gossip. It is far too easy to write about issues that are contentious simply because they attract attention and satisfy some depraved and unsanctified portion of my heart. I know that I used to give in to this desire far more than I do today and…
This page is no longer maintained. I believe in the value of good conferences. Though short-lived, conferences can be a wonderful time of growth, challenge and refreshment. I have been privileged to attend many such conferences in recent years and hope to attend many more in the years to come. As a service to the…
I came to my office this morning ready to post the utterly brilliant article I wrote yesterday. I couldn’t remember exactly what it was that I had written about, but knew it was good. I opened up the folder where I keep the upcoming posts I’ve written for this site and was unable to find…
Not too long ago, I was faced with the question of whether God is active in sending people to hell, or if he is passive, choosing instead to allow unbelievers to send themselves their through their free will. “God does not send people to hell,” the common saying goes. “They choose to go there themselves.”…
King for a Week is an honor I bestow on blogs that I feel are making a valuable contribution to my faith and the faith of other believers. Every week (or so) I select a blog, link to it from my site, and add that site’s most recent headlines to my left sidebar. While this…
A few weeks before last Christmas, we had my son and daughter compile a list of the gifts they most desired. Topping my son’s list was a Playmobil castle–a huge, grey castle that looks like the kind of toy every boy dreams about. He asked for this with some hesitation, though, because he knew that…
I am travelling today so thought I’d take the opportunity to post an article from just over a year ago. I used to watch a lot of the show “King of the Hill.” For those who don’t know it, it is an animated show targeted at adults (like The Simpsons and any number of other…
I returned home from Gaithersburg last night after a rather uneventful flight. Airport security was, thankfully, anticlimactic. It turns out that the airline we were flying, Air Canada, shares a terminal with only Air Iceland and British Airways. Neither of those airlines seemed to be awfully busy, so we had the terminal nearly to ourselves.…
At some point in my youth I got it into my head that conferences are a colossal waste of time. I somehow came to believe that they are not a good use of a Christian’s time. I have since had to rethink this position. Having now attended many wonderful conferences, I’ve come to see that,…
I have been reading John Ensor’s The Great Work of the Gospel and came across an interesting section I thought I’d share with you today. Ensor is reflecting upon what motivates God to forgive sinful human beings. I was particularly interested in the quote he provides from his friend Dana Olson, who suggests the reason…
It was announced on Thursday that Multnomah Publishers has been purchased by Random House, Inc. In a press release, Random House says: The Oregon-based Multnomah publishes more than 100 new titles annually by such popular authors as Randy Alcorn, Shaunti Feldhahn, Robin Jones Gunn, and Andy Stanley. Its active backlist of more than 600 works…
I always carry my cell phone when I travel. Because I work from home, I rarely use this phone and have often thought of cancelling the service. But, because I like to have it when I’m out of the house, and especially when I am away at conferences, I have held onto it. Yesterday afternoon…
I began my post-secondary education by concentrating on the study of both English and history at McMaster University. After only a few months, I found myself increasingly frustrated with the English courses. It seemed my studies were based primarily on what, in theology, we would refer to as eisogesis. The professor would lead us in…
I hope this article will be the final one in a disorganized and rambling mini-series I’ve written about children. I’ve looked at my understanding of what happens to children when they die, and hope today to explain why I assume my young children to be unsaved. This will not be a theological treatise as much…
Today is Trade Deadline day in the Major Leagues. My team, the Bluejays, are expected to be “buyers” this year, indicating a desire to compete with the Red Sox and Yankees to win their division. With less than two hours to go, they have not made a move. As I hunted around, looking for clues…
I really dislike rap music, or most rap music at any rate. For some reason, I have only rarely been able to appreciate it as a form of musical expression. I’d like to think that my powers of discernment have decided that this music is somehow inappropriate for Christians, but I think it’s more likely…
Last weekend the house next to us was given an extreme makeover. Our neighbor, who has three sons with varying disabilities, ranging from autism to dietary problems, was sent away for the weekend and returned to find her house completely renovated. The volunteers who gave of their time for this program did an incredible job.…
King for a Week is an honor I bestow on blogs that I feel are making a valuable contribution to my faith and the faith of other believers. Every week (or so) I select a blog, link to it from my site, and add that site’s most recent headlines to my left sidebar. While this…