Sep 25, 2019 | Christian Living, The Bible
I’ve been writing young adult fiction for a number of years, and because of it I’ve been thinking about the flaws, failures, and virtues of the characters in the novels. I have realized in a fresh way that one of the traditional attributes my characters...
Aug 1, 2019 | Christian Living, Culture
The start of a new school year is approaching and whether students go to the same school they did last year or a new one this coming year, they will be frequently asked, “What is your name?” It’s a foundational question that forms a beginning point...
Feb 20, 2019 | Christian Living, The Bible
What is the source of authority when it comes to the church and right theology? Is it the clergy? Or is it the message? In my previous blog, I gave texts where the message and the messenger, in the best of all circumstances, go together because the character,...
Feb 6, 2019 | Christian Living, The Bible
I taught a class called “Preaching through Ephesians” last semester at Houston Baptist University, and in the coming months, I’ll be adapting a few of my lectures into blogs. The first thing we talked about is applicable to any person who shares the word...
Dec 11, 2018 | Christian Living, Family, The Bible
“Our Journey to Christmas” is an appropriate phrase to express the rich variety of feeling, belief, commitment, and theology associated with Christmas. In this Advent season, each of us is on a journey, but not all paths are equal. Your path might be taking you to...
Dec 3, 2018 | Christian Living, The Bible
The idea of seeking the will of God has three broad meanings when we talk about it. (1) We often mean — what is God’s will for my life? (2) Or, we mean what is God’s will in a particular situation, one with a moral dilemma? (3) But, in Scripture, the will of the Lord...
Oct 31, 2018 | Christian Living, College Tips, The Bible
I can still remember the revolutionary experience it was for me, in my sophomore year at college, to read through the New Testament. I read the Phillips Version, and, for the first time, the Scriptures came alive for me. As I reflect upon it, it’s odd that I don’t...
Oct 24, 2018 | Christian Living, College Tips
College is a time of discovery. I don’t mean sinful discovery, though many students use it for that purpose and to their detriment. No, I mean discovering passions and interests. I mean trying a lot of new things, making new (often lifelong) friends, and learning a...
Oct 3, 2018 | Christian Living, College Tips
What do you do when things that are utterly out of your control go wrong? It happens. Sometimes we feel like we’re having “one of those days” and sometimes too, we feel like “things” have been that way for years. What should we do? How should we act? Now of course,...
Sep 25, 2018 | Christian Living, College Tips
My assistant recently organized some of my old files, and she brought me this excerpt of a pastor column I wrote nearly 30 years ago: “I’ll admit it. I’m a worrier. I worry about today. I worry about tomorrow. I worry about money. I worry about friends. I worry about...
