Posts by Daniel Darling
How NOT to grow spiritually
How does a person grow? Specifically, for followers of Jesus, how does a person grow spiritually? Another word for growth is sanctification–that supernatural process by which the Holy Spirit takes the Word of God and forms us into Christ’s image. Growth is primarily a work that God does in us–I can’t, essentially, make myself grow.…
Read More5 Ways Adult Children Can Honor Their Parents
How should an adult grown (presumably married, but not necessarily) child relate to his or her parents? There is a tension in Scripture between obeying the Scripture which says to “leave and cleave” in forming your own adult identity and family (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5) and obeying the Scripture which says to “honor your father…
Read MoreMy 5 Rules of Writing
I’ve been working with words, in one way or another, since I was in high-school and it has been work with words that has formed the majority of my adult working life, both as a writer, editor and now in my role as a pastor. Writing is one of my loves and one of the…
Read MoreOut of Ur: Friday Five Interview: D.A. Carson
My first Friday Five interview for Leadership Journal posts today. First up? Bible scholar and author, DA Carson: You recently released a book, Jesus, the Son of God. Why the emphasis on son-ship for pastors and theologians today? The title “the Son of God” is one that is repeatedly applied to the Lord Jesus, so there…
Read MoreChristians and Online Engagement: Some Great Links
How should Christians engage online? What should inform the words we use the debates we engage? I’ve been studying this question for a particular project (more on that whenever there is more on that). In my study, I’ve come across some terrific articles. I thought I’d pass them along: “An Open Letter to My Politically…
Read MoreThe Best Kind of Protest
Last week, on the way home from classes at TEDS, I listened in on a radio conversation on Moody Radio (90.1 FM). The host was my friend, Chris Fabry. Chris told the story of a listener who wrote in to express his appreciation for Christian radio. The man had come across Moody in a roundabout…
Read MoreEaster’s Big “If”
What are we saying when we gather to worship on Easter Sunday? We are actually saying something radical, are we not? We’re saying that an itinerant rabbi who lived 2,000 years ago in a backwater town in the Middle East is actually God. But we’re saying more than that, aren’t we? We’re not only saying…
Read MoreThy Kingdom Come
I’m currently in the midst of a series on The Lord’s Prayer. This past Sunday I preached on the phrase: “They Kingdom Come.” I came across some great quotes in preparation: From Ray Pritchard‘s excellent book, And When You Pray: Consider the matter this way. Every time you pray you must say one of two things.…
Read MoreThe Rise of the Thin-Skinned Radicals
I was in a conversation the other day with some friends about some of the latest debates in the evangelical church. One of the things that struck us is just how thin-skinned we tend to be when our ideas are challenged. What’s particularly interesting is how intolerant we are of people we think are intolerant.…
Read MoreA Big Announcement
So I have a big, really cool announcement about my blog. Over the past few years, I’ve had the privilege of interviewing all kinds of Christian leaders on this blog in a feature I call “The Friday Five.” I’ve learned a lot, made some great friends, and have heard from lots of people about how…
Read MoreFriday Five: Mike Lambert
Today, it’s my privilege to welcome to the blog, Mike Lambert. Besides being our friends, Mike and his wife, Wendy and their three boys are also members of Gages Lake Bible Church and are missionaries with Trans World Radio. Mike currently works as an engineer with Shure, the microphone company. The Lambert’s have a terrific…
Read More5 Hard Truths for Parents
I hesitate to write a parenting post, only because I’m not an expert, just a father trying his best to parent the way God wants me to. Our kids are still young, so there is no “finished product” to evaluate to see if what I’m saying even makes sense. So when you read the following,…
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