John Chrysostom on the Power of Prayer
October 28, 2011The potency of prayer has subdued the strength of fire, it has bridled the rage of lions, hushed anarchy to rest, extinguished wars, appeased the elements, expelled demons, burst the chains of death, expanded the fates of heaven, assuaged diseases, dispelled frauds, rescued cities from destruction, stayed the sun in its course, and arrested the progress of the thunderbolt. There is (in it) an all-sufficient panoply, a treasure undiminished, a mine which is never exhausted, a sky unobscured by clouds, a heaven unruffled by the storm. It is the root, the fountain, the mother of a thousand blessings! –…
Continue ReadingFriday Five: Aaron Armstrong
October 28, 2011Today I’m happy to feature an interview with my good friend, Aaron Armstrong, who blogs at Blogging Theologically. This a blog I subscribe to and thoroughly enjoy as Aaron features a breadth of theological content. Besides blogging, Aaron is an itinerant preacher, and a writer for an international Christian ministry focused on caring for the needs of the poor. His work has appeared on The Gospel Coalition’s “Voices” blog and RelevantMagazine.com’s “Deeper Walk” column. Aaron, his wife Emily, and their children worship and serve at Harvest Bible Chapel in London, Ontario.. Today I want to talk to Aaron about his…
Continue ReadingYour Best Testimony: Not Being a Jerk
October 26, 2011Sometimes the best opportunity to demonstrate the gospel to those who do not know Jesus is quite simply not being a jerk when you have the opportunity. I’m talking about those times when you’ve been wronged and most people would excuse you for flipping your lid and taking your frustrations out on the next person in your path. In the last two weeks I’ve had a few such opportunities. I want to mention one in particular. Last week I went to Sam’s Club to sign up for a church membership card so that it would be easier for us to…
Continue ReadingCautions for Christians in a Political Season
October 24, 2011In America, politics is all around us, whether you want it to be or not. But as we anticipate the election of 2012, it is reaching a fever pitch. Being a political junkie myself, I find myself being, at times, so consumed by it that it distracts me from my main calling as a follower of Christ. So I thought perhaps it would be good to consider a few guidelines that might govern our conversations, activism, and online discussions in this political season. 1) Don’t Convince Yourself that One Election Will Solve Everything. Elections do have consequences and good leadership…
Continue ReadingFriday Five: Craig Von Busek
October 21, 2011Today I have the privilege of interviewing my friend, Craig von Buseck. Craig is the Ministries Director for CBN.com, one of the largest Christian websites in the world. He is a prolific writer and popular speaker. His latest book, Praying the News has recently been released by Regal. Today, more than ever, we are inundated with news across a variety of platforms. How does this affect our psyche?
Continue ReadingRavioli Parenting
October 17, 2011As a kid, I loved eating ravioli and as an adult I still like eating it. It’s one of my favorite meals. But as a Dad, ravioli has become my enemy. Why? Because it may be the single messiest meal for kids. You are pretty much guaranteed that if you give your sweet little infant a bowl of ravioli, they will end up with an epic sauce and noodle disaster. So I hate ravioli. My wife, however, doesn’t seem to be so bothered by it. Every once in a while she will say to me, “Dan, should we have ravioli…
Continue ReadingFriday Five – Drew Dyck
October 14, 2011Drew Dyck is the author of Generation Ex-Christian (Moody, 2010). He has served in a variety of ministry roles. He currently works for Christianity Today International as the managing editor of Leadership Journal. Prior to this, Drew was the editor of New Man magazine. Drew stopped by today to answer questions for today’s Friday Five:
Continue ReadingWill Pastors’ Influence on the Political Process Decline?
October 11, 2011Over the last few days, the issue of Mormonism and Christianity has been front and center in the news media, thanks to the controversy created by Pastor Robert Jeffress of 1st Baptist Church of Dallas. If you missed the dustup, Dr. Jeffress endorsed Texas Governor Rick Perry in his race for the White House and subsequently told reporters he’d have a hard time voting for Mitt Romney, because of Romney’s devout Mormonism. I’ve been thinking about this controversy for a few days, waiting to respond. It’s a complicated issue for a few reasons. One the one hand, Dr. Jeffress was…
Continue ReadingFive Ways to Redeem Your Ride
October 10, 2011Most Americans drive a considerable distance to get to work. According to the United States Government, the average American spends 100 hours every year in the car. Gallup says that the average American has a 46 minute commute. For a Christian, this represents a terrific opportunity to learn and grow. Technology has given us considerable content that can help us stretch and grow our minds and learn more about God. Here are five ways to redeem your ride: 1) Worship. By now everyone and their brother has an iPod. If you don’t, you should. And it requires very little technological…
Continue Reading“No, You’re Daddy!”
October 5, 2011Almost two weeks ago, I witnessed the birth of my fourth child, Lily Mae. Even though this was the fourth time I’ve seen a child of mine enter the world, the miracle never lessons in it’s beauty. There is nothing quite like standing in the hospital room and holding your own flesh and blood, moments after they came into the world. The entire process of birth is a wonder, evidence that in this often gloomy, messed-up world, there is still hope. Because God still values life enough to allow it to happen. I’m reminded of the 2nd verse of Bill…
Continue ReadingDo We Need an Evangelical President?
October 4, 2011It’s the beginning of Republican primary season and most of us, though we try, can’t help but be interested in the dynamics of the unfolding drama. It’s the time when political conservatives come out in full force and when GOP candidates hit the hustings, pitching themselves as the solution to America’s problems. One of the perennial questions, especially in the primary race, is the faith of the candidates. Many of them are quick to establisher their “evangelical bona fides.” And it’s the time when the media tries to figure out exactly what an evangelical is. What’s even more interesting is…
Continue ReadingFriday Five: Bradley Wright
September 30, 2011How often have you heard, in the last year, some alarming statistics that “prove” young kids are sprinting away from the church, that Christianity in the West will die in the next generation, and that the world thinks Christians are idiots? If so, then today’s Friday Five will challenge some of those statistical assumptions. I’m delighted to interview Bradley R.E. Wright. Brad Wright is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Connecticut where he studies American Christianity. He received his Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin, where he was trained in social psychology and criminology. He has authored twenty…
Continue ReadingMini-Reviews #5
September 29, 2011Another batch of mini-reviews: Raised Right by Alisa Harris I have mixed feelings about this book. For one, I’m always a bit jaded by memoirs from people who are young. Alisa Harris is 26 years old. On the other hand, I thoroughly enjoyed this book because it puts a personal touch, a face, on a generation of evangelical involvement in politics. Alisa Harris tells how she moved from a doctrinaire right-wing zealot to someone more moderate, even liberal in her politics. She correctly points out hypocrisies in evangelical conservative politics and how the church’s mission gets lost when it seeks…
Continue ReadingSaying Nice Things about People With Whom You Disagree
September 27, 2011Can you say nice things about people with whom you disagree? On the anniversary of 9/11 I posted a nice comment on Facebook about the leadership of President Bush after 9/11. It wasn’t a political statement, just a note of admiration. I was surprised at how many people (many Christians) who wrote scathing things about the President. Some were conservatives upset he wasn’t conservative enough. Others were liberals who were convinced he was the 2nd coming of Hitler. I think this is a shame. I see this same dynamic when I post nice things about President Obama. Now a few…
Continue ReadingFriday Five Interview: Sam Crabtree
September 23, 2011Sam Crabtree is a former public school teacher and has served as executive pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis since 1997. He is the author of a wonderful new book, Practicing Affirmation. This book gives the Christian case for refreshing others through encouragement and God-centered praise. A much needed book for the Christian community. Sam was kind enough to stop by and answer questions for today’s Friday Five:
Continue ReadingAre Pre-Packaged Sermon Series a Good Idea for Pastors?
September 19, 2011Pastoring in this age is a great blessing, because of the volume and variety of resources at our disposal. I have hundreds of books and commentaries on my computer thanks to Wordsearch software. Then I have a library full of books and a number of key websites I visit. That’s not to mention the study Bibles I own. You can be a marginally intelligent guy like me and still craft a good sermon. One of the resources that I find most helpful are downloadable sermons. Several ministries offer these, including Preaching Today from Christianity Today, Sermon Central, and Rick Warren’s…
Continue ReadingFriday Five – Sheila Walsh
September 16, 2011Sheila Walsh is a popular Bible teacher, singer, and best-selling author from Scotland. She’s a featured speaker with the Women of Faith conferences. Her best-selling memoir Honestly, was a Gold Medallion Award nominee. She’s also written The Heartache No One Sees, Beautiful Things Happen When A Woman Trusts God and (my daughter’s favorite) the Gigi, God’s Little Princess series, which has won the National Retailer’s Choice Award twice and is the most popular Christian brand for young girls in the US. Sheila just recently released her newest book and DVD Bible study for women The Shelter of God’s Promises. Today…
Continue ReadingUnderstanding the Hispanic Culture
September 15, 2011I was pleased to listen to this broadcast (embedded below) on Focus on the Family, featuring Samuel Rodriguez, President of National Hispanic Leadership Conference, a Hispanic Evangelical organization. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of some of America’s leading Evangelical organizations such as: Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, National Association of Evangelicals, and Christianity Today. What I appreciated about this interview was Rodriguez explanation of the Hispanic culture’s emphasis on the family. Currently there are 50 million Hispanics in America, 16-18 million of whom are evangelical Christians. Rodriguez explained that in their culture, church and family are vital. I…
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