Three Paragraphs I Wrote that Seemed to Offend a Lot of People

Of all the things I have ever written, there are three consecutive paragraphs I once wrote that seem to have offended more people than anything else I’ve ever written. Please understand, I really don’t like to offend people. I am committed to—even passionate about—speaking (and writing) truth with grace. My problem in the case of … Continue reading Three Paragraphs I Wrote that Seemed to Offend a Lot of People

Teenagers and Parental Hypocrisy: Seven Suggestions

I raised four daughters. That is to say, together with my highly-committed and sensible wife, Trudi, I raised four daughters. I must admit, though, that sometimes it feels like they raised me. Nothing highlights one’s sinful tendencies more effectively than raising children. Every parent reading right now knows what I mean. The relationship between teenagers … Continue reading Teenagers and Parental Hypocrisy: Seven Suggestions

Living a D’Vine Life in Christ (John 15:1-5)

Yes, my title has a double meaning: The vine in John 15 is Christ, who is Divine, and we live life connection to the Vine. So one way to refer to the Christian life is: living a D’Vine Life. A couple years ago I wrote a devotional book about inChristness in the letters of Paul—100 … Continue reading Living a D’Vine Life in Christ (John 15:1-5)

Exponential Discipleship

In an ideal world, all Christians would maintain three types of spiritual relationships as they walked through life. (Disclaimer: There have only been a couple times in my own life when I have had all three going at once, but this is still an ideal worth aiming for.) A spiritual mentor: It is wonderful to … Continue reading Exponential Discipleship

Answers to Prayer: Small Prayers

I’ve been thinking a lot over the past 24 hours about prayer (again!). I’ve been wondering whether one of the primary reasons we get discouraged in prayer relates to what we pray about—and what we remember praying about. Because we typically pray a few ongoing prayers that feel super important, but that haven’t yet been … Continue reading Answers to Prayer: Small Prayers

25 Questions a Christian Woman Should Ask Herself When a Man Starts to Show Interest

(Note: Trudi and I wrote this blog post together.) We’re not relationships experts. Certainly not. But we raised four daughters and we’ve talked to a lot of college-aged women about relationships over the years. Here’s a list of 25 questions we sometimes share with Christian young women who are evaluating the possibility of a relationship … Continue reading 25 Questions a Christian Woman Should Ask Herself When a Man Starts to Show Interest

Eight Things I Learned from David Needham

Earlier this week, David Needham, my former teacher at Multnomah Bible College, passed into the presence of the Lord at the age of 94. During the past few days, I have been reflecting upon his profound influence on me. Here are eight things I learned from my beloved teacher. 1. Awe in the Presence of … Continue reading Eight Things I Learned from David Needham

Remember Those Who are Mistreated

Last night I read through a recent issue of Voice of the Martyrs magazine (about 15 pages). It is my practice—a personal discipline if you will—to read through every new issue of this magazine. In all honesty, I am often a bit reluctant to do so, but the reason I open and read is because … Continue reading Remember Those Who are Mistreated

“Ask Jesus into Your Heart”: Only Your Heart?

Apart from the fact that the expression “ask Jesus into your heart” isn’t found anywhere in the Bible—the closest similar phrase being “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (Eph 3:17), which is a verse directed to Christians—there is another problem with the idea of asking Jesus into your heart. In modern-day English, … Continue reading “Ask Jesus into Your Heart”: Only Your Heart?

A Simple Way to Filter the Daily News

My old plan was to listen alternately to a politically-right radio program followed by a politically-left radio program during my ten-minute daily drive to and from work. I thought this discipline might help me recognize and appreciate varying perspectives. But it didn’t work. The viewpoints I encountered on the radio were too extreme. The depth … Continue reading A Simple Way to Filter the Daily News