Spiritual Tools for Car Trouble on Vacations

“It wouldn’t be a Berding vacation without car trouble!” So remarked one of my adult daughters two days ago just after her tire shredded on the California freeway on our way to a family vacation at Lake Arrowhead. Unbelievably, this is family vacation seven (yes, #7!) in which we’ve found ourselves in an auto shop. … Continue reading Spiritual Tools for Car Trouble on Vacations

Hidden Agendas in Worship Leading

I recently led a seminar for students at Biola who are studying to become church worship leaders entitled: “Hidden Agendas in Worship Leading.” I had them break into groups and discuss what sorts of hidden motivations sometimes lie under the surface in the process of planning and implementing times of worship. When we came back … Continue reading Hidden Agendas in Worship Leading

Psychiatric Diagnoses and Psychoactive Medications: A Short Book Review

What do you do when someone in your church tells you that he or she has been diagnosed with _____________ (fill-in-the-blank) psychiatric disorder? How do you respond when you learn that he or she has already begun taking a psychoactive medication to alleviate the problem? How should a regular Christian evaluate psychiatric diagnoses and appraise … Continue reading Psychiatric Diagnoses and Psychoactive Medications: A Short Book Review

Practicing the Presence of God…like Nehemiah

I recently discovered something about Nehemiah that I had never noticed before. There are lots of hints in the biblical book that bears his name that Nehemiah was a person who lived with an ongoing awareness of the presence of the Lord, and who highly valued the importance of communion with God. Nehemiah is constantly … Continue reading Practicing the Presence of God…like Nehemiah

The Easiest Way to Memorize the Bible: What I Learned from Dr. John Mitchell

Today I'm excited to share with you a piece that I wrote a number of years ago about memorizing the Bible. This little article has probably been read by more people than anything else I've written in my life. I hope that it will increase your desire and confidence to keep hiding God's Word in … Continue reading The Easiest Way to Memorize the Bible: What I Learned from Dr. John Mitchell

Actually Praying

A temptation many of us face is to not pray when we pray. We say prayers before meals, with our children before bed, before we teach Sunday school classes, and when we stand during worship services. And if your life is anything like mine, you are the designated pray-er for family functions. But we are … Continue reading Actually Praying