This is not an original question. As a matter of fact, it was first asked by French Enlightenment thinkers, Constantine Francois Volney (1757-1820) and Charles Dupuis (1742-1809). Then the first academic advocate was 19th century historian and theologian Bruno Bauer (1809-1882). [i] These men suggested a theory that the story of Jesus, as found in the […]
5 Days, 4 Nights, 70 Miles
For as much as I enjoy backpacking, one would think that I would engage in the activity more than I do. But I’m guessing that very few of us actually have opportunity to do the things we love as much as we’d like to. I guess that’s how life is. This summer I had really […]
Sawyer Mini Modifcation
What’s not to love about the Sawyer Mini Squeeze filter? Well, for one thing, the provided “dirty” water bladder isn’t very convenient. The bladder is designed to be attached to the filter so that the water can be squeezed through it. However, the opening of the bladder is around an inch wide. One must either […]
The Four Blood Moons and September 28th
I had no intentions of blogging about this topic. However, within the past week I have had several people worriedly ask me my opinion about the four blood moons and fast approaching Sept 28, 2015. Therefore, I thought it might be helpful to those who follow my blogs to explore this topic with me. If […]
Was Kim Davis Wrong Or Right?
Before you register an answer, take the time to read this blog to fully understand the question. An inspiring and interesting news story has been sweeping the headlines. Kentucky clerk, Kim Davis, had refused to issue marriage licenses from her county office after the Supreme Court ruled allowing same sex marriages. She was jailed for that refusal. However, at […]
Are We Adopted By God or Born Into His Family?
This can seem confusing. Paul writes that we Christians have been “adopted” into God’s family (see Eph. 1:4-5 & Gal 4:5). Yet, we remember that Jesus told Nicodemus that we must be “born again” (John 3:3). So, which is it? Are we born into God’s family or are we adopted into God’s family? Are we […]
Can A Christian Remarry?
This is one of the most frequently-asked questions that comes my way in ministry. It is generally asked because of something Jesus said in Mark 10:11, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.” That passage seems pretty straightforward. And, if we had no other passage dealing with the subject, then we […]
Something Is Happening
There seems to be something going on. Something spiritual. Something good. Something very good. For the past four or five years I’ve noticed something happening locally. I’ve shared it with my wife, friends, and my church. It’s time now to take it to the next level and blog about it. I want to share what […]
#8Thirty8
WARNING: This post contains graphic language. Here in the West we Christians tend to think of persecution as being mocked, laughed at, or being discriminated against. It makes us uncomfortable, but we can easily find the support of other Christians when this happens. If you are a follower of Jesus, however, in other parts of […]
Challenging the Rainbow
It’s hard to keep my emotions in check as I type this blog. Generally speaking, I’m a laid-back kind of guy. I don’t easily give in to emotional outbursts. As a matter of fact, I pride myself on being extremely pragmatic, allowing my reasoning functions to reign over my emotions. This time it’s not so easy. […]