My wife and I recently were guests at a wedding. As we sat down in the church, we both immediately noticed a large American flag hanging on the left side of the front of the sanctuary. On the right side was a large Israeli flag. Both flags were draped boldly in front of worshipers. They weren’t […]
Is the Bible the Inerrant Word of God?
Inerrant means “free from error.” For many evangelicals this is an important part of their belief system. They would say, “If God inspired the Bible, and God cannot commit error, then the Bible cannot contain any errors!” For this reason, critics of the Christian faith enjoy targeting the Bible. They believe that if they can […]
Why Do We Go to the Woods?
When I first started backpacking, I didn’t have the Internet. I didn’t have any decent gear. I didn’t even own a backpack – I borrowed one. GPS wasn’t available, and, the only fabric I had ever heard of was cotton – which I smothered myself in during all seasons. In spite of these “handicaps,” I backpacked. […]
Wives Submit to Your Husbands; Husbands Love Your Wives
Few passages in Scripture have caused as much emotion and disagreement as Ephesians 5:22-23. Few passages have also been as abused, and as a result, inflicted such grief to families as this passage. Yet, in spite of often being misunderstood and feared, the passage has also ushered great harmony into Christian marriages when it is recognized for what it teaches. I suspect that […]
Is Jesus Literally Present in the Eucharist?
“And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” These are the words of Jesus as found in Luke 22:19. He spoke them in the Upper Room just prior to […]
Why Won’t God Heal Amputees?
I first came across this question on YouTube, in a video entitled “10 Questions Every Intelligent Christian Must Answer.” The question was apparently asked by someone who is critical of Christianity – or at least of some claims made by Christians. When I last viewed the video it had over 6 million hits. Obviously, it […]
How Do I Know That God is Really Real?
…believing in God might be fine for my grandparents and parents, but it’s not for me. We live in a “CSI” world. If something cannot be seen, felt, and measured, or, discovered in a laboratory, then there isn’t any real reason to believe it exits. If there is a God, how can I know that […]
Jesus Doesn’t Want Us to Be Doormats…Right?
Jesus said not to “resist an evil person,” but whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also (Matt 5:39). I was teaching on this passage once when someone responded, “Jesus doesn’t want us to be doormats!” It was spoken in a rhetorical fashion, as if the obvious response was to […]
How to Offer An Apology
We’ve all been there. Someone has offended us. Then, in an awkward conversation they “offer” an apology. Yet, as we walk away we can’t escape the feeling that there was no actual apology offered. The words were there. But it wasn’t an apology. What has happened? The purpose of this short posting is not about dealing with […]
The Dangers of Being Christian in America
It is no secret that many countries are openly hostile to Christians and Christianity. Even countries that claim a policy of tolerance toward Christianity, often abuse, arrest, and kill Christians. In many places it is risky to be called Christian. It can be dangerous to share your faith, and even deadly to convert to a follower of […]