The term “pro-life” brings to mind two things for most folks today: Abortion and politics. But being pro-life goes far beyond mobile sonogram clinics and Capitol Hill. It’s about being pro-life like God is pro-life.   I first saw the movie The Fugitive in 1993. It’s a story about Dr. Richard Kimball (Harrison Ford), who is framed... Continue Reading

It is easy to impress upon people the value of prayers in the home that pertain most directly to the needs of a particular individual or family.  Every Christian knows this is true from his or her own experience.  But what is the value of prayer within the setting of the local church as it... Continue Reading

At Christmas we celebrate birth but always the celebrations entwine with death. Christmas is the dying of the year. Christmas is the celebration of a baby in a manger, and a prelude to the man on a cross. Christmas is itself a testimony that we need not fear death – one year dies, another will... Continue Reading

It’s true that our motivation matters. A shepherd with an empty pantry praying for miracle provision so his sheep don’t starve is different than the guy who is praying for abundance so his neighbor can envy his sheep pen. But I’ll admit that far too often self-interest is what motivates my midnight pleas for assistance.... Continue Reading

You’d hear it in every church: “Take out your hymnal and turn to hymn 154…” And then hymnals went the way of the dodo and we began to look instead to words projected on a screen. Here is some of what we lost along the way.   I don’t think we should go back to using... Continue Reading

“A penny wise and a pound foolish” is a cliché used to describe the practice of caring about minute costs while ignoring the more substantial ones. Being obsessed with the “total costs” of a new hire while not being obsessed with getting the “right person” is being “penny wise and pound foolish.”   All hires... Continue Reading

God uses your prayers to fulfill His sovereign plans. He also uses prayer as a means of growing us by grace. So pray! Pray for your staff. Pray with your staff. Have your elders pray regularly for your staff. Make prayer a central part of your staff meetings. Pray that God would be glorified through the ministries led by... Continue Reading

Many pundits have rightly observed the impact of culture on the church, where church is, at best, just another activity. We have also addressed the issue of increasing choices. Many church members and attendees have so many opportunities to do other activities, and they can often afford them like never before.   There has been... Continue Reading

Racism is sin. It is a declaration that seems unambiguous enough on the surface and, dare I say, is one with which hardly anyone today – Christian or not – would disagree. Nevertheless, there is a broader context in which the aforementioned attestation should be understood. Which is to say, it does not suffice merely... Continue Reading

Like many other words in European languages, the French word nöel traces back to Latin and the word natalis, which means “birthday” or “relating to birth.” It’s also the root of English words like neonatal and postnatal.   Virtually every other language has a word for Christmas. Spanish-speakers celebrate Navidad. The Italians have Natale and the Dutch look forward to Kerstmis.... Continue Reading