The Present at the Expense of the Eternal In the chapter on taking Jesus’s message seriously, the researchers say “there was very little focus on going to heaven and hardly any talk of hell. Salvation was a major theme, but a kind of salvation that is more focused on life in the present than something... Continue Reading

“Shepherding of our children changes with their maturity level. Physically, they move from total dependence to total independence. Similarly, the goal in discipleship is to move from command to persuasion, from discipline to discernment, from external controls to internal controls, from parent control to Spirit control.” (29)   Although I’ve read quite many parenting books in... Continue Reading

“The Psalmist is not only weeping, but he reached to hang up his lyre on the branch of a willow tree somewhere along the Tigris or Euphrates River in this cradle that gave birth to the ancient civilization (137:2). The Babylonians, his captors, wanted to hear him sing a song of Zion. But the Psalmist... Continue Reading

Jesus Always is almost indistinguishable from Jesus Calling in its tone, its theme, and voice. The only difference is that Young did not include her claim that these messages originated with Jesus. Yet there is no reason to think that she has stopped her “listening.”   This book is going to be big. Huge, even.... Continue Reading

As I have reflected on my relationship with both Ernie and Michelle, and now having read Michelle’s book, I believe that Michelle’s story is a testimony of a life lived in Psalm 4. King David begins by crying out to the Lord in the midst of his distress: “Answer me when I call, O God... Continue Reading

This book has challenged me on several points. Could it be possible that I am among the multitudes of religious self-deceived  professors who will say on the Day of Judgement “Lord, Lord”? However, Meade makes it clear that he has no intention of discouraging the true child of God and it is those who will... Continue Reading

The main goal in this book is not to teach Christians how to make the case for Christianity, but instead Anderson makes the case directly to the non-Christian.  Thus, the book is written in the second person as he addresses the reader directly.  In short, this is a great book to give to a non-Christian... Continue Reading

Because Elyse Fitzpatrick understands these struggles, she wrote Love to Eat, Hate to Eat.  This isn’t a Christian dieting or Christian exercise book.  Instead, it’s a Bible-filled guide on following Christ without being enslaved to diet, exercise, weight, or size.  I’m not quite finished with the book, but so far I really appreciate it because... Continue Reading

“I also think, ten years later, the younger members of our tribe seem less restless than we did when we started. For all the flack the millennials take in the wider culture, the millennials I meet in the gospel-centered tribe seem more mature, more settled.”   I never set out to “join a movement.” I... Continue Reading

In Reformed theology there are various ways to describe Christ’s church.  One of the descriptions is to distinguish between the church militant and the church triumphant.  This is not to say there are two churches.  It is simply a way to explain the state or degree of Christ’s church.  Christ’s church exists in a twofold... Continue Reading