I’m often asked what Biblical tools I use when delving in depth on a particular portion of Scripture. I’ve listed many of the New Testament commentaries I recommend here. Another invaluable resource is the IVP Bible Dictionary Series, which I can’t recommend enough for serious students of the Scriptures. However, one of the volumes in that series has been updated. The Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels by Joel B. Green, Jeannine K. Brown & Nicholas Perrin is an incredible new update! Over twenty-one years... Read more

To the many who have asked, here are my comments about the subject of hell that I’ve written and tweeted in the past. * Whatever the nature of eternal punishment is — conscious torment or annihilation — this question has never altered my desire to bring people to Jesus Christ. Jesus is real Life, for the here-and-now, as well as for the future. So my motive for evangelism has never been to give people a fire-insurance policy. * The greatest Christian minds differ... Read more

The following is a guest post by Jana Wilson. — Congregations everywhere warn about the potential evils of social media. Overusing these platforms in a negative manner can lead to mental health issues as well as dangerous situations. Cyberbullying and other social issues are alive and well, and it can be quite upsetting to spend too much time on your social sites. However, as is a fundamental Christian belief, there is a light and dark side to almost everything. While... Read more

The following is told from the lips of Lazarus, the man whom Jesus raised from the dead. The story presents several different ways in which people respond to Christians when they are sick or suffering. — I could not sleep most of the night. Tossing miserably, my mind refused to shut down. Neither would the pain vibrating throughout my body. If I die, what will happen to my sisters … and my father? With the silversmith shop closed, who will... Read more

EUGENE PETERSON’S passing reminded me of the monumental importance of passing the torch (and those looking for someone from which to receive it). Dallas Willard passed it before he left this earth. I hope the same is true for Eugene. Here’s the article I wrote about it earlier this year. — The phrase “passing the torch” is a commonly used metaphor to depict the act of passing on a charge or responsibility to another individual. The metaphor comes from the... Read more

In our book, Pagan Christianity, George Barna and I wrote an entire chapter on the history of tithing from the Old Testament era, through the New Testament, and onward into church history. What we establish will shock most Christians. Namely, Christians didn’t begin the practice of tithing until hundreds of years after the death of the apostles. They certainly gave money to various needs. But they didn’t tithe as they do today. On another subject, have you ever asked yourself... Read more

In the 102nd episode of the “Christ is All” podcast, I talk about my unforgettable meeting with A.W. Tozer. The best books by Tozer can be found in my Best 100 Christian Books Ever Written list. You can listen to the episode in the following ways: iTunes Podbean (Stream) RSS Feed   PODCAST ARCHIVES – click here to see the complete list of episodes on one page. Read more

It’s been some time since I’ve posted on humor. But this short video is priceless as it underscores — with a creative dose of humor — what many behavioral experts have been saying for years: Women want a guy to just listen and understand while men only want to fix the problem.     Read more

Throughout the New Testament, Jesus Christ presents Himself to us as food and drink. And so do so many of the shadows of Christ contained in the Old Testament. Coca-Cola’s new “friendly twist” bottle cannot be opened by one person. It requires another who also has the bottle. In the same way, we can never partake of the fullness of the riches of Jesus Christ by ourselves, as a solo Christian. We need the other members of the body. For... Read more

Rethinking Discipleship was delivered by Frank Viola at the 2015 Christian Festival in Urbana, IL. Some have dubbed it “The Stairway to Heaven Message” because of the way it’s structured. Here are testimonies from those who heard it live. “This message is one of the high points of Frank’s speaking ministry. An escalating, epic, spiritual odyssey which increases in tempo until it’s brilliant, stunning end. Delivered at the peak of Viola’s creative powers. An incredible look at discipleship, tremendously powerful.”... Read more