For a time of the year that most celebrate, the average person doesn’t know much about the holiday season. There’s an entire world of interesting facts, thoughts, and trivia surrounding the holiday season. Whether preparing for a great game of holiday trivia or just being a trivia buff, here we present ten fun holiday trivia facts to help start the party this holiday season! Christmas was not always celebrated in December In a column I wrote last year, I pointed... Read more
It’s that time of year again! Most people are familiar with the Christmas holiday, even if celebrating it isn’t their thing. Christmas, however, isn’t the only thing going on at this time of the year. As I explored in my column last year, there are a number of unusual December holidays that many don’t know much about. The end of the year is about a number of different observances, including those that relate to life, death, spirituality, self-expression, and cultural... Read more
For Christians worldwide, the advancing Christmas season is met with a quiet pause to wait. The idea of waiting isn’t anyone’s favorite pastime, yet it’s something we do throughout our Christian lives. As we wait the annual celebration of Christ’s incarnation, we’re reminded of the different periods throughout salvation history where God’s people had to wait. In those moments where we desire word, direction, or insight most, we are often told to wait. And as hard of times as often... Read more
On the last Sunday in November, my church celebrates an oft-forgotten aspect of the holiday season: our friends. Friendsgiving has become an annual Sanctuary tradition that we look forward to all year. For those unfamiliar with the concept, Friendsgiving is an opportunity for friends to get together to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. While some do choose to celebrate with their families on a different day or at a different time, Friendsgiving is strictly to celebrate friendship. It began as an... Read more
When looking out over Christianity, most first look to the number of denominations within its ranks. (As a point of fact, all religions have denominations; this isn’t exclusive to Christianity). One of the most intriguing histories remains the differences between the Eastern Orthodox Churches and the Roman Catholic Church (Eastern and Western Rites). To the untrained eye, the two can appear to have much in common. They are both rooted in antiquity, both embody tradition, and both have a sense... Read more
Kindness isn’t a common theme in modern preaching. It’s not a virtue we hear much of anywhere, at that fact. On occasion, we might see mention of kindness on a social media meme, but that’s about it. In our world that drives us to outdo everyone else, thrive in front of haters, and excel overall, kindness doesn’t quite fit. Regardless, it is something the world needs more of – so much so, it’s acknowledged on November 13 through World Kindness... Read more
As we approach the Christmas season, it’s not uncommon to see pins, T-shirts, cards, and other things with the following saying on them: “Jesus is the reason for the season!” on them.They often illicit a response somewhere between sentiment and nostalgia. Used as part of the great Christmas culture wars, it’s an effort to move the Christmas season away from commercialism. By switching the focus to Christ, many believe they can override the times and seasons of Christmas manifest through... Read more
Universalism, or the idea that eventually the entire world will be saved, isn’t a new idea. It isn’t as old as many might assume (and we will address this later), but it’s often posed as a modern, softer approach to salvation. As a doctrine that tends to reappear every so many generations, I’m asked about it frequently. What is it? Why does it appeal? Is there any support for it? Most importantly, is it a doctrine we should believe? What... Read more
One of the questions I’m asked most often is How can we understand Bible prophecy? The truth is that it’s a loaded question that I can’t fully answer in a single column. Contrary to what we might believe, there is more than one type of Bible prophecy. This means each type of prophecy requires a different interpretation and understanding in order to fully understand its contents. It’s also important to have knowledge of what prophecy is in addition to a... Read more
All of us face the question at some point in our lives: what is my purpose? We all desire to do something worthwhile, especially to feel that what we do matters. For many of us, the question is elusive. For most of our lives, we’ve been told our purpose lies in specific things…that we may or may not be suited to do. Some think it’s answered in fame, others in obscurity. When it comes to walking in purpose, what does... Read more
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In