“The Non-Partisan Politics of Jesus” In this excerpt from his book Jesus Outside the Line, posted on The Gospel Coalition, Scott Sauls causes us to think about how faithfulness to Jesus will put us at odds with both major political parties on different issues. Then he shows how people who have different political convictions and persuasions can be united by one great thing. “We should feel ‘at home’ with people who share our faith but not our politics even more... Read more
When people ask me how old my kids are it’s fun to see the looks on their faces when I keep listing children after they think I should be done. We currently have four kids. All are under ten and two are toddlers. We’ve learned a lot about parenting through the years and keep encountering new areas where we need to grow. Below I want to share a few things I think are important for parenting your kids during their... Read more
This Summer Beth and I will celebrate our 13th wedding anniversary. Our marriage has been a source of great joy to me and has been the single greatest ingredient in my growth as a man and a Christian. In marriage I have seen my character grow and seen the ugliest aspects of my character come to the fore so I can repent of it. I find myself consistently looking to the wisdom of couples who have been married longer so... Read more
“Now Trending: Pre-Midlife Divorce” Dean Inserra shares some great thoughts on a trend I have noticed in the last few years and didn’t have the insight to be able to describe- pre-midlife divorce. He walks through the issues he sees leading to this in both men and women. “The perceived symbol of freedom is standing right next to you, at the bar, on girls night. Your single best friend doesn’t have the kids tonight because they are either at her... Read more
Last week’s Republican debate was a terrible embarrassment and I’m glad I didn’t let my children watch it. The childish rhetoric and base insults took our political discourse to a new low. We should not be surprised though, because if you are paying attention you will see that on social media, in public meetings, and online forums dialogue disintegrates into name calling in the blink of an eye. What we see from our politicians is merely a reflection of the... Read more
“How Being Conservative Will Make You Liberal“ Scott Sauls shares a simple principle about what happens when we take the commands of the Bible and the example of Christ seriously. “The more conservative we are in our beliefs about the Bible, the more liberal we will be in our loving.” “5 Books You Should Read This Election Year“ Even though it feels like the 2016 Presidential Campaign has been going on forever, we just saw the first votes cast last... Read more
I would not wish the first three months of 1997 on anyone. During these dark days, I wrestled with whether or not I knew Christ on a daily basis. Every night before I closed my eyes to sleep I prayed the sinners prayer hoping that this would be the time I finally felt like a Christian. The problem is I wasn’t a Christian and had no basis upon which I should know I knew the Son of God or have... Read more
“Who is My Neighbor?” Many have been rightly angered over a letter to the editor which appeared in The Alabama Baptist last week. The author, a pastor in Tuscaloosa, argued that his neighbors are only those who share values and appeared to endorse unlimited violence against Muslims. Matt Emerson weighed in and addressed many of the flaws in the pastor’s argument, especially those which seem to be prevalent in the thinking of many Southern evangelicals. “To claim that Americans, or... Read more
By God’s grace I have been able to be a pastor for the last thirteen years, both as a church planter and the pastor of an established church. What follows is not everything I could say about the ministry, but are some things I have been learning and thinking about lately. General 1. Find your identity in the Gospel. God the Father loves you, God the Son died for you, and God the Holy Spirit lives in you. Looking here... Read more
“Why Daughters Need Their Dad” As a man with three daughters, I need all the help I can get to understand how to love and parent them well. This post from Dr. Meg Meeker provides helpful guidance. “Here’s the bad news. You need to stop in your tracks, open your eyes wider, and see what your daughter faces today, tomorrow, and in ten years. It’s tough and it’s frightening, but this is the way it is. While you want the... Read more
One Degree to Another
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