Should Christian Worship Happen with a “Concert Atmosphere?” Recently someone seeking a church to attend asked me to examine a church’s web site and give them advice about the church, from its web site, before they visit it. I have examined numerous church web sites in that city and visited many churches there. So, that church’s web site revealed the following. And I must say, after examining numerous churches’ web sites and visiting many of the churches in that metropolitan… Read more

Our God Reigns (But How?) *This is a sermon I preached recently. I think I posted it here once before, so if it sounds familiar, that’s why. However I have a good reason to post it here again.* One of our favorite truths is that “our God reigns.” The Bible clearly tells us and our experience confirms—that God is the ruler over all. I whole heartedly affirm that great truth—but with one reservation, qualification. It has to do with another… Read more

A Scholar Who Denied Sex/Gender Difference Recants How well I remember first being told that there is no difference between males and females, men and women, boys and girls—except anatomy and socially assigned roles. That was sometime in the 1980s. Over the years since then, I have witnessed how popular this denial has become especially in academic circles. To make a very complicated “story” simple, I will boil this denial down to its bare elements. According to this narrative about… Read more

Trump and the Rhetoric of Tyranny I used to see a bumper sticker on cars that said “If You’re Not Outraged, You’re Not Paying Attention.” That is my message to all of my fellow Americans today. In recent days America’s head of state and head of government and commander-in-chief of the armed forces has been more than implying that he believes critics and whistle-blowers undermining his presidency are traitors. According to one recording (according to news reports) he said of… Read more

An Ethical Dilemma Posed in a Stephen King Novel What if…the world, humanity, could only be saved from total obliteration by torturing children to death? Spoiler alert! If you intend to read King’s latest novel The Institute you may not want to read this as it contains some details about the plot. I will not, however, give away the ending. The Institute is not your typical King novel if there is such a thing. It’s not exactly a horror story… Read more

Is Christianity Culturally Relative? A Question for Christians to Consider Many Christian academics, especially in the social sciences and religious studies (including theology and missiology) claim that every culture in the world has the right to develop its own form of Christianity without any interference from other cultures—especially European and American cultures. I have had this conversation with numerous Christian anthropologists, missiologists, and theologians. Many of them are former missionaries and Bible translators. I well remember two or three former… Read more

What If Universalism Were True? A Question for Evangelical Christians Especially Throughout Christian history some Christian theologians have believed that eventually everyone will be saved. That’s putting it simply, perhaps simplistically. There are many types of “universalism” among Christians throughout history. Let’s look at two main types. First, there are those Christian theologians (and Christian non-theologians) who have believed and still believe today that there is no hell. By this I mean “hell” in any sense other than some kind… Read more

What Would Be the Alternatives (To Theology Explaining Things)? My immediately preceding blog post was about theology’s explanatory power. It was a response to a snarky comment posted here that I, as owner and moderator, deleted. The writer simply said that theology doesn’t explain anything because there is no evidence backing it up. I have said here numerous times and I expect intelligent people to know that what counts as evidence depends on one’s worldview. But I assume by “no… Read more

What Does Theology Explain? I often simply delete comments here that violate my blog rules. This is not a space for anti-Christians to spew their venom against Christianity or to preach their own false gospels. Unbelievers are welcome here to learn about Christianity, especially evangelical Christianity (defined very broadly), to ask questions, but this is not a discussion board where everyone has the right to say whatever it on his or her mind—especially when what is on his or her… Read more

What Happened in 2015? I believe I am quite an astute observer of cultural trends and especially how they affect church life in America. I am puzzled by something that I believe I have noticed—a turning point, a before and after, that causes me to question many American Christians’ commitment to resisting cultural trends. Let me explain. Now, this is a blog about evangelical Christianity especially but not only in America. By “evangelical” I mean relatively conservative churches, organization, and… Read more