Some of the most beautiful poetry ever written is in the Bible. I came across this at work today from Job 9: our days “are passed away as the swift ships.” Beautiful language. It would be well worth it to take a long time to read through particularly eloquent passages of the Bible. I think we undervalue such passages sometimes. But that’s a series for another week. This week, I want to talk about how Christians should react to the... Read more

BC asked me in the comments section if I’m thinking about doing a PhD. The answer is yes. But I’m a weird sort of PhD-seeker. I don’t want to be an academic first and foremost. I would love to be able to teach, but not on a full-time basis. My calling, I think, is to be a pastor, and I want to be a pastor of the type I’ve described thus far this week: an intellectual pastor, one who seeks... Read more

As I can see it, there are a few key dangers when it comes to pastors getting a PhD. 1) Big Head Syndrome. It seems quite possible that a pastor who does get a PhD could think himself better than those of his congregation who do not have PhDs. That would be a terrible thing, because it would mean that the pastor was despising his congregation. A pastor must always cultivate a heart of love for his people and must... Read more

The 20th century witnessed an evangelical backlash against traditional, or classical, education. In the face of growing secularism, Christians started a ton of Bible institutes and colleges to train their children. Their reaction is understandable. Much good has indeed come from such institutions (a genuine love for God, evangelistic passion, actional love for one’s neighbor, etc), though one can also spot harmful effects as well. Perhaps the major weakness of the Bible institute model is its general lack of rigorous... Read more

I’m writing this week about the benefits of an intellectually oriented pastoral corps. As I write, I want to do so with sensitivity and nuance. This could be a tricky issue, and I want to avoid a tone of condescension at all costs. So with that in mind, let me say that one does not in any way need letters after one’s name to be a gifted and godly pastor or leader. The mere possession of a degree by no... Read more

Some consumed readers have asked me for a booklist on the topic we’re discussing, on how Christians might change the inner-city. Let me say that I do not know of any explicitly Christian books that approach this topic from the viewpoint I’m espousing. However, here are some noteworthy books that do address the topic of families and also may include information on the inner-city: William Gairdner, The War Against the FamilyChristopher Lasch, Haven in a Heartless WorldDavid Blankenhorn, Fatherless AmericaRobert... Read more

Churches and individual Christians cannot singlehandedly turn around the inner-city. But we can hugely help by realizing that the central problem facing the inner-city is not economic, it is not material, is not education-oriented, but it is familial. I will repeat to be clear: the central problem of the American inner-city is the breakdown of the family.The central reason for this breakdown is the failure of many inner-city men to assume their God-given role as family heads. The inner-city finds... Read more

Many of us know that the inner cities are troubled. We do not lack for attention to this reality, and the problem has drawn many suggested answers. Some believe that building sustainable economic structures is the way out. Others put their hope in programs that address various aspects of the inner-city situation: Big Brothers/Sisters and that sort of thing. Some think that education is the way out. Others emphasize the role of the government in aiding the weak and weary.... Read more

I’ve always enjoyed the city, and I’ve long had a burden for the inner-city. Surrounded by promise and plenty, the American inner-city is often a den for struggle, pain, and iniquity, a place most Americans avoid not only physically, but mentally. For many of us, it’s better to not even think of the troubles facing the inner-city. Then we have no sense of responsibility for it, and can go safely and pleasantly about our lives. Now, I am not one... Read more

I’ve learned a bunch from reflecting on my lifelong passion for basketball. If the Lord gives my wife and me children, I will work hard to counteract the culture’s trend to worship sports and the celebrities created by sports. I had long thought that I would train any boys I had to be basketball players. Though I’m sure I will play the game with them, I now have no intentions of holding up basketball as an end in itself. It... Read more