“Preach the gospel at all times and, if necessary, use words.“ This classic quote, misattributed to Saint Francis of Assisi, is both clever and catchy. It just isn’t biblical. Evangelism—communicating the good news of King Jesus—always requires words. As believers we are called to “adorn” the gospel with our actions (Titus 2:10), to be sure, but our actions are not themselves the gospel. No amount of righteous living can replace the necessity of verbally proclaiming God’s saving achievement in Christ. But even though all evangelism involves sharing the same message, not all evangelism occurs in the same manner. Here are three kinds[1] we see modeled in the New Testament. 1. Family Evangelism God intends gospel proclamation to take place within Christian homes as parents raise t...

Thanksgiving is approaching, and before we turn on the football game or rush off to the mall, the more traditional among us will honor the day by reminding our families of the story of the Pilgrims.  And in keeping with tradition, we’ll get much of the story wrong.  Most of the inaccuracies will be trivial.  In our mind’s eye, we’ll remember the Pilgrims decked out in black suits and enormous silver buckles, seated at a long table loaded with turkey and pumpkin pie.  It would be more accurate to imagine them adorned in bright colors, seated on the ground, and enjoying turnips and eel, but these are superficial differences that don’t change the meaning of the story very much. That’s not the case with how we remember the Pilgrims’ reasons for coming to America.  Many...

All the World’s a Stage “All the world’s a stage,” Shakespeare famously wrote, “And all the men and women merely players” (As You Like It, Act II, Scene VII). He was right, but he wasn’t the first to say that. Forty years before Shakespeare penned those words, John Calvin had called the universe God’s “majestic theater.” So the world isn’t just a stage; it’s God’s stage where all things showcase the magnificent splendor of his surpassing wisdom, power, and love. And since the universe is a theater for God’s glory, that means the name of the “play” that has been performed since its grand debut is Life. God the Father is the Author of Life, God the Spirit is the Director, and God the Son (Jesus) is the Star Actor and Main Character of its story. Along with everyone who has ever been born, yo...

While spending a Sunday in London, five college students went to the Metropolitan Tabernacle to hear its famous preacher, Charles Spurgeon. As they waited for the doors to open, the students were greeted by a man (who they would later learn was Spurgeon himself), who offered, “Gentlemen, let me show you around. Would you like to see the heating plant of this church?” They were not particularly interested for it was a hot day in July, but they didn’t want to offend the stranger so they consented. The students were taken down a stairway, a door was quietly opened, and their guide whispered, “This is our heating plant.” Surprised, they saw 700 people bowed in prayer, seeking a blessing on the service that was soon to begin in the auditorium above. In that moment, the students learned an impor...

Scripture commands parents to teach their children God’s Word (Deut. 6:6–9; Eph. 6:4). Yet the potential obstacles to teaching the Bible to children, especially small children, are nearly endless. How do you hold their attention? How do you communicate the great mysteries of the faith in a way they can understand? How can you make this a habit when your time is pulled in so many directions? I’ll address these questions indirectly by directly addressing another: what exactly do you teach your small children in order to instruct them in the faith? Here’s my suggestion: pull a page from the seminary curriculum and teach them exegesis, biblical theology, and systematic theology. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. You’re supposed to be making this easier, not harder!” I know. Hang in there. Let’s take these on...

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, hostilities between Allied forces and Germany ceased, bringing an end to World War I.  In 1938, November 11 was made an annual holiday; in 1954, the observance became known as “Veterans Day.” There are currently more than 1.4 million Americans on active military duty around the world, and another 850,000 on reserve duty.  They are part of the 22,658,000 who have served in our nation’s military.  Each of them might have asked this question, recently posted online: “I am 16 years old and I live in the US.  I am driven towards my goal of the armed forces and joining the US Army Rangers like my father.  My question is this: is it still worth the sacrifice that I woul...

By all appearances, we Americans still cling to the Thanksgiving holiday, setting aside a few hours for a special meal with family and friends before turning on the football game or heading to the mall for a deal on electronics.  But we have long since abandoned any idea of a Thanksgiving season, an extended period in which to anticipate the holiday, reflect on its significance, and live out its meaning.  Christmas decorations go up in the stores as the Halloween decorations come down.  The calendar page turns to November and the Hallmark Channel begins its “Countdown to Christmas” programming.  With admirable candor, Amazon.com simply trumpets the “Countdown to Black Friday.”  Sigh.  This is sad for any number of reasons, not the least of which is the fact th...

We live in a world of cutting edge and the “next big thing.” Like bugs to a porch light we hover around TV’s and computer screens watching as the latest “iWhatever” is released. “This one is 5% bigger and more powerful!” announces the middle-aged man in skinny jeans standing on the platform with his company’s new gadget. We rush out to pre-order that latest “it” product. Once we finally receive our prized possession, we proudly display it as a badge of honor, pulling it out at parties as people ogle our latest gadget around the punch bowl wishing they had one just like it. After all, it’s cutting edge and it’s the hottest new thing. The problem? Six months later, we’re holding an outdated phone that’s been dropped, beaten, stained with coffee and last week’s oatmeal and we begin to wonder,...

Whenever a pastor falls, especially one who is famous (or infamous), it affords the church in general and pastors specifically an opportunity to do some serious reflection. I serve as pastor of a local church. I have served on a church staff since I was a 20 year old college sophomore. Twenty seven years later I daily realize how much I still need to grow. Like so many, I have thought and opined quite a bit about Mark Driscoll and the fallout at Mars Hill Church. I have thought about the many warning signs early on in Driscoll’s ministry that some gave voice to but few heard. I have thought about some of the failures of Mars Hill to hold her leadership accountable. But most recently I have been reflecting on the condition of my own heart. The following is a bit of my own interior dialogue ...

I hope you don’t think pastors are superhuman. When you mostly see us on best behavior one morning a week, it is easy to get an unbalanced view of us. I want to let you in on a little secret. Pastors are normal people. So no one should be surprised when a pastor messes up – whether it is a famous pastor, or your pastor. We are in the same fight you’re in. We are not aloof from your spiritual battles. We enter the fray every day – even Sunday – just like you. It is important that churchgoers understand pastors are not a special class. How normal is the pastor’s spiritual life? Here are four ways. 1. Pastors face the same temptations as everyone else Paul wrote, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man” (1 Cor. 10:13), and this includes everyone in vocational ministry. No t...

[Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt of Greg Forster’s book Joy for the World: How Christianity Lost Its Cultural Influence & Can Begin Rebuilding It. (Crossway Books, 2014, pp. 268-272) Reprinted by permission.] Why Politics Takes over Everything How does citizenship go wrong? A growing number of people sense that in America today, partisan conflict—the contest for power—is taking over everything. People are no longer confident that we share a citizenship that is more than merely political, nor are they confident that our politics can be based on a moral consensus about justice. Politics is coming more and more to mean solely partisan conflict, and more and more areas of human life are becoming subordinated to that conflict. This is not a new phenomenon. In fact, it’s the way c...

November 1st is All Saints Day! This ceremonial event is a day that we praise all the saints — known & unknown! To honor All Saints Day, please join us in reading or saying this quick devotion:  Dear God, praise you for giving us the glorious example of the Saints. I aspire to meet their company, praising you forever in Heaven. Please help me to follow in their footsteps, and yours, Jesus Christ. Please help me to submit myself to Your call, seeking Your order in all things, just as the Saints did. Please help me to commit myself to Your glory, and to the service of my neighbors. Amen.    What is All Saints Day? All Saints Day, also known as All Hallows’ Day, or Hallowmas, is a Christian celebration in honor of all the saints from Christian history. In Wester...