For about five minutes, nearly everyone in America is disgusted with how stores require their employees to work on Thanksgiving evening.  Then, as the retail stores open, that thought gets thrown to the side. The greed of companies might be bad, but how can you pass up such good deals? Even if you don’t go shopping on Black Friday and consider yourself above the masses, soon enough, in the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas, you’ll find yourself looking for and thinking about how to buy all kinds of stuff – even if you hate shopping, like me. You may not be in the rushing hordes of shoppers, but the love of stuff is a serious problem. Our excitement over the latest toys, gadgets, or clothes can very quickly shade over into idolatry. After all, how is our fascination with shiny n...

Peeking out from behind the orange pumpkins and overflowing cornucopias, you may have already begun to spot cinnamon red candles, thick green garlands and an array of ornaments.  TV commercials present snow-filled scenes, roaring fires and busy elves making toys in Santa’s workshop. The sights and sounds of the season are upon us.  They quietly whisper:  Christmas is coming. In just a few days, my husband will climb into the attic and one by one boxes will be brought down and opened.   Each bin contains memories of our lifetime together as a family.  As the tree is trimmed, my children eagerly recall family vacations, preschool creations, and favorite childhood photos.  Christmas music fills the air, hot chocolate is served and new memories are added to t...

In an early 2014 Pulse Opinion poll, 78 percent of 1,000 evangelicals surveyed believed that the biblical command to “love the stranger” means “to treat the stranger humanely while applying the rule of law.” Only 11 percent felt that the biblical command to “love the stranger” means to offer work permits or citizenship.  Does this imply that evangelicals are unkind? No, to the contrary this implies that they are thinking of the whole counsel of Scripture for cultural stewardship. The Bible teaches wise welcome, not blanket amnesty. Biblical teaching would give first consideration to foreigners applying to come to America as blessing, and lawfully (4 million have applied and are waiting). I believe blanket amnesty of many millions more is unwise. Amnesty is unkind to nearly 20 million ...

“The duty of the grand jury,” read the St. Louis County Prosecutor carefully, “is to separate fact from fiction.” Following the August 9th shooting death of 18-year old Michael Brown, jury members met twenty-five days. They reviewed seventy hours of testimonies. They compared eye-witness accounts against physical evidence. They heard from medical examiners and were instructed on the law. Their decision: Officer Darren Wilson will not be charged with a crime in the tragic death of Mr. Brown. Officer Wilson, the jury came to believe, acted in legitimate self-defense. During the announcement, most people in the streets seemed calm, as if they expected and could respect this careful outcome, go home and carry on with their lives. Before long the professional agitators kicked into gear, some pr...

How healthy are you going into this holiday season? While you can try to steer clear of germs, pump up the antioxidants, and even get your flu shots, one of the healthiest habits you can cultivate is to express a grateful heart. That’s right. Numerous studies exist showing a direct relationship between a positive attitude and improved health (and even a longer life!). To be positive, in short, means to be grateful. To find the good in the bad. To be thankful in all things. I’m sure God had our physical, as well as spiritual, health in mind when he inspired the Apostle Paul to write: “In everything give thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Did you catch that? In everything give thanks. In the good times, as well as the...

Although we often caricature them—imagining them in ridiculously tall hats with enormous buckles—the story of the Pilgrims’ “First Thanksgiving” is rich with insight and inspiration.  The Pilgrims were human and bore the imprint of the Fall with all its attendant sinful consequences.  They were sometimes judgmental and intolerant, prone to bickering, and tempted by materialism.  They were also people of remarkable faith and fortitude: common folk of average abilities and means who risked everything in the interest of their families and their church. Their trial began in 1620 with the voyage of the storied Mayflower, a 65-day-long ordeal in which 102 men, women, and children crossed the stormy Atlantic in a space the size of a city bus.  Then followed a cruel New England...

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in June 2013 to reverse the Defense of Marriage Act, same sex marriage has become legal in over thirty states. The momentous shift in the U. S. has ignited religious groups worldwide to think about and define (or rethink and redefine) marriage and the family.  Within the past four weeks, three major religious conferences have concentrated on the theme of marriage. In late October the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) of the Southern Baptist Convention hosted a conference entitled The Gospel, Homosexuality, and the Future of Marriage. Although the tone conveyed compassion and sympathy, the speakers maintained a conservative stance that God’s design for marriage prohibits homosexual unions. Within days, The Reformation Project hel...

“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...