God's providence is also on display in the history of Israel. The text tells us that God uses particular events as an examples of his providence. For example, God causes a south wind to blow and brought the Israelites a plentiful supply of birds (Exodus 19:13). When God wanted Jonah to be thrown into the…
Many talking heads complain about the polarization of our culture. "We're more divided than ever!" they proclaim, usually in a tweet or a TV interview. Blame for the polarization of our country usually gets put on social media companies (like Facebook and Twitter) and the 24-hour news cycle. It's pointed out that in today's America,…
We're now in the middle of winter, and it's not just because the temperate outside is low. We're in the middle of winter: the long, hard slog of the year where the days are short and the nights are ling. We're in the part of the year where it gets dark out at what seems…
Oneness Embraced by Tony EvansEnding Overcriminalization and Mass Incarceration by Anthony BradleyThe Next Evangelicalism by Soong-Chan RahBe the Bridge by Latasha MorrisonOvercoming Racial Gridlock by George YanceyColor of Compromise by Jemar TisbyThe Servant King by TD AlexanderFrom Eden to New Jerusalem by TD Alexander168 Hours by Laura VanderkamThe Systems Mindset by Sam CarpenterWork the System…
Since we know that God made the world primarily for humanity, we must also look view God's providence through his care for humanity as well. The prophet Jeremiah says, "I know, O Lord, that a man’s way is not in himself, Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps" (Jeremiah 10:23). Solomon also…
God put everything that exists into motion. God also puts into motion everything which looks like it comes about spontaneously or moves according to a "built in" impulse from nature, like day and night, summer and winter. God has assigned certain laws to govern the movement of these things so that they are consistent day…
What should I do next? Have you ever asked that question of yourself? If so, you're not alone. Pretty much every writer, or really any kind of knowledge worker, has faced that problem says Paul Silvia in his book, How to Write Alot. He writes, "We rarely get to write only one thing ... While…
Quotes from Eugene Peterson in The Contemplative Pastor: The word busy is the symptom not of commitment but of betrayal. It is not devotion but defection. The adjective busy set as a modifier to pastor should sound to our ears like adulterous to characterize a wife or embezzling to describe a banker. It is an…
My wife was the first woman to pray during Sunday morning worship service in the history of our church. It was Mother's Day 2014 when my wife ascended the steps on the stage during the worship service, walked over to the microphone and prayed for the mothers and the women who desired to be mothers…
Decline narratives of American culture are so interesting to me. They seem to raise more questions than answers. Decline narratives typically go something like this: America's culture is decline. It used to be much better, but now it's not. So my question is this: What was the zenith? What was the "high point" or best…