Let's define original sin. I don't have any intention, however, of discussing all the definitions that different writers have adopted. I'm only going to talk about the one which I think is closest to the truth. Original sin, then, is the hereditary corruption and depravity of our nature. It extends to all parts of the…
Violence in the Book of Joshua
Reading Joshua can be a shock to the system. The book details the conquest of Canaan by Israel which often involved war and violence. Modern readers, especially Christians, can feel uncomfortable with the narrations of violence in the book because they seem so contrary to not only what contemporary people believe about human rights, but…
What Hypocrisy Really Is
Too often, Christians think of hypocrites as people who do one thing but feel another. But that's not hypocrisy. Hypocrites publicize one set of beliefs but live by a different set of beliefs. When you come to church but don't feel like it, that's more like faithfulness. When you do the right thing in your…
How Do We Actually Change? (Thomas Chalmers Expulsive Power of a New Affection)
Christians have long wrestled with the question of how people actually change; how do Christians exhibit Christ-like character in the world? Scottish pastor Thomas Chalmers (1780-1847) is one example of a believer who contemplated such questions. He presented his answer in a sermon entitled "The Expulsive Power of a New Affection." Chalmers understands the heart,…
How to Grieve
When Heather miscarried her first pregnancy, people around us told us that we were grieving. Obviously, we both knew that was the case from the sadness we were experiencing. Being told we were grieving was like having a handful of pieces for an 1,000 piece puzzle. Certainly, it was a good start, but it was…
The Grand Illusion
Most of us tend to live under the illusion that God wouldn't intentionally lead us into such pain [of loss] —especially multiple times. We can't make any sense of why the people and things we love must literally and figuratively experience the finality of death...If we embrace these losses for the severe mercies they are,…
What Every Church Vision Statement Gets Wrong
I have read a lot of church "vision statements" over the years. I came to the realization recently that every single one (including ones I have written!) gets something very important wrong. Many church vision statement go something like this: "NAME OF CHURCH desires to impact the world for Christ's kingdom. We will preach the…
The Overcounseled
Many people with intense problems have been overcounseled, with little evidence of growth and benefit resulting from it. Instead, what is needed is to build faith by saturating the mind with the gospel of grace, so that lives can be built on the presupposition of Christ's atonement and His present availability as a living, loving…
How do medium-sized churches grow?
Keller lays out key five areas that churches need to pay attention to in order to grow: 1) ministry options; 2) staff; 3) decision-making; 4) assimilation; and 5) role of the pastor. To move from a smaller church to a medium-sized church, churches need to have bring all 5 of those areas to an "A+"…
What Does It Feel Like to be in a Medium-Sized Church (250-400)?
A church that is "medium-sized" (250-400) begins to function and feel like this... People don't know everyone. There are too many people attending now for everyone in the congregation to know everyone else. The congregation begins to affiliate most closely by ministry, group, or class. Leadership represents different constituencies. There will now be more ministers…
Raising Lazarus 