2015 was a strange year for the world. Historic court decisions in the US, riots and political uprisings throughout the world, Wars, terrorism, political civil wars, and terrible tragedies. It seems that the world as we know is crumbling around us. The new year didn’t bring anything that new, but simply a pause to our heated discussions over race, violence, politics, and our very way of life. And it seems that there is no hope...
The theology behind the Eucharist, the Lord’s Supper, or Communion has been debated throughout church history. However, the continued practice of it shows that it is an essential part of the church’s life. In my experience, Communion has always been about reflecting on Christ’s sacrifice and repenting for sins. Growing up, it was always at a special and solemn service where people would usually take time during worship to confess any sins that they needed...
The Spirit prays for us. We do not know what to pray, nor necessarily to pray for that which we do not know what to pray for. Neither did we know how to pray, nor even how to pray for what we do not know to pray for, but our Lord has taught us. He did not merely teach us how to pray, but he has trained us in his own Spirit. It is the...
It has been said that we must perform at a certain velocity to achieve worth, success, and security. Many things have been promised to our generation, but it seems that only a select few have achieved them. We hold these success stories up as a championing call to work harder, be better, and to not stop until we become like them. Eleanor Robertson recently wrote about the contrasting self reflections between the Baby Boomer generation...
Seán Freyne. The Jesus Movement and Its Expansion: Meaning and Mission. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2014. xii + 383 pp. Paperback. $35.00. ISBN: 9780802867865. The Jesus Movement and Its Expansion is the final work by the late Seán Freyne, who at the time of his death was Emeritus Professor of Theology at Trinity College, Dublin. Freyne is best known for his contributions to the knowledge of the social, economic, and religious history of Galilee in the...
I was reading Josh Carroll’s post about the disease called “Critiqueomania” and I found that I myself have had rather severe bouts of this plague. Some of these outbreaks have been part of my former angst, but others seemed very well meant. Some were definitely “Critiqueomania,” but there were other times where my criticism was well founded and was not coming from a place of pride or scholarly arrogance. So what do you do if it seems...
Mark Driscoll is trending again. This past week I read an interview transcript by John Piper on the subject of Mars Hill and Driscoll. I also read that Driscoll is beginning a new bible study series on Ecclesiastes that will be hosted on his website. I have often wanted to share my own experience at Mars Hill, and now I have the chance to do so. This is my personal story about Mars Hill. Just over 3...
It’s 12 am and you are preparing a sermon for tomorrow. It’s 4pm and you are preparing for community group that will take place in your living room in a few hours. You have reached an impasse. You could take the easy route and give that nicely packaged sermon or group discussion that you have memorized. You could also take the easy path and deliver that spiel that you know sounds nice, but you know...
This past week I had the opportunity to experience Hume Lake as a counselor. With nervous excitement, I made the almost 5 hour trip on a bus full of ecstatic kids aging from 4th grade to high school. I would be responsible for 11 high school guys who’s spiritual maturity ranged from agnostic to doubting christian. Some of them had grown up in church and had not yet made their faith their own, while others...
I became what some might call a Calvinist my junior year in High school. Going to a Dutch Reformed private school where I took a “Reformed Perspectives” class certainly aided this process. I had resisted of course. Coming from a Non-denominational Bible church, I had a gut reaction against such notions of predestination and all that depravity and sovereignty talk. However, the day came when my heart was changed and I suddenly found myself agreeing...
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