Science says we can’t change our sexual orientation. Most people, from experience, would agree. Why then do we have Christians who call themselves ex-gay? Why do people who once considered themselves homosexual renounce their gay lifestyle, get married, have children, and go on worshiping God? Let’s look at two common answers: 1. Ex-gays are a…
A few weeks ago I posted a link to an article that I co-wrote with Dr. Jonathan M. Lunde for the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society. That article was on the use of Isaiah in Ephesians 5.14. This new article — “Paul’s Creative and Contextual Use of Psalm 68 in Ephesians 4:8,” Westminster Theological Journal 74.1 (Spring 2012): 99-117 — functions…
One of the most difficult tasks of the serious Bible student is to read the Bible as the word of God and not as an assignment. Like most people, I changed major three times during my first year of college. First, I was an engineering major. This was, without doubt, the result of knowing very…
Next week begins a new opportunity for me. After several months of networking new connections, broadcasting my interest, data mining essential research, the Lord has truly provided an opportunity for advancement in my work that is beyond what I could have even crafted for myself. Looking forward to this opportunity, I can’t help but think…
To the world, homosexuality is more than an orientation; it’s an identity. Being gay is like being black or vegan or republican. It’s part of your persona. Something to accept, embrace and celebrate. Coming out means becoming part of a community—complete with flags, parades and flashy bumper stickers. To the person who experiences same-sex attraction,…
This story begins at the bottom of a trashcan–which, I admit, is not a very promising start. But it’s the story of how I come to be writing this post at all. It was a Sunday night in July 2011, 2 weeks after the miscarriage. My sisters had been visiting us for the past eleven…
Whatever family friendly sit-com you grow up watching- whether the I Love Lucy, Full House, or Home Improvement, the source of the laughs and the heart-tugs are the same- family can be rough sometimes. We can all see the elements of dysfunction, and fortunately, all share a laugh of emphathy when we see it acted out before…
Today is my birthday. I’ve always considered it my own personal New Year. Billions of people celebrate new beginnings on January 1st, but on June 20th that number drops to mere millions. (Two worth noting: fellow blogger Caleb Johnson and my dad.) So, in honor of another year, here are some of my birthday resolutions:…