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THEOLOGY
Holy Spirit
Fundamental trinitarian doctrine holds that one God is represented by three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. A theology that does not recognize each person of the trinity as co-equal departs from accepted Western Christian orthodoxy. The deity of the Holy Spirit...
Hell
Hell, among those who follow Jesus, is understood as a place of future punishment for the wicked deceased. Scripture also uses the term to describe the grave, the realm of the dead, or a location for disembodied spirits. Satan and his angels will not rule or deliver...
Heaven
Heaven is the hope of all Christians. But all of God’s image-bearers are born with a deep yearning for something beyond what we experience in this life—an inherent desire for the eternal (Ecclesiastes 3:11). In November 2021, Pew Research published the results of a...
JUST SAYIN'
Evangelicalism and Politics
Evangelicalism and Politics. What Happened? Please help me understand what has happened to the GOP and traditional Evangelicalism. I don’t feel at home there anymore. How did it happen? For most of my adult life as a soldier or federal agent, my interest in politics...
The Problem with Christianity
Many professed believers have shifted their focus away from Jesus and toward political figures. This has resulted in a climate of fear and hostility on both ends of the political spectrum. Jesus, a rebel who challenged societal norms, frequently spoke of the kingdom of God, emphasizing that his realm was not of this world.
Golden Calf Christianity-White Christian Nationalism
White, Christian Nationalism is taking over American Evangelicalism under the spell of Donald Trump. Political disagreements are not just fracturing family relationships, they are impacting the Body of Christ and its charter to evangelize all nations and people.
CHRISTIAN LIVING
We Gotta Get Outta This Place (Religious & Political Pluralism)
We are better together. Collaboration nearly always produces better results. The problem with politics today is that those who govern have stopped collaborating and listening to their constituents and to each other. If they won’t communicate and collaborate, we have to. We need to listen and honestly consider what those on the “other side” have to offer.
Are You a Unifier?
Are you a unifier or divider? Jesus’s followers are called to love God and others and make disciples. But we are missing the mark. The Greek word for missing the mark is hamartia, a word the New Testament translates as sin. When we fail to love others, we demonstrate that we do not love God.
The Tithe: Giving a Tenth to God
What is a Tithe? Tithing is the act of giving a tenth of our income to God through the church or other communities of faith. In Hebrew, the word 'tithe' translates to 'tenth'. While tithing is a way to please God, it ultimately remains a personal decision. Our choice...
BOOK REVIEWS
Not a Fan Updated and Expanded: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus
Who would have thought those three words would change my view of discipleship? And it can change your understanding of following Jesus, too. If you have prayed “The Sinner’s Prayer” but continue to live as if nothing has changed, this book will challenge you.
Reflections on the Existence of God: A Series of Essays
Reflections on the Existence of God: A Series of Essays, by Richard E. Simmons III, is an excellent resource for small group study to facilitate spiritual conversations with non-believers or, as in my case, to engage with a middle schooler. I have a precocious...
Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation
According to Du Mez, “Today some historians place race at the very heart of evangelical politics, pointing to the fact that evangelical opposition to government-mandated integration predated anti-abortion activism by several years.” (p. 38) Apparently evangelicals had mastered the art of pivoting before the coronavirus pandemic. It makes me wonder if my spiritual parents were racist.
GRIEF TALK
The Church, the Body of Christ, should be a place of comfort and support. Yet there are people grieving in silence. Their pain is either unrecognized or ignored by those who feel ill-equipped to help. This video contains grief theory and theology to assist pastors, chaplains and laypersons in walking with those mourning their loss.