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It’s Not about the Normalization of Homosexuality. It Never Has Been
The trend continues, both in the public square and in the political world. The growth for the support of homosexuality in our society is unquestioned. Through the media, courts, and other outlets, the agenda is clear. But there is one part of the agenda that has been a lie from the beginning. It is the term “normalization.” You will hear people saying that they are simply trying to press for the “normalization of homosexual rights” or the “full normalization of homosexual unions [or marriages].” I understand their point, but they are simply not telling the truth, and the American public got another clear signal of that on Sunday night. Before…
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The Ultimate “Evergreen Content”
Those who put out content for a living, especially online, speak of “evergreen content.” The idea is that there is so much material being produced that countless blog posts, YouTube videos, or other offerings just get pushed out of view, and it happens so quickly that what might be a great piece of information or motivation is just forgotten. So, what bloggers and other people want is “evergreen content;” that is, content that remains in the public eye for a long as possible. There are all sorts of recipes and formulas for creating evergreen content. The number one thing is that the content is relevant for a long time. Does…
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Book Review: “How God Makes Men”
I am constantly on the lookout for good material for guys. Part of it is that I want to make my mentoring program as good and practical as possible. Frankly, though, the major reason is that I want to improve as a real man of God. Patrick Morley’s book How God Makes Men walks the reader through 10 well-known lives from Scripture and shows how these men were not perfect, but God used them in powerful ways. From Abraham to David, from Solomon to Paul, from Gideon to Job, the lives are ones you might expect, but the lessons drawn are still powerful. One negative I found in this book…
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A Great New App for Young Folks, and Those Who Love Them
We don’t do a lot of tech stuff on the blog, but sometimes we just have to tell you about something. Today, we have a great app for iPad, iPhone, or Android that every young person needs to have (and adults will love it, too). Some weeks ago, we wrote a post about iLuminate Magazine from Kaio Publications. This e-magazine, released 6 times each year, is filled with great articles and interactive material for young people. It is not meant to just be read cover-to-cover. It is meant to have material that the reader comes back to again and again. Well, the exciting news we have today is that the…
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“The Wolf of Wall Street” and a Vanishing Conscience
506. According to Variety magazine, that is how many times a movie-goer who sees the film “The Wolf of Wall Street” will hear one particular curse word. You read that correctly. In the three-hour (exactly) movie, just one curse word is used over five-hundred times. It averages out to 2.8 occurrences per minute over the course of the 180 minute film. I have seem some Christians on social media mentioning this “extreme” use of language. Thankfully, they are not people who have seen the movie, but those who are just reporting–as I am in this post–this awful use of language. Listening to the radio the other day, we heard a dj mention this…
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Tears of Faith
Recently, I had a wonderful visit with an aging saint. He has been through quite a number of health issues, and is a widower of a little more than 10 years. He is fairly quiet, but we enjoy each other’s company. On this day, he had great news from his doctors and was wanting to talk. It was a joy to hear his good news and then just to “shoot the breeze” for a few minutes. To say the least, we had a great visit. However, during the course of our time, this man shed tears. Twice. But he taught me so much in those moments that I pray I…
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We Homeschool, But You Don’t Have To (or, “Why a Lot of Homeschoolers Give Homeschooling a Bad Name”)
Yes, we homeschool our children. Yes, we have since they started school. We are in year 3 now. Yes, we think it’s what is best for our children (at least at this time). But no…we do not think you have to in order to be faithful parents. I saw it again very recently. I was scanning my Facebook feed and noticed an article someone had linked to. It was about some controversial matter in another state in a public school (by the way, the person who linked to the article doesn’t even live in the state where the event happened). It was one of those matters that is good to…
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The Parable of Two Stained Shirts
The First Shirt A certain man was wearing a white-as-snow dress shirt for a date with his wife. He worked quite hard all day on the job, and though his job was boring, he worked with a smile, knowing that his effort was bringing in money to support his family. His home life was stressful, but pleasant, and he was so excited, because tonight was a long-overdue date night with his wife. The sitter was actually a few minutes early, and the couple left for their date in the cold weather of winter. When they arrived at the restaurant, the man–being a gentleman–helped his wife take off her coat and…
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Playoffs vs. Piety: Where Is Your Mind During Worship?
I love sports. If you know me at all, you know that college basketball is my favorite, and I follow it quite closely. Time (or maybe maturity) has a way of causing me to not follow it as closely as I used to, but I still enjoy it. Over the past couple of years or so, I have enjoyed the NFL more and more, and other sports are fun to follow, too. It is just a couple of weeks until the annual time for the jokes and questions about Sunday night services on Super Bowl Sunday. Probably every preacher gets asked about shortening the sermon on that night. Thankfully, I…
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“Fit for the Pulpit”
Some months ago, I received a message asking if I would consider writing a chapter for an upcoming book for preachers. It was one of those emails that is both an honor and extremely humbling at the same time. After some thought and prayer, I agreed, and I am so thankful I did. The finished product is now available, and, having gotten to read it already, I commend this resource to you. The book is called Fit for the Pulpit, and the basic idea behind this volume is that it provides some “ministering for the minister.” Chris McCurley, who preaches for the Oldham Land Church of Christ in Abilene, Texas selected…
