Encountering Obstacles on the Way to the Promised Land
It’s safe to assume that everyone reading this column has faced some type of obstacle this week. It’s almost a given that life is going to throw
Seminary Education: Does It Stick?
Returning home after a memorial service for former Midwestern Seminary President Dr. Milton Ferguson, I started thinking. What do I remember from my seminary days? Does my
Enough Is Enough!
From a cultural standpoint, we are likely long overdue to have some serious conversations about issues such as consent and equal rights in the workplace. And whether
Accepting Uncomfortable Allies
When we read the book of Joshua, we typically focus on the physical land that the characters in the book are seeking to inhabit. I think we also
Check Your Idols at the Church Door
Much has been written lately about our subtle, invisible idols. These false gods manifest themselves when we put our politics above the gospel, the U.S. flag above
Waiting for That ‘Aha’ Moment
It was the thirteenth time I preached the “May Meeting” at this lovely church. I’ve watched as their membership shrinks each year. I want to be
Transitions on the Way to the Promised Land
Churches throughout the U.S. are dealing with transition. When younger generations of people attend, they typically only attend half as often as everyone else, and they want
Easter Jujutsu
Many Christians forget that Easter is not a one-and-done celebration, but rather the beginning of a season called Eastertide, a time that lasts until Pentecost Sunday (this
You Can Go Home Again
Earlier this winter, 48 years and one week after my younger brother Dennis died from injuries sustained in a car accident, my two siblings and I, along
Discerning Our Kairos
Last year, I was in a meeting with Rev. Paul Msiza, the South African pastor who is president of the Baptist World Alliance. In a Q&A session