Joe Paterno, Shame, & The Gospel

shame

Over the weekend Joe Paterno, the long-time head coach of the Penn State college football team passed away as a result of an aggressive form of lung cancer. He was the head coach of that program for over forty years and had become synonymous with Penn State football. He was a fixture for that program and school for decades and the statue that is erected in front of the football field is a testament to that. He will go down in history as one of the best college football coaches ever – however, the sex abuse scandal that shook the … Continue reading

Calling To Judge

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The idea of ‘calling’ is a principle that many people are familiar with. While many within the church often hear about calling, those who are not believers also have an awareness of what it is to be ‘called’. For some, a calling is something that we are destined to be or something that we are meant to do based upon certain gifts, skills, or desires. When a person does what they enjoy, they often feel like they are walking in their calling. There are some that are still trying to find out what their calling is and what they may be called … Continue reading

Satan’s Desire, God’s Purpose

The target

What the enemy intends is not always what God allows. The first time that was revealed to me, it brought a peace to my heart that has never left. I used to think that God was like a comic book superhero – He was uninvolved in my life until I needed to be rescued from danger. That is actually a fairly common perception of God when you think about it. I would not be surprised if people disregard a life of atheism or agnosticism at the moment of crisis or a near death experience. I say that because it is usually at that … Continue reading

More Thoughts On Jesus And Religion

Over at Kevin DeYoung’s blog, he (along with others including yours truly) posted comments regarding the YouTube video by Jefferson Bethke titled “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus”. This video has gone absolutely viral in the last week and has garnered tons of attention. Amidst all the buzz, Jeff and Kevin have had an email correspondence  regarding the video and it seemed to have been a very cordial, respectful, and humble exchange. Kevin has posted parts of the email, with Jeff’s permission, on his blog. It is very encouraging and shows that we need more interaction like this in … Continue reading

I Love Jesus, I Am Religious, And Why It’s Ok.

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I love Jesus. I am also religious and it’s perfectly ok. Let me explain. I shared some thoughts (here and here) regarding the word ‘religious’ and how it and its variants now have negative connotations for many. I have heard many Christians rally against the (not fully thought out) idea of religion or being religious. The mantra most often repeated is “Christianity is not a religion, its a relationship”. While I understand the intention and the meaning that is conveyed, I believe it is misleading and flat-out wrong. It’s like a person saying, “Basketball is not a sport, its a game”. Although … Continue reading

Two Years Later…

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Alot can happen in 35 seconds. That’s how long it took for hundreds of thousands of lives to be changed… forever. Two years ago today, Haiti experienced one of the most devastating earthquakes this world has ever seen and the effects are still felt today. I can remember the aftermath of the earthquake and the amount of people who were trying to get there to assist in relief and recovery; the people who were trying to contact loved ones and make sure they were ok; the prayers and petitions for strength, courage, and life. I will never forget that time. … Continue reading

The Main Thing

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Martin Luther once said that justification by faith is the doctrine by which the church rises or falls. To a certain extent, I would agree. I personally think the church rises or falls based on the historical death and resurrection of Jesus — events which prompt us to believe justification by faith. These events are the very bedrock and foundation of the Christian faith. The penal substitutionary death of Jesus and His resurrection from the dead are the events upon which our faith rests. If you take those away, our faith is futile, empty, and worthless (1 Corinthians 15: 17). … Continue reading

Why I Am A Christian

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When someone asks you, “why are you a Christian?” what will your answer be? I say when, not if, because inevitably every person who says they are a Christian will have to answer that question. The culture that we live in typically glamorizes novelties, and when they are advertised enough they seem to be the answers to life’s most fundamental questions. This tendency can easily affect the church and those inside it — some say it already has. I say this because most will answer the question mentioned above with something peripheral and inessential. For example, according to the latest Gallup … Continue reading

Steve Jobs, Death, and The Gospel

Although it is old news, the death of Steve Jobs still rings loud in the technology sector. Since his death, there has been a statue erected in his honor and more recently an action figure bearing his resemblance. He is considered to be one of the greatest innovators in our generation and rightfully so. The company that he founded (Apple) and the products that it would create have forever changed the way we use technology. All over the blogosphere there have been tributes to this man that the world has come to know as the very heart and soul behind … Continue reading

Happy New Year!!

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Happy New Year! I dont have a long list of resolutions, but I’ve decided to be more consistent with posting content here at the blog. The blog is going through a redesign phase as you can see and I’m really excited about it! At least once a week there will be posts on this site geared toward spiritual development/formation, worship, ecclesiology, and of course the Gospel concerning God’s Son. I plan on having guests post as well! Stay tuned! Feel free to go through the archives and check out some of my past posts. Don’t forget to subscribe for RSS … Continue reading