There is a version of Christianity being presented today that increasingly bothers me. It is a Christianity that never confronts. Never challenges. Never resists. Never draws a line. It is polite, agreeable, accommodating, and above all else, harmless. And usually, the justification comes from Scripture. Love your neighbor. Love your enemies. Pray for those who … More Christianity Was Never Meant to Be Harmless
I wrote about Halloween last year. I wasn’t planning to write about it again. Then I went to church. It was the end of September, and I was visiting a large congregation. As I looked through the upcoming events, there it was: Halloween activities. I shouldn’t have been surprised. Churches across America do some version … More Why Halloween Has No Place in the Church
I went to church this morning. For a lot of people, that probably isn’t a particularly noteworthy statement. You get up on Sunday morning, get ready, drive to church, sit in your usual place, talk to people you know, listen to the message and go home. For me, going to church often comes with another … More Finding a Church Where You Belong
I cannot count how many times I have prayed for something I was absolutely convinced I wanted, only for God to essentially respond: “Ummm… no.” Not maybe. Not wait and see. Just no. Of course, I did not always recognize it as an answer at the time. I thought God wasn’t listening. I thought perhaps … More When God Lets You See Why He Said No