The holiday season is a time of the year when friends and family get together to enjoy one another. Christmas won’t always be easy for everyone. Many of us will quietly wrestle with hardships and loss. It takes a keen eye to detect them, but here are a few people you might want to note this year. Those who have lost loved ones. For some people, Christmas dinner will have an empty seat at the table. A familiar laugh might be missing. Traditions precious to that person—maybe passing out gifts or making a certain dessert—will be taken up by someone new to that role. This conspicuous absence coul ..read more

Ministry is an integral part of the life of the church. Unfortunately, it’s often surrounded by misconceptions and myths. We’re going to look at six common myths about ministry. Myth #1 – Ministry is For Leaders with Titles Only. One of the most pervasive myths in churches everywhere is that ministry is reserved for those with formal titles or positions (e.g., ministers, pastors, priests, or bishops). I’ve often wondered if there is some grounding for this in the Bible, where the figures most responsible for religious activities were ordained individuals. Christians today must understand that ..read more

Palestinians need prayers. They need peace. They need relief from rulers who would tromp over the bodies of dead Palestinian children as long as it meant firing one more rocket at Israel. I’m going to say something that some people might think is controversial but that the evidence proves is incontrovertible. Hamas hates Palestinians.  They really don’t like their own people. If they did, they wouldn’t use homemade rockets made in somebody’s garage out of spare parts that kill their own when those bargain-basement munitions misfire. They park rocket launchers near civilian buildings in t ..read more

Lots of people are afraid of the devil. They see him as the ultimate embodiment of darkness and unbridled evil. Many of us have this conception—probably aided by the creative and biblically illiterate Hollywood visions of the supernatural—that he’s some rogue super-angel with about as much power as God himself. Although he is described as a wicked being, there are several things he can’t do.  He can’t exercise supreme power. Although he is called the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:1-2) and a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8), he only has as much power as God permits. We see th ..read more

Ecclesiastes is a difficult book for many reasons. It’s very philosophical, and many people prefer not to think. That’s why you rarely see sermons based on this book, and whenever anyone quotes it, it’s usually the same handful of verses that everyone uses to give window-dressing to some point in a lesson.  But the book also seems very pessimistic. Many people have that impression, but it’s negative for a reason. It’s an example of what we call “pessimistic wisdom literature.” For example, there’s one ancient text that was written before the Bible that responds to the question, “What is ..read more

Graduates often say that their college experience made up the best years of their lives. It’s a magical time for meeting new people, making memories, and having formative experiences that will serve you for a lifetime. Here’s the advice I give my students not only as someone who has walked in their shoes, but as a professor who wants every single one of them to succeed.   #1: Realize that Being a Student is a Full-Time Job. Being a student is not a hobby or part-time exercise; you’re preparing for a career. Focus on developing good habits that will serve you for a lifetime, like tim ..read more

This post is for anyone who cares about their preacher, but especially for elders. And I hope you read every word right to the end.  Preachers work long hours, often get little support and encouragement, and are woefully underpaid. Not all, but many. And one of the biggest challenges in ministry is meeting the expectations of elderships who act like the minister should be able to work 12-hour days, seven days a week.  Let me be clear: Elders, some of you are working your preacher to death. Statistics show that most ministers will not retire from ministry because they will get burned ..read more

Our world is nothing if not interesting. Hamtramck, MI made news in June 2023 for its stance against the Pride flag in June 2023. It is currently the only US city with an all-Muslim governing body and mayor. Originally named for the Canadian-born Colonel Jean Francois Hamtramck (1756-1803), the city is also the only Muslim-majority town in the United States. Recently, the city became the center of a somewhat uncomfortable discussion about legal rights.   This week the city government unanimously passed a resolution banning the display of LGBTQ+ Pride flags on public property. The re ..read more

For Christians, going to church is part of our lives. We worship God, take part in Christian community, and enjoy the benefits of studying the Bible and applying its teachings to improve our lives. Sadly, for many of us, it stops there. Lots of Christians treat their Bible like an accessory. It’s part of their Sunday attire but sees minimal action any other day of the week. From an outsider’s point of view, it could seem like nothing more than a mere symbol of religious identity.  Here are four reasons why spending time in our Bible should be something we do every day of the week.  ..read more

I was tired when I went to Walmart this morning. I had washed some dishes, mowed the lawn, and done some other things before 10 AM. Walking out of the store, I saw a man in front of me wearing a black sweatshirt with a message that began, “Dear Person Behind Me ….” I immediately thought, “Great, another one of THOSE shirts. It’ll tell me to social distance, not get too close, or describe the inestimable worth of the person wearing it and how I probably need to worship them.”  Three milliseconds later, I felt pretty stupid. But I also felt much better about myself because the rest of the ..read more