Check out James Spencer’s opinion piece on social media just released on Christian Post (https://www.christianpost.com/voices/decoding-christian-witness-in-a-digital-age.html). The post New Opinion Piece at Christian Post appeared first on CRAZY DIFFERENT ..read more

You can check out my latest reflection on Advent, as well as downloading a free 2021 Advent Reading Guide at moodycenter.org. The post 2021 Advent Guide appeared first on CRAZY DIFFERENT ..read more

“And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ And they cast lots to divide his garments.” Luke 23:33 Having been hung on the cross between two criminals, Jesus does not curse the Roman soldiers, the Jews, or the bloodthirsty crowds who gathered to watch the spectacle. Instead, he cries out to the Father and asks him to forgive those who crucify him. As Jesus has handed his own life over the Father (Luke 22:42), so now hands tho ..read more

This past week, we watched as Afghanistan was turned upside down. While it may be fashionable to consider the situation in Afghanistan and the Middle East more generally in political terms, as Christians we should take care to convey a theological perspective (a testimony) not only about the situation but also in our response to the situation.  As I’ve read and listened to some of my Christian friends, there has been a tendency to place blame. While I certainly desire to see appropriate individuals held accountable to the extent warranted by the situation, my concern is that whe ..read more

What if we are living aspects of our lives as if God doesn’t exist? Have we adopted ways of seeing the world that press us to walk by sight and not by faith? Without God’s revelation to direct human perception of the world, humankind is trapped within the limitations of its own wisdom which can only lead to ruin. Secular ideologies, or ideologies that deny God, are attempts to understand the world and to exert human dominion over creation on humanity’s own terms. As T. S. Elliot wrote in The Rock, “They constantly try to escape from the darkness outside and within by dreaming of systems so per ..read more

I had the pleasure of writing up a companion piece for Pastor Erwin Lutzer’s We Will Not Be Silenced recently. The quote above is taken from one of the short articles I wrote. Each article takes its inspiration from a quote from Lutzer’s book though I put my own spin on it:). You can check it out and get Pastor Lutzer’s book for a gift of any size at www.uncomplicatedgospel.org. The post Nine New Reflections appeared first on CRAZY DIFFERENT ..read more

I’ve been taking a break from blogging to do some writing elsewhere. With a new book in the works (potentially two coming out this year!), as well as a piece on the Ten Commandments for Moody Center, I’ve had plenty of writing to do. The more I write, the more I find the need to read. While I’ve purchased a few great books over the last several months (e.g. O’Donovan’s Finding and Seeking, Herman and Chomsky’s Manufacturing Consent, Block’s The Gospel According to Moses, and Craig’s Atonement and the Death of Christ), I have also been pleased to find some great articles and essays online for f ..read more

I had the opportunity to speak on Sabbath and rest in the Christian life on Everwell Church’s Rhythms podcast this past week. If interested, you can listen here. The post Sabbath appeared first on CRAZY DIFFERENT ..read more

After seeing a numbers of pastors and theologians step away from the faith, I decided to offer some thoughts about why I’ll always be a Christian. You can read my new article at https://moodycenter.org/articles/why-i-will-always-be-a-christian/ The post Why I’ll Always Be a Christian appeared first on CRAZY DIFFERENT ..read more

What can we learn from comedy and humor? Check out James Spencer’s latest article at Worthwhile Theology Magazine (https://www.worthwhiletheology.com/magazine/jspencercomedy-correction-and-the-unintended-consequences-of-entertainment). The post New Article in Worthwhile Theology Magazine appeared first on CRAZY DIFFERENT ..read more