Though we marvel at the Bible translation output of William Carey (1761–1834) and the Serampore community, Henry Martyn (1781–1812) proved a far more capable Bible translator. Trained in biblical and classical languages and mathematics at Cambridge, Martyn oversaw in his short life the translation of the New Testament into Urdu, Arabic, and Persian in less than six years of missionary service in India and Persia. In 1923, Constance Padwick (1886–1968), a long-time missionary with the Church Missionary Society in the Arab world, published Henry Martyn: Confessor of the Faith to capture the life ..read more

The first time I attended church without ­my parents, I was a high school senior. On this particular Sunday morning, one parent wasn’t feeling well and the other was out of town. Since I’d recently become a Christian, I thought, I have a car and a driver’s license. What’s stopping me? I can go myself. And that’s exactly what happened. It felt strange interacting with all those adults on my own, but I kept thinking, I’m doing this because I want to. Every parent attempting to raise children in the faith longs for this. We take them to Sunday school, then to the service, then to a separate ..read more

Questioning is hazardous. Though recent generations of Christians have often sought to reclaim questions and questioning from their overly-anxious forbearers, we have struggled to discover what it feels and looks like to question well. The questions we ask aren’t neutral: questioning is not a game in which we play in the fields of the world while blowing bubbles. Questioning is the fundamental mode of the intellectual life and, to that extent, shapes the orientation of the whole person toward the world and God. The questions we ask dispose our hearts, wills, minds, and even bodies toward ..read more

After three healthy pregnancies and births, I entered a season of deep sorrow with the miscarriages of my next three babies. These brought not only physical difficulties but also emotional and spiritual wrestling with grief and guilt. Then the Lord provided me with one final pregnancy that turned into an emotional rollercoaster. While serving as cross-cultural workers in Asia, we were stateside for a family emergency. During that unexpected visit, I ended up in the doctor’s office due to difficulties with the pregnancy. I could see by the ultrasound technician’s face that something was wrong b ..read more

Dear friend, if you’re among those who cry out to God and yearn for his comfort, know you’re not alone. Your walk in the darkness cannot hide you from the Light of the World (John 8:12). Even when you can’t feel his presence, Jesus remains with you until the end of the age (Matt. 28:20), and nothing—not your shame, your despair, or the agony of depression—can separate you from his love (Rom. 8:38–39). Though every hour may seem hopeless and every day a painful ordeal, healing is possible. The following practical guidelines can ease you toward a place of greater wholeness. Keep in mind these su ..read more

I don’t know quite how to describe David Brooks’s new book, How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen (Random House). In one sense, the premise is simple, just as the title suggests: we learn from David how to know a person. He invites us to become “Illuminators,” who make others feel seen and significant through curiosity and charity. By contrast, “Diminishers” make others feel small through assumptions and stereotypes, all while drawing attention to themselves. In another sense, the book makes me wonder why we don’t talk more about such an important subject ..read more

I learned my parents had feet of clay in my early 20s. My husband, Jim, pointed out that they weren’t good listeners and constantly interrupted me when I was speaking. I opted to confront them in hopes of improving the relationship. Neither parent came clean. My folks, hurt by my accusation, believed Jim was the problem. My husband wasn’t against my parents. He just wanted my relationship with them to be better. I’m sure they perceived it as an attack, however, and spouses do sometimes attack their in-laws, setting up a difficult dynamic for even the best of parents to navigate. In a culture q ..read more

On My Shelf helps you get to know various writers through a behind-the-scenes glimpse into their lives as readers. I asked Drew Dyck—acquisitions editor at Moody Publishers and the author of several books including Just Show Up: How Small Acts of Faithfulness Change Everything—about what’s on his bedside table, favorite fiction, go-to writing advice, the book he bluffs about having actually read, and much more. What’s on your nightstand right now? I have a few on my nightstand. I’m reading Remaking the World by Andrew Wilson. I love books with a big bold thesis, so I’m finding it fascinating ..read more

The 2011 film Moneyball follows the mostly true story of Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane piecing together a budget baseball team based on computer-generated analytics. Frustrated with not being able to afford a competitive roster of highly valued all-stars, Beane scrapped the standard approach altogether in favor of affordable, overlooked athletes. It was unconventional but ultimately successful. Question: Can your church “moneyball” its short-term missions strategy? The analogy will break down at some point. We’re not competing with other churches, and I’m not suggesting computer anal ..read more

When I was a college student, I had a weird relationship with the concept of “home.” As I approached the end of a semester, I longed to go back home to my parents’ house for break. I looked forward to the familiarity, the family, and the rest. After some time at my parents’ house, though, that longing for home would return. My sense of home had shifted from my parents’ house to my college dorm or apartment. I now longed for the freedom, the friends, and the sense of purpose my classes and clubs brought. So I’d go back. And the cycle would repeat. What an odd experience. A continual process of ..read more