On Saturday morning our newly adopted daughter Ember Noella and I were diagnosed with mumps. The source of infection is pure speculation, of course, but an incubation period of two weeks places us right back at our sleepless five-city flight from Addis Ababa to Louisville and all the airborn pathogens that accompany international travel. Prior to … More Mumps, Mirrors, and Knowing Myself
At 12:25pm Eastern Time on Friday, June 17 in Jeffersontown, Kentucky, Cindi and I sat together on the bottom stairs of our two-story home, glancing at our pile of luggage in the hallway and looking knowingly at each other as we awaited our 12:30 ride to Standiford Field in Louisville. The time had come. A … More The First Day of the Rest of Our Lives
I’ve been performing a mass reorganization and clutter-cleanse over the last week and have been discovering all sorts of gold. Tonight I came across these unnamed, undated sermon notes with the working title, “Making Biblical Choices & Good Decisions.” I don’t mean to plagiarize, and while I do have several guesses about who the preacher might have … More Short & Pithy Wisdom on Decision-Making (from Anonymous Sermon Notes)
In reading through the Psalms recently (especially 130-150), the Holy Spirit showed me that the Psalms can provide powerful motivation and encouragement for evangelism. Although the psalmists wrote mostly from the come-and-see mentality of ancient Israel, their desire was the same ultimate desire that we see expressed throughout Scripture: the pure, worldwide worship of the one true God. Here … More How the Psalms Encourage Evangelism
The identity of the unnamed author of Hebrews has been discussed for centuries. In discussions like these, it can be helpful (as long as it’s not overdone) to identify likely characteristics of the author based on writing, context, theology, intercanonical connections, and other legitimate categories. Long-time New Testament professor Robert Thomas provided these eleven “facts” on … More 11 Characteristics of the Author of Hebrews by Robert Thomas
Here are some wise and seasoned words on corporate singing and song selection from William Gadsby and J. C. Philpot. These quotes appear in the dual prefaces to Gadsby’s Hymns: A Selection of Hymns for Public Worship (chosen by William Gadsby), originally published in 1838. With the glut of worship songs being produced today and … More Wise Thoughts on Corporate Singing & Song Selection
If you think that white-black, black-white, and black-black ethnic tensions are a thing of the past, a closed chapter of history; if you’re willfully insulated into the view that everyone just needs to “get over it”; or if you still have a hard time acknowledging or accepting the deep and complex intricacies of the African American struggle both in our nation and … More “Dark Girls” Preview
“Why People Stick by Scandal-Plagued Pastors” by CNN’s John Blake is a brief foray into the blind loyalty that many knowing parishioners maintain toward their scandalized pastors. Sue Thompson, a public speaker herself, has been burned before. She explains that followers often build a “spiritual firewall” around their pastors so that reasonable suspicions and legitimate … More When the Pastor Falls: Lessons from Church Scandals & Blind Loyalty
Jim Tressel, long-revered coach and field general of the Ohio State Buckeyes football program, resigned on Monday after a lengthy saga of unraveling details regarding NCAA violations. Time and truth go hand in hand, so the sporting world must wait, as it often must, for the full revelation. I’m nauseated by those who turn every … More Secret Sins and the Resignation of Jim Tressel
This is why. This is why you should beware of starting sentences with “this.” When you do this, your meaning will be somewhat vague. When you don’t do this, your meaning will be more clear. “But wait,” the grammar cop objects, “this is only unclear because you started the entire post with an antecedent-less ‘this.’” My … More This Is Why
It was a great full moon That hung low in the west, But the dear little birds sang everywhere, And the unborn dayspring blest. Not one singing bird could be seen, But every bush and brier Was astir with the sound of the music they made, That sweet invisible choir. The hills in the wonderful … More “Greater Joy” by Amy Carmichael
In Matthew 20:1-16, Jesus tells a story about a landowner who hired laborers to work his vineyard for a day. Jesus was responding to Peter’s question about what kind of reward he and the other disciples would have since they had made such great sacrifices to join Jesus in his mission (19:27), in contrast to the rich young ruler who had … More Bargaining with God (Matthew 20:1-16)
The crucifixion account in the Gospel of John is full of glorious irony. In fact, John’s entire narrative, along with the discourses of Jesus, are filled with striking ironies, stark contrasts, and deeper meanings. The story whispers to those who have ears to hear. By John 19:16, the mockery of Jesus’ hasty trial had come to an … More King on a Cross: “What I Have Written I Have Written”
Which GAP logo do you like better? Don’t think your opinion doesn’t matter. Six months ago, in what is now old news, GAP changed its traditional logo but reversed course after encountering an outpouring of opposition. MSNBC called the response anything from “wondering” to “buzz” to “outrage.” The new internet democracy is a force to be reckoned with. We … More The New Internet Democracy
It can take some time in life to figure yourself out. We grow up wanting to be like our heroes, but can’t quite figure out what made them tick, or if we’ve got it in us to tick the same way. We stumble through the latter years of youth looking for affirmation in all the wrong places, … More The Prophet and the Poet
“Life is short.” You hear it all the time. You hear it all the time despite all our western attempts to look young, stay young, and never grow up, and despite our over-realized sense of national invincibility. The ticking clock, the greying hair, the growing children, and the changing times all remind us that our … More Life Is Short… So Don’t Waste It?
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