Shallow Knowledge

We live in the self-proclaimed Information Age.  Give me an hour and a decent internet connection and I can be an expert on anything.  If I don’t know it, I’ll Google it or Wikipedia it (two verbs that weren’t verbs just a few years ago).  If I know it but can’t prove it, I’ll go … More Shallow Knowledge

Who’s Emerging for the Widows? Thoughts on Missional Partiality

A lot has been said about the emerging and emergent movements, contemporary calls for relevance, the debated value of cultural analysis, and the Pauline call to be “all things to all men” (1 Cor 9).  These are the hot-button topics at the evangelical table (or behind the evangelical woodshed).  They are important topics and these … More Who’s Emerging for the Widows? Thoughts on Missional Partiality

The Influence of a Father’s Prayer Life

Scottish pioneer missionary John G. Paton reflecting on the influence of his father’s life of earnest, secret prayer: The “closet” was a very small apartment betwixt the other two [rooms of the house], having room only for a bed, a little table, and a chair, with a diminutive window shedding diminutive light on the scene.  … More The Influence of a Father’s Prayer Life

August Rush

The annual August Rush at The Master’s College continues this week as the incoming freshmen arrived on Saturday.  My public responsibilities are lighter this week as others are spearheading our orientiation called WOW (Week of Welcome).  So I have a bit of time to recap our leadership retreats this month. Resident Director Retreat — The Lord … More August Rush

Jesus and Disclaimers

As I’ve studied and preached on the radical words of Jesus in the Gospels, I’ve found myself unable to escape one striking observation: Jesus does not give disclaimers. We hear “Take up your cross daily,” “Hate your father and mother,” “Gouge out your eye and hack off your hand,” and “Eat my flesh and drink my … More Jesus and Disclaimers

Holiness and Mission

Here’s a hodge-podge of thoughts on holiness and mission as a follow-up and expansion of the last post and a response to several of the comments.  If I had time to organize these into a cohesive, flowing argument, I would try.  But late-July is not the time for a TMC Student-Lifer to be writing treatises.  I … More Holiness and Mission

When the Pendulum Swings

The pendulum of evangelicalism is swinging again (not a news flash).  It has been for some time now.  Everyone is talking about the nature and degree of the church’s responsibility to engage with culture.  Some of the buzzwords are “culture,” “relevance,” and “contextualization.”  Some of the hot button verses are Acts 17 and 1 Corinthians 9.  … More When the Pendulum Swings

A Few Good Men

This past year, four tremendous guys served with me in leading the OMC.  Juan Moncayo, Nate Brooks, Cameron Knox, and Peter Bugbee.  Fellow OMC’er Cole Jeffrey, who has the “It” factor in photography, took the picture (and many others).

St. Louis, Missouri

After traveling together in Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Uganda, and the States, Cindi and I have realized that our best vacations (the ones where we are most personally and maritally refreshed) are when we take short trips to new places and spend full days exploring.  We find cheap hotels, patch together transportation, see the major sights and attractions, … More St. Louis, Missouri

What Your Mom Was Trying to Tell You (in Three Minutes)

After 7.8 million views, I’m sure that many of you have seen this before.  But for all you mom’s out there who haven’t yet, Anita Renfroe has summarized in three minutes what you’ve been trying to say every day for all these years.  And for all of us who are old enough to appreciate all that our moms … More What Your Mom Was Trying to Tell You (in Three Minutes)

Our Invincible Inheritance

The apostle Peter was not shy theologically.  In 1 Peter 1:3-5, writing to intensely suffering Christians, he paints an enviable picture of the invincibility of our inheritance in Christ.  He describes our inheritance in a multitude of ways in these three verses, but there is one particular string that stands out for its staccato structure of phrases describing the … More Our Invincible Inheritance

Yosemite National Park

Last year I climbed Half-Dome in Yosemite National Park with the four-man team of guy RDs.  This past week we made a longer return trip (minus Siona and plus Joe) for our last hurrah as a team since two of us are moving into new positions.  We took it a bit easier this time and thoroughly enjoyed the recently-opened … More Yosemite National Park

Starting and Finishing: How You Can Pray for Us

Our life is full of transitions right now.  At times we feel a bit like Doctor Doolittle’s Pushmi-Pullyu, though in the same breath I must say that we also feel uniquely blessed by the multiplicity of opportunities the Lord has given us.  With everything going on, we would be grateful if you would pray that the Lord … More Starting and Finishing: How You Can Pray for Us

Pray for Steven Curtis Chapman’s Family

From Steven Curtis Chapman’s official website: NASHVILLE, TN – 5/21/08 – At approximately 5pm on the afternoon of Wednesday May 21st, Maria Sue Chapman, 5 years old and the youngest daughter to Steven and Mary Beth Chapman, was struck in the driveway of the Chapman home in Franklin, TN.  Maria was rushed to Vanderbilt Childrens’ … More Pray for Steven Curtis Chapman’s Family