Monthly Archives: August 2013

Praying for Egypt

Is your heart broken for Egypt yet? After a generation of authoritarian misrule the Arab Spring gave so many hope for a better future. Not able to agree on what that “better future” looked like – a return to the … Continue reading

Posted in Current events, Islam, Politics, Prayer | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

(Higher) Educational Lament

Now that I’ve been teaching for a couple of years, I see a few things over which I lament. One thing I’ve lamented since my own college days (in the early 1980s) is the high rate of inflation in higher … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Current events, Education, Higher Education, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

You’re Not Good Enough

One of the prevalent messages we hear is, “You’re not good enough.” If you want to get a job, you have to get new skills and make more connections. If you want to keep your job, you have to get … Continue reading

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Only 2 options?

Why do we have to believe there are only two options? Why do they tell us Democrat and Republican are the only options? Why do they tell us we have to choose between dogmatism and relativism? We are impaired, individually … Continue reading

Posted in Epistemology | Tagged | Leave a comment

Poor God?

I’m not a proponent of the prosperity Gospel. On the contrary, most versions of it sound like heresy. I am, however, a proponent of a Philippians 4:19 Gospel: “My God shall supply all your needs through his riches in glory … Continue reading

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Adding Eternal Life

A guy walks up to Jesus. “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life.” Or, taking it in context, we might paraphrase, “Jesus I already have everything a man could ever want. I’m rich. I’m happy. I just … Continue reading

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WDJD before WWJD

Several years ago, we had a WWJD craze. People in many quarters were asking, “What Would Jesus Do?” Not a bad question. The desire to do what Jesus would do in any particular situation, the choosing of Jesus as a … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Ethics, Jesus, Karl Barth, N.T. Wright, Theology | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Maintaining Your Constituency?

What would we think of doctors who work to keep people sick so that the doctors’ services are required? What would we think of auto mechanics who sabotaged vehicles to ensure more business? What would we think of politicians who … Continue reading

Posted in Immigration, Ministry, Politics | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Fear of the Bible

One of the questions I see frequently from professional Christians is about good curriculum to use with particular groups. Like a broken record, my reply is always, “Why not just use the Bible?” When my son was 5, he did … Continue reading

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Planting Large Churches

One of the curious things I observe in some talk about church planting is the goal of planting “large churches.” Since I’ve never been a church planter (and have only read a few books on the subject), I’m obviously ignorant, … Continue reading

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