Loving in a Nation of Presumers
I’m talking about politics as much as religion in this series. At least on the surface. Feel free to move along to something more innocuous (like dwarf bunnies) if you [...]
Christian Living
Misogyny and Malarkey – Leadership
We’ve established that man and woman were created equal and that the “head of the household” label has more to do with responsibility and function than rank [...]
Questing with Integrity – Embracing Doubt, Curiosity, and Sometimes “Heresy”
There is such a thing as heresy, and the Bible is very clear about how we should handle it. But maybe we're too trigger-happy with that label. [...]
On the Shoulders
I believe this is one of the greatest times to be alive in the church. Yes, persecution exists in different forms in different places. Yes, there is a great resistance in [...]
Misogyny and Malarkey – Teachers
Why do we see Paul seem to go all macho in 1 Timothy 2:11-12 (NASB): "A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet." [...]
My Joseph Journey – The Inmates
I have always been a people watcher, but no mall, school, airport, or ComicCon could ever prepare me for the characters I'd get to watch in prison. [...]
Misogyny and Malarkey – Introduction
Millennia of being treated as second-class citizens (often legally designated as such), being forbidden certain rights and privileges afforded to men, and generally being taught that God has made them inferior to men... that's rough. [...]
On the Boundaries of Sin
The nonbeliever often perceives Christianity as being a set of arbitrary rules and regulations to follow in order to meet some equally arbitrary goal that permits some reward called "heaven" after one's death. The mature believer, apart from knowing no obedience to a set of rules (arbitrary or not) is sufficient for heavenly rewards, recognizes the Law of God to be not arbitrary at all. Rather, His rules are for our best interests. [...]
Driven by Vision – Lessons from Chick-fil-A Employee Training
I had the privilege of witnessing Chick-fil-A employee training while I mooched on their wifi and nursed their tea, and I found the process fascinating. [...]
Christian Self-Love
What does this much-vaunted idea of humility entail? Is there room for a Christian self-love or self-esteem? Or are we all depraved and worthless? [...]
Integral Faith – A Foundation of Sand
Years ago, I was fiery evangelical. Today, I'm very much not. Did I backslide? Or did I mature? I've been wrestling with this question a lot lately. [...]
The Bible on Unwholesome Talk
There's a third way explicit language comes under attack, empowered by Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus. "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth..." [...]
It’s What You Make of It – Christmas
Last time I complained about the hypocrisy of Christians rabidly condemning Halloween for its pagan origins while happily celebrating Easter despite its arguably pagan [...]
It’s What You Make of It – Easter
Some Christians even claim that 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 refers to an early Easter celebration, but serious scholars dismiss that out of hand. Still, the celebration of Easter is quite old. [...]
Misogyny and Malarkey – Creation
The common tradition often holds the Creation story in Genesis as a historical, scriptural precedent for the built-in superiority of man over woman. That's misogyny and malarkey. Typically, Genesis 3:16 is the go-to verse for substantiation of this idea that men were created superior. [...]
Misogyny and Malarkey – The Head
Paul's teachings found in Ephesians 5 have long been used to communicate that wives (and therefore women) are positionally beneath their husbands (and therefore men), as God has placed man as the "head of the household". [...]
Facing Hard Questions – Making Sure I Truly Believe What I Believe
In my youth, I took the teachings of church culture as gospel, even if they didn't sit right. Now, I openly face the hard questions that challenge my faith. [...]
The Prevarication of Privacy – Part 1
Something inside knows we're being deceived. In this fast-paced world of email, smartphones, and even WebMD, we can accomplish most of our needs without ever seeing another human face. And our spirits grieve something lost. [...]
The Bible on Swearing
I thought the idea strange —one series of sounds from someone's mouth forms an unacceptable word while another series of sounds makes an acceptable word. Sounds are sounds, right? But like a "good" Christian noob, I obeyed first and asked questions later. [...]
It’s What You Make of It – Halloween
In both Easter and Christmas, we’ve seen Christians attempt to redeem the festivals and holy days of pagan religions by freeing the harmless customs from the ungodly [...]