Nearly a year ago, I was asked by a friend whether I thought the moral code of the Christian (or theist) was superior to that of the atheist. My answer to the question was, “Yes; no; well, sort of.” The questioning challenge sent me on a journey of discovery through the world of Immanuel Kant, Sören Kierkegaard, and the German rationalists; and ending up with Friedrich Nietzsche. To find a starting point, I have had to go to the Bible (my normal starting point). For the wrath

I have studied the institution of marriage for all of my ministry life. Not until the recent Supreme Court Decisions (United States v. Windsor [2013] and Obergefell v. Hodges [2015]) have I needed to define the term and give its origins. We are in new and dangerous waters regarding marriage and the family, and our understandings have to become a bit more precise than ever before. We need to ask the question (and then answer it carefully), “What is marriage, really?” The tradi

In reading a book by Os Guinness, I came across a quote of an anonymous letter from the 2nd century A.D. Restating it might be helpful for us today as we attempt to regain what may be lost ground for the Church. "Christians are indistinguishable from other men either by nationality, language or customs. They do not inhabit separate cities of their own, or speak a strange dialect, or follow some outlandish way of life. Their teaching is not based upon reveries inspired by the

As long as I have been a Christian ( a long time, even in geologic terms), when discussions turned to slogging it out at the local coal mine, labor unions have been considered anathema by the Church. But are they? Does the Bible really condemn labor unions? Two New Testament passages are usually trotted out to shut down any give-and-take discussion of the issue: Ephesians 6:5, 6; and Colossians 3:22-24. The problem in applying these verses without debate is that the verses ar

End-times prophecy is undergoing a tectonic shift these days. Of that, I am certain. After two millennia of looking at the end times focused on Europe, present history is forcing us to consider a more-biblical view. This kind of certainty, however, requires that we remain tentative about the details. It is something like opening a Christmas present. As you tear at the wrappings, you can tell it is not an X-Box but is some sort of stuffed toy. As yet, however, you cannot deter

Prayer does not work. Much as we would like it to be the driving force in the Church, it simply will not adapt itself to the programmatic approach to ministry found in most churches today. So many of the ministries of the Church lend themselves to programs, whether they are men's or women's ministries, youth and children activities, even small groups and Bible studies. Prayer does not fit. The reason for prayer's failure in the Church is simple: Prayer requires intimacy with

The world is in continued, aggressive opposition to the Church. Beloved, get used to it! They don’t like you! Their prince hates you because he hates your King. You cannot please them! You won’t (or should not try to) fit in! This opposition often takes the form of persecution directed at Christians. Contrary to the world’s purpose, suffering does not close down the Church, suffering strengthens it. Persecution and mockery from the world only confirm the reality and power of

“I’ll have a medium-sized cola, please.” “You mean large, don’t you? We only have two sizes: Medium and Large. Our medium is small and our large is medium.” I had only tried to order a soft drink to slake my thirst as I plodded through the arid expanse of the local mall. What I did not expect was to run into an oasis of equivocation, an intentional redefinition of words in order to deceive or confuse. You see, at this kiosk, the large was medium, the medium was small, and I h