Articles

I am writing today, on the day following the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., because I have a humbling confession to make. For all of my passion for the gospel of Jesus Christ, which has been accurate and faithful to the best of my ability, the gospel that I have held so dear has been, in reality, a truncated and incomplete gospel. If you know me, you know that I have invested my life and ministry in teaching, preaching, and writing about the gospel. I... Read More

There are two very famous men in Scripture who share the name Joseph. There's the Old Testament Joseph, the great savior of the nation of Israel, whose amazing story from abandoned brother to Egyptian lord is chronicled in Genesis. Then there's the New Testament Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, who believed in the angel's report and became the guardian of the young Messiah. But there's a third Joseph, often overlooked because of the drama of the moment onto which he stepped.... Read More

Rebellion raises its ugly head then grace comes down darkness covers creation’s light then grace comes down thorns and disease infect then grace comes down people lie and cheat then grace comes down desires lead astray then grace comes down image bearers murder their own then grace comes down power corrupts the powerful then grace comes down pride’s delusion ensnares then grace comes down fools preach what is foolish then grace comes down idols abound and deceive then grace... Read More

There was only one Black Friday. It was not the day after Thanksgiving. It was not a day when self-oriented consumers bumped into climbed over pushed into screamed at and hated the other consumers who were in their way. No, all the action of the one Black Friday was on a hill of death outside the city where three souls hung on crosses, two criminals and the Messiah doing what he came to do and what the world was desperate for. That Friday the world went dark the Father turned... Read More

The twelfth chapter of Acts depicts terrible and violent times for the Christians of the early church. If you live in the peaceful West, you'll find it hard to relate to what it was like to live under constant threat and in constant fear simply because of what you believe. Sadly, there are millions of our brothers and sisters around the world who reside in regions where violence is a regular response to biblical faith. Herod, the king at the time, wasn't much of a theologian; he didn't... Read More

I want you to consider a principle: faith makes you a canvas upon which the Redeemer can paint the beauty of his grace. What do you think this principle means? And how does it apply to the situtations, locations, and relationships of your everyday life? Take a moment to meditate on these questions, and when you're ready, grab a Bible and read John 3:1-21. The Background In most of the gospel narratives, the Pharisees are identified as a group of people, but in John 3,... Read More

It's a story so unusual, so extraordinary, and so mind-blowing that when we step back and consider the narrative, it forces us to reconsider the typical ways we think and talk about our lives. It's a story that you're probably familiar with, but before we dive into that passage from Scripture, I want you to examine yourself: what is your street-level theology of God's involvement in your mundane affairs? What do you tend to tell yourself when an unexpected or unplanned... Read More

Anyone who has been exposed to the Christian tradition will know the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand. But just to refresh your memory, I would like you to re-read John 6:1-15 before starting this piece. SETTING THE SCENE The fame of Jesus was spreading like wildfire, and understandably so. No one had performed wondrous miracles like this man (v. 2), and no one had spoken with authority like this teacher (Mark 1:22). People everywhere wanted to be in the presence of Jesus,... Read More

Imagine what it was like for her, just her and her little boy. Her husband had died, and together, mother and son were starving to death. They were victims of a widespread famine, and there was no place to go and nothing to do about their plight. She had faced the reality of their coming demise. She would take her little pot of flour and the little bit of oil she had left, gather some sticks, make a little cake, eat this final meal with her son and lay down to die. What would you be... Read More

It was a crazy request: build a boat. But there's no water around. Build it anyway, and trust that water will come. Fill it with all the animals of the land, then board it with your family. Oh, and just a disclaimer – this is going to take decades and result in persecution and mockery. Such was the nature of the task assigned to Noah. It was crazy, when you think about it in its historical and geographical context. There was no amount of human logic, rationality or wisdom that... Read More