The Rapid Decline of Generous Hearts

I read an article online a few days ago and saw a word I’ve seen far too often lately: heresy. 

It came from a large ministry accusing another large ministry of being non-Christian, even demonic. It was a respected leader who was so viscerally agenda-driven that his very selective use of scripture to support his point was almost laughable. Yet quite a few people take this kind of accusation seriously.

The “heresy” label has become very popular lately, both among the self-appointed watchdogs of our faith and ministry leaders with actual influence. ...

Eventually, Everyone Loses

The French Revolution started with reasonable ideals. People who had been exploited and oppressed found their voice and threw off an oppressive system. The time for a new government and a new kind of society had come.

Social change is always messy, but this one got messier than most. About four years after the Revolution began, Robespierre and the Jacobins unleashed “the Terror,” a period of revolutionary zeal that escalated emotions and turned virtually everyone in society against each other.

Guillotines aside, these dynamics of change sound a little too familiar. Apparently, we didn’t invent the cancel culture. The French traveled that road and were scarred for years . . .

The Ever-Translating God

The translator had an ambitious vision. Using various texts from scripture’s original languages, he set about to update older versions of the Bible to be more readable. He was brave to do so; traditionalists have a way of making change costly.

It took years, and not many people knew it at the time, but it was a monumental event in the history of the church...

King James English Is . . . Informal?

I’ve always been fascinated by the fact that when the Bible is translated into a language that distinguishes between a formal and informal “you,” translators have almost always chosen the informal option for God. 

So, for example, biblical prayers speak to God as tu or tú in French, Italian, or Spanish (as opposed to vous, lei, or usted, respectively). It’s the familiar “you,” the one you might use with a friend, a family member, or a child.

I would have expected the opposite . . .

It’s Kind of the Same Discussion

Maybe I was naïve back in the day. Perhaps I had unrealistic expectations. But if someone came to my door to talk religion, I’d invite them in.

There were rules, of course. I’d make deal: they would get five minutes to talk without interruption, and then I’d get five minutes to talk without interruption. Sometimes I had to remind them of the second half of that deal . . .

Another Round in the Battle of Values

Another American presidential campaign is about to take shape. Politicians are announcing their candidacies. The rhetoric is starting to ramp up. The posturing has begun. 

I used to get excited about such things. Now I just brace for a long season of negativity, criticism, and hate. And I pray for the healing of millions of distorted, wounded hearts . . .

How the Trinity Is, and Isn't, in the Bible

“The Trinity isn’t in the Bible. It was invented at the council of Nicaea, three centuries after Jesus.” I heard a very intelligent person say this recently, and it certainly wasn’t the first time I’ve heard it. But by now, my reaction to this sort of thing is automatic. I rolled my eyes . . .

Before Eggs and Bunnies

I enjoyed a rousing Easter celebration on Sunday, as did many other Christians around the world. It was a great time of worship and a reminder not only of the promise of ultimate resurrection but also that God is still in the business of resurrecting the dead places in our lives. 

I also came across a familiar refrain that shows up about this time every year — not at church but on social media. “It’s a pagan holiday” . . .

Mustard Seeds that Won't Go Away

“Negligible results.” “Hardly any converts.” “Largely unfruitful work.” 

Those are the assessments I keep reading in history textbooks about missionaries who ventured into distant lands like India, China, and Africa. Whether in late antiquity, the middle ages, or the period of European imperialism, missionaries are portrayed as well-meaning at best, cultural blunderers at worst, and generally ineffective all the way around.

Yet today there are roughly 70 million Christians in India, about 100 million in China, and some 400 million in Africa...

Remembering Who You Are

Let’s play a word game.

Without putting too much thought into it, which does our society value more: pride or humility? confidence or insecurity? assertiveness or deference? arrogance or modesty? boasting or self-deprecation? 

Depending on your background, as well as the multiple connotations of some of these words, you might have come up with mixed results . . .