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Donald Trump, Franklin Graham, and the faith and witness of the Global Church ?>

Donald Trump, Franklin Graham, and the faith and witness of the Global Church

I was intrigued to read the recent Christianity Today article calling for Donald Trump’s removal from office. The global interest in that article ended up crashing their servers for a period as people curiously read through Editor In Chief Mark Galli’s editorial. With the magazine having been founded by the late Billy Graham (and by the article’s explicit connection to him) it wasn’t surprising that Billy Graham’s son Franklin (a loyal Trump supporter) would respond shortly after with a rebuttal…

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My Favorite Books from 2018 ?>

My Favorite Books from 2018

A Place of Healing: Wrestling with the Mysteries of Suffering, Pain, and God’s Sovereignty – Joni Eareckson Tada This book was an incredible encouragement to me over this past year (and will be in the future). Joni Eareckson Tada shares in a very transparent and vulnerable manner about her limitations and her chronic pain as a result of a diving accident fifty years ago. But she also reveals an absolute trust in a God who can choose to bring pain into…

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Where hopes and dreams go to die ?>

Where hopes and dreams go to die

In the midst of the Christmas chaos this year, I’ve been pondering the scene on the road to Bethlehem some 2000 years ago. The story is so familiar to so many of us that it can lose much of its potency. The dusty figures of Mary and Joseph were making their way to the little town of Bethlehem and navigating through large numbers of fellow travelers along the way. I’ve been pondering what Mary, Joseph, and the other travelers must…

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A big, beautiful family. ?>

A big, beautiful family.

Our car pulled in to our driveway after picking me up from my very long journey across Africa this past month with Lahash. It was good to be reunited with my family. It was good to be home. And it was so good to think back on all God had done during the past several weeks! One thing I’ve been pondering recently is the reality of God’s big, beautiful family. Over the course of the past 2,000 years – Christianity…

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Hookers and Hypocrites ?>

Hookers and Hypocrites

How would you choose to describe the moral state and attributes of your soul? That question is certainly one of the most important questions humans have wrestled with for thousands of years. Philosophers, thinkers, and religious leaders throughout the ages perpetually weigh in on the topic. Would you see yourself as doing okay? Are you a good person? Do you have good moral attributes? A recent study found that most people suffer from a “self-enhancement effect” for moral characteristics. The…

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On Revoice, LGBT Christians, and the Samaritan woman ?>

On Revoice, LGBT Christians, and the Samaritan woman

Over the past several years I’ve looked into the issue of the relationship between sexuality and Christianity more deeply. Through my research, conversations, prayer, and study I’m convinced that the traditional, orthodox, Biblical, and historical understandings of marriage and sexuality are sound and unchanging. The arguments of various Christians like Justin Lee and Matthew Vines do not hold up under the scrutiny of serious investigation and Biblical study. But through my study I’ve encountered a number of incredibly courageous men…

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No Shame in That ?>

No Shame in That

Over the past year my mentor and spiritual director Paul suggested that I think about shame. He encouraged me to delve into my history, my family relationships, and my identity. He wondered if I could experience healing by addressing issues of shame in my life. I’ve resisted. “What shame?” “Is this some of that modern psychology?” “I don’t want to explain away my problems with that term!” On the surface I might look like I have things together. I’m relatively…

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