The wisest person isn’t always the most experienced. I had to learn that the hard way. I graduated from high school as an evangelical kid—innocent enough to feel at home…
Category: The Gospel Coalition
Catherine de Bourbon: Steadfast in Oppression
Born in Paris on February 7, 1559, Catherine de Bourbon, “princess of the blood” of France’s royal line, entered a world in turmoil. As the Huguenot (French Calvinist) church grew,…
The Secret to Church Planting (From a Former Muslim)
As a former Muslim, the questions still sound strange. Is this passage too intense for visitors? Does my sermon have enough jokes? Should we do an iPad giveaway? These questions…
The Bible You Never Expected
“Nothing we expected, yet everything we need.” That’s what Michael and Lauren McAfee suggest you’ll find when you read the Bible for yourself. That’s their charge to the millennial generation…
Your Seat in Church Is a Seat in Heaven
My church’s dark wood pews and red cushions are probably 30 or 40 years old, approximately as old as the congregation itself. Hymnals and Bibles rest in carpet-padded racks on…
A Disgusting Poem About God’s Goodness
“This poem is disgusting,” one of my students declared not long ago as we settled in for a discussion of the Inferno, the first part of Dante’s Divine Comedy. She…
For People with Special Needs, Every Church Is ‘Accessible’ Now
For my family, social isolation isn’t much different from normal life. Because of my son’s social anxiety related to his autism, drive-thrus are our normal way of eating out. We…
The Church Doesn’t Need Online Watchmen
Christians on the internet can sometimes be like the fake Batmans in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight—copycat caped crusaders wearing hockey pads and DIY cowls. Our personalities online can often…
Christian Colleges and COVID: A Gospel Moment
A Los Angeles Times reporter recently asked me what changes Biola University students might see on account of the COVID-19 pandemic when they return to campus in the fall. I…
Does American Patriotism Have a Place in Worship Services?
The Story: A majority of pastors believe it’s important to incorporate patriotic elements in worship services during July Fourth weekend. Yet a majority also believe their congregation sometimes seems to…