“O foolish Galatians,” Paul lamented. “Who has bewitched you?” Through Christ, all 613 Levitcal laws given to Israel were fulfilled. Yet Satan - and our human nature - still tell us, “The only way to please God is through human effort.” i.e. living a “good” life, making sure that - at the end of the … Continue reading Bewitched
Grace
You are a Saint (and you don’t even have to live in New Orleans)
I've sat and listened to some preachers drone on, "We are wicked. We are sinners. We are unworthy." The news never gets any better. It's usually at that point I stop listening. Why? I already know that. God pulls no punches: "the human heart is deceitfully wicked" (Jeremiah 17:9), and "all have sinned and fall … Continue reading You are a Saint (and you don’t even have to live in New Orleans)
To Those Who’ve Lost a Loved One to Suicide
May 13th is the day I dread. But May 12th is the day that haunts me. It’s the last day I saw my son alive. The last day I talked to him, and he to me. When I speak in schools on suicide awareness & intervention I close my talk with the following question because, … Continue reading To Those Who’ve Lost a Loved One to Suicide
A Psalm of Nick Watts
Reading through the Psalms you commonly see the following subheadings: a psalm of David, or a psalm of Asaph,... I’ll never forget what I once heard one of my professors say: “A psalm is simply a person’s response to God’s activity in their life.” That’s why, in the Psalms, we see the full gamut of … Continue reading A Psalm of Nick Watts
When Jesus Worked at McDonald’s
This past week, on a Tuesday morning, I swung through the drive-though at a local McDonald's for a warm, robust beverage on my way to work. After placing my order I promptly pulled up to the first window to pay for said beverage where I was warmly greeted by a woman at the window who … Continue reading When Jesus Worked at McDonald’s
The Bible: Gospel, Guide or Garbage?
Linked for you here is a dialogue between New Testament scholar and theologian, NT Wright, and Harvard philosopher, Sean Kelly, as they discuss one of history’s most influential books – the Bible. It’s an audio link only (no video) and is over an hour in length. Whether you listen in “small bites” or “swallow the … Continue reading The Bible: Gospel, Guide or Garbage?
Teaching Christians to be Thinkers, and Thinkers to be Christians
The title of this blog has been championed by HBU professor, Dr. Jeremiah Johnston. It's something I believe in deeply. The biblical illiteracy of North American church culture is at an alarming and embarrassing level. However,... It's never too late to read, learn how to understand, and apply your Bible. The Bible is a … Continue reading Teaching Christians to be Thinkers, and Thinkers to be Christians
The Rise & Fall of a Nation
Solid (and prophetic quote): These provocative thoughts were set down by Professor Alexander Tyler around 1770 - seven years before the birth of the United States. May we, as a nation, be careful not to repeat this pattern of history: "The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years. These nations have … Continue reading The Rise & Fall of a Nation
I Can Only Imagine (movie): Review
I encourage you to go see it for the following reasons, followed by a word of caution: Unlike some Christian-themed films, this one is in no way manipulative, coercive or sensationalized. Not once will you feel "preached to." The director has done a masterful job of making this a film simply about the story of … Continue reading I Can Only Imagine (movie): Review
The Gospel According to Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”
"I wear the chain I forged in life.... I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it." Jacob Marley The quote cited above, of course, is from Charles Dickens' beloved story, A Christmas Carol - a story … Continue reading The Gospel According to Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”