The Risk of Moving Forward

“Forward!” is the watchword of the spiritual life, a movement toward a destination that seems so incredibly elusive, but one into which we will step when it does in fact materialize. But “Forward!” is incredibly frightening. It can be costly. It requires change. It requires patience. It requires determination. It requires humility. It requires faith. Moving READ MORE

Ariel Castro and Pornography

This is a post I wish I had written yet I have simply not had the time. I knew, however, that at some point, some valuable voice would make its way to print. I am thankful. Ariel Castro and his house of horrors redefines for us the concept of the nightmare, but long before three READ MORE

Five Benefits of Powerful Story

Bethel Church’s @Home Ministry seeks to empower families to thrive, and just as we have enjoyed important resource seasons in the past year or so, so we now begin another called “Movies@Home” (stop by Bethel Church’s @Home Center for great resources about movies as well as tons of other helpful tools for all kinds of READ MORE

Reputation vs. Relationship

Right at that moment when we think Jesus may be watering down the essence of being rightly related to God, we realize that he is actually raising the bar quite a bit higher. The question about fasting, offered by the disciples of both John the Baptist and the Pharisees, as recorded in Mark 2:18 and READ MORE

Understanding Old Testament Moral Code

I have had a couple of questions recently from folks wondering how to process difficult Old Testament legal requirements relative to today’s moral climate. Below is an excerpt from an email I sent in response to such a question: Thank you for your email. You are asking a very important question. Let me attempt an READ MORE