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Tracing Israel’s repeated rebellions in the wilderness is as dizzying as watching dirty bathwater circle the drain. In spite of its refrain stressing the patience of God, the book of Numbers exhausts the reader with its reports of these cyclical revolts of the exodus generation. Time and again, they clamor for food, drink, or a … Continue reading 4 Steps to Avoid Ministry Burnout: Lessons From Moses
Buzzwords have a funny way of painting their subject in the best possible light. Consider a few examples. “Progressive”—who doesn’t want to make progress? “Attractional”—who doesn’t want to attract unbelievers into the church? “Seeker-sensitive”—why wouldn’t we want to be sensitive to those whom God may be drawing to himself? As slaves of the Word and … Continue reading Be Christ-Centered, Not Just Gospel-Centered
At a recent medical consult, a doctor strongly recommended I schedule a particular outpatient surgical procedure. Since I’d been having some discomfort, I quickly obliged and booked the appointment. Of course, as the date of the surgery drew near, I weighed the costs and realized my recovery would be far worse than my current discomfort. … Continue reading Resentment and the Market Demand for ‘Reconciliation’
Contrary to Dr. Mason’s claims, we do not need to be “woke” to care about suffering and injustice. By adopting the world’s lingo, we’re playing into a larger agenda that deemphasizes the gospel of guilt, grace, and gratitude. We simply need to be biblical.
Author’s note: This article is cross-posted on ABWE.org. If you’re anything like me, it’s been hard to pray for the nations when our own is in such turmoil. I speak from the perspective of an American, but I recognize that this conversation extends to people in any number of Western countries. As I write this post, the state of New York has … Continue reading Why Do Missions When Our Own Nation Is in Flames?
“Sit down, young man. When God decides to save the heathen, he will do it without your help.” These were the words of John Ryland to a passionate, young English Particular Baptist named William Carey, now known to us as the father of the modern missionary movement. Since then, the temptation to pit Reformed theology … Continue reading 3 Reasons Definite Atonement is Basic to Biblical Missions
Author's note: This article is cross-posted on Founders.org and ABWE.org. Every head bowed, every eye closed. Good. Now, do you feel a stirring deep in your soul when I talk about missions? If so, stand up. If you’ve spent any time in evangelicalism, you know all too well this familiar scene, when the trajectory of one’s life boils down to a single, mystical moment … Continue reading Learn How to ‘Adult’ Before You ‘Missionary’
Author’s note: this article is cross-posted on Founders.org. “When I went to war, I marked my enemies like a sniper. And when I got to them, I chopped their heads off with a knife.” These are the translated words of Wangloi Wangshu, one of the few surviving members of the Naga headhunting tribe in northern India, documented … Continue reading Are Some Cultures ‘Better’ Than Others?
If humility is a Christian virtue, false humility is an evangelical vice. Such describes the state of the Christian blogosphere, which itself is marked both by its fair share of platform-building efforts and humble hot takes repudiating the practice itself. Scripture is clear in stating that a haughty spirit precedes destruction (Proverbs 16:18). Exaltation in … Continue reading Is Platform-Building a Sin? (With 11 Diagnostic Questions)
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with … Continue reading The Government of What?
