The Central Importance of The Resurrection
When I was thirteen, I attended a church retreat in the middle of a frigid January. It was five degrees below zero Fahrenheit (-20° C). A low bridge …
Beliefs of the Heart
Whatever Happened to Confession?
A charismatic church once asked me to review their liturgy. Oh, they didn’t use the word “liturgy,” because they claimed they had no liturgy, they …
The Corrupting of The Christian Shepherd
Several years ago, a friend called me to talk about an internationally known Christian leader who lived near him. During the “great recession” of …
Embracing A Transcendent Pursuit: A Journey of Spiritual Growth
Fifteen years ago, my friend Gary Barkalow and I shared our frustrations (at least our disenchantment) with traditional New Year’s Resolutions. We …
Why Are We So Afraid to Admit Our Doubts?
When a friend of mine was fired from his job because of his boss’s mistake, he said, “All is good.” The next week, when one of his kids totaled one of …
Modern Worship, Cocaine Rushes, and Healing
A friend of mine calls himself a “recovering charismatic.” He thinks the gifts of the Spirit are still active today, but he believes the worship …
The Most Insidious Warfare: The War of the World
For two thousand years, believers have prioritized the importance of “spiritual warfare” for Christian health. (Heck, I was raised Presbyterian, and …
The Christian’s Biggest Enemy
Ten years ago, I arrived home late Sunday night, from a retreat. I was physically and emotionally drained. But the next morning I woke up to an …
God Doesn’t Need Our Greatness
On my twelfth birthday, I received four birthday cards, each with a personal message. My grandfather, my parents, my oldest brother, and an elder at …
Chasing Lovers
During its first fifteen years, my old software company only worked with domestic clients. In the late nineties, we landed Oxford University Press (a …
Learning to Hear God’s Voice
Every human longs to hear the voice of God. It’s who we are, it’s in our DNA. But most believers find that prayer is too one-sided: us speaking to God …
Imagine There’s No Heaven
Early one spring morning in 1971, John Lennon sat at a Steinway piano in his bedroom and composed one of the most popular songs of all time. His wife, …