Project Radiance: Why Art is Important
This past weekend at New Life, we unveiled a new art installation in the foyer of our new facility. It’s a piece called “Project Radiance” that was designed and installed (with much help from others in the church) by a New Life member and architecture student at Ball State.
A Church Planting Vision for Muncie and Delaware County
As Christians, we believe we are the light of the world — not because we think we’re something special, or because we’re better than other people. It’s because this is what Jesus says is true of his people — in Mat. 5:14, he says to his disciples, “You are the light of the world.” Where Christians are, there is light. Where Christians are not, there is darkness.
5 Tips for Listening to Sermons
Sometimes people complain that they didn’t get much out of a sermon. Often (maybe even most of the time) this is the fault of the preacher, but sometimes this can be the fault of the listener. There are certain steps you can take to prepare yourself to get the most out of a sermon on any given Sunday at any given church. Here are some tips:
7 Favorite Preachers
Thankfully, there are more opportunities today to hear good preaching than ever before, as one can hear multiple sermons from high-profile preachers on the Web. Below is a list of seven preachers that I consider to be highly skilled and Gospel-centered, and from whom I personally receive much spiritual edification and inspiration. Click the links and you will be directed to a list of sermons you can hear on-line:
5 Reasons Not to Find Your Security in the Approval of Others
Let’s just admit it — many of us are people pleasers. We long for the affirmation and approval of others, and we will do almost anything to get it: we will be someone we’re not; we will slander another person; we will give the impression we believe something that we really don’t; we will neglect responsibilities and even renege on promises; we will fall into deep depression if we feel we are devalued by others, and we will become haughty and prideful if we are adored by others.
Is it Possible for a Homosexual to Flourish in a Heterosexual Marriage?
One of my favorite books from last year was Is God Anti-Gay by Sam Allberry. In the book, the author, who himself struggles with same-sex attraction (SSA), makes a suggestion that I had not considered, and that many gay rights activists might not even consider a remote possibility. Here’s what Allberry wrote:
My Favorite Books of 2014
Below are the 10 most stimulating, edifying and/or inspiring books I read last year. Before I proceed, let me recommend Goodreads to you. It’s a fun way to keep track of your own reading progress in individual books; to maintain an ongoing list of books you’ve read, along with the dates when you finished them; and to connect with friends so you can share reviews and suggested titles. Check it out here.
3 Reasons the Incarnation is Important
There is an important word that sums up what Christmas is most fundamentally about, and it’s not “Santa,” “gifts,” or “eggnog.” It’s not even “peace” or “goodwill.” The word is “incarnation.” Christmas is the celebration of the truth that God has become incarnate, meaning that the eternal, immortal and invisible God has taken on flesh (a human body) and entered our world in the person of Jesus Christ. There are at least three reasons why this is a vital and fundamentally essential doctrine for the Christian faith:
5 Tips for Reading Through the Bible in a Year
As we close in on the beginning of another new year, it’s time to start putting together a plan for reading through the entire Bible in 2015. This is a very worthy but daunting task. It’s easy to have high aspirations in January, but before long, as our schedules get busy and as we wade through more difficult portions of the Bible, we get tempted to give up.
50 Things for Which I am Thankful
Originally this was intended to be posted last week, in time for the Thanksgiving holiday, but the Ferguson situation was so prominent that I chose to comment on it instead. So, with the holiday past but still fresh in our minds, the following are things, truths and people for which I am very thankful (in no particular order):
Answering 7 Common Questions About Tithing
Last week I preached a sermon on the importance of being generous to our local churches, based on 1 Tim. 6:18. The passage does not mention tithing specifically, but certainly one way to be generous to our churches is in committing ourselves to tithing. This undoubtedly created some questions in people’s minds about this practice, which I will try to anticipate here. What are some common questions or objections that Christians often mention about tithing?
Do We Need Another Reformation?
While most people are celebrating Halloween today, Protestant Christians should be reminded that today is also Reformation Day. It was on Oct. 31 of the year 1517 that Martin Luther posted his 95 theses to the church door in Wittenburg, Germany, setting forth a string of events that have birthed monumental changes in the church and western culture.
10 Favorite Movies
It’s hard to imagine why anyone would be interested, but just in case, below are my 10 favorite movies. Note that I didn’t say, “10 most important movies,” or “10 most influential movies,” or even “10 most Gospel-centered movies.” These are simply 10 movies that had a striking and memorable impact on me personally, and in most cases are movies I have watched multiple times and found to be equally rewarding on repeated viewings.
5 Things I’ve Learned About Ministry After 10 Years in the Pastorate
The end of August marked my 10-year anniversary of serving as pastor at New Life Presbyterian Church in Yorktown. As I reflect on the mistakes I’ve made and the fruit that has been borne from my ministry, I offer five things that I’ve learned about pastoral ministry during the time God has graciously given to me to serve as shepherd of God’s people. This of course is not all there is to be said about pastoral ministry; these are simply things that stand out as lessons that are easy to overlook:
If You Believe in Inerrancy, You Are a Calvinist
It is very common for evangelical Christians to believe in the doctrine of inerrancy when it comes to their view of Scripture. In fact, some might say that you must believe in inerrancy to be a full-blown evangelical. But evangelicals are very divided when it comes to the doctrines of Calvinism. There are many evangelicals who strongly object to the high view of sovereignty contained in the system of doctrine called Calvinism. My contention is that you basically are a Calvinist if you believe in inerrancy.