John McCain and the Lost Art of Decency
Show me a politician—any politician, anywhere—who still talks that way in the 21st century, or will ever talk that way again. In that sense, McCain’s death marks the passing not only of a spirited public servant, but the disappearance of a certain brand of decent self-awareness in public life, a recognition that politics isn’t a reality show, or any kind of show, but a real and serious business on which millions of lives and the fates of nations depend.
How Cultural Attachments of Yesterday Diminish Our Effectiveness Today
- The culture in which we now reside is vastly different than the one most of us were born into.
- Many of our “expertly” applied forms are simply not working.
- Evangelism in a postmodern context is predicated on listening well.
- Diaspora populations are increasingly normative, and increasingly important.
15 Common Sacred Cows in Churches
To the delight of some and to the chagrin of others, I conducted an informal social media poll to find out what the audience deemed the most common sacred cows in their churches. The answers were voluminous. Some of the conversations were hilarious. Some people just got mad. Imagine that.
Here are the top 15 responses by frequency.
New Music Is Not Worth Fighting For – So What Is?
So what is worth fighting for?
- Becoming a friendly church is a cause worth fighting for
- Reaching new people is a cause worth fighting for
- Getting greater involvement in worship is a cause worth fighting for
- Going deeper in prayer is a cause worth fighting for
- Better discipleship is a cause worth fighting for
- Reaching new generations is a cause worth fighting for
- Respecting previous generations is a cause worth fighting for
- Scriptural integrity is a cause worth fighting for
- Reaching out to the poor is a cause worth fighting for
- Becoming a more loving church is a cause worth fighting for
America Soured on My Multiracial Family
But hovering just outside the frame—and sometimes intruding directly into our lives—is a disturbing reality. There are people who hate that our family exists. Actual racists loathe the idea of white parents raising a black child, and ideological arguments about identity raise questions about whether a white family’s love can harm a child of a different race. And, sometimes, people even question whether adoptive parents truly love their children, claiming that parents adopt to “virtue signal” or simply to ostentatiously demonstrate their open-mindedness.
New Mark Manuscript Is Earliest Yet
Even though it is not quite so early as many hoped, P137 is still a significant find. Its date range makes it likely the earliest copy of Mark’s gospel. The fact that the text presents us with no new variants is partially a reflection of the overall stability of the New Testament text over time.
Psychologists have surprising advice for people who feel unmotivated
Giving advice, as opposed to receiving it, appears to help unmotivated people feel powerful because it involves reflecting on knowledge that they already have. So if you’re completely clueless about the resources or strategies necessary for progress, asking for help is probably the best first step. But if you (like most of us), know what you need to do, but are having trouble actually doing it, giving someone advice may be the push you need.