Why the Restoration Movement Needs a Gospel Revival
For too long the church has treated the gospel as a medicine only needed by “those sinners out there.” The gospel is what we preach when we want to see baptism. A gospel revival is what we hold when we want to see people saved. But biblically speaking, the gospel is for us “sinners in here.” It’s what we preach when we want to see people live out their baptisms. A gospel revival is what we hold when we want to see people sanctified.
Churches do this all the time. Frequently we don’t mean to, it just happens. Like the bullfighter, a stray issue or person comes shooting across our field and we respond. Once we get that chicken taken care of, another one comes running. Then another… and another… and another… and so on. Some churches never accomplish anything because they are so busy fighting chickens rather than bulls.
Bullfighters are equipped to fight bulls. Big, scary, strong animals with sharp horns on their heads. They’re not supposed to be fighting chickens. But how many church leaderships spend all their time fighting chickens when they’re equipped and called to handle the big, scary, strong issues instead?
The Ultimate Secret to Effective Writing and Preaching
Effective communicators work hard. They rewrite over and over and over and over again. They rewrite their sermons. They rewrite their essays. They rewrite entire books, multiple times. It’s so devastating to me when I read someone’s debut novel and think, “This person is incredibly talented, and this book could have been as good as they are…if they had re-written it 2-3 times.”
Teen Texting: The Ruin of Romance
I’ve certainly seen it again and again on this side of the fence — the ruin of a perfectly good match due to the constant contact generated by texting. Even stranger is when these couples really DO break up but still can’t stop texting each other. Not to mention the problem of one or both of the parties preferring to discuss the more serious issues in their relationships via text instead of in person because it’s easier.
Removing my children from the Internet
It forced me to really dig deep into why I share photos of my kids. Convenience? Sure. But there are convenient ways to share photos with family that don’t run the risk of my kids unwittingly being used in advertisements or enshrined in Google Image searches for all time. While Zoë Stagg attributes it to ego, and while there is some science to back that up, I believe it was pride that was leading me to share.
Time doesn’t exist until we invent it
Time doesn’t exist, not in a way that matters to most people. The story we tell ourselves about time, though, is the overriding narrative of our day to day lives.
Finding Libraries in Unexpected Places
One of the most fascinating things about bookmobiles, for example, is that they take libraries out on the road.
20 Houses That Are Clearly Winning At Halloween
Halloween is fast approaching, and everyone will be judged based on their decorations. These houses obviously win forever.
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