no unpublished thoughts
Before laying out the specifics of establishing a Christian household, we first want to make sure that our efforts are effective, resulting in the kind of flourishing household described by Psalm 128, and not something resembling the household version of the French Revolution. I say this because some men go to a conference or hear … Continue reading Gardeners, Not Alchemists
Communion Meditation April 2025 Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. When Christ observed the last Supper with his disciples, He knew … Continue reading In Light of the Resurrection
From time to time, institutions sway and even collapse, and it is only then that we recognize their value and significance. At the family level, Thanksgiving at grandma’s house becomes an institution that holds a family together. Institutions are like that: little centers of gravity for social cohesion. Their absence results in a dissolution that … Continue reading Restoring Institutional Trust and the Cleansing of the Augean Stables
When I first started pastoring – wait, I suppose I should mention that this post isn’t about panhandling. This is specifically about teaching on giving at church, which tends to be perceived as asking people for money. When I first started pastoring, I studiously avoided the topic of giving, even though our church was at … Continue reading How I Got Comfortable Asking People for Money
I recently had a conversation with some believers who were describing a series of events that had unfolded, concluding with something like, “we could tell that this was God’s plan.” The potential fallacy involved here is not in ascribing “God’s plan” to the series of events that have taken place. The fallacy involved is in … Continue reading The “God’s Plan” Fallacy
Part 2 of a biblical take on women serving in combat.
Pete Hegseth's confirmation hearing provides us an opportunity to think about women in combat roles from a Christian perspective
One of the conflicts that Jesus had with the Pharisees was over the idea of eating with unwashed hands. Most common people ignored this rule, as the labor involved in acquiring water as well as the necessary utensils for washing hands would be hard to come by unless one were wealthy. So Jesus and his … Continue reading The Hands that Broke the Bread
Communion Meditation – December 2024 Joh_6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. Just as there are boys who falsely think that kicking a ball or shooting a gun in a video game are equivalent to kicking a real ball or … Continue reading It Doesn’t Work Without Flesh and Blood
Like most pastors, I have been reflecting on the pattern of declining church attendance over the last few decades. Within my own quarter of a century of ministry at my local church, we have witnessed the loss of the Sunday evening service (attendance had dropped so low that we did not “bring it back” following … Continue reading Does the Digital Age Favor Roman Catholicism over Evangelicalism?
Nathan Writes 