I want you to consider your Christmas activities. For some of you, Christmas is a day filled with presents and joy, worshipping God, and visiting with loved ones. Maybe you’ve saved for months to get your children that perfect gift. My wife is making me one of my favorite meals (lengua tacos) as a gift […]
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The Aim of Shame
I don’t buy the argument that says Americans are worse today than we were 50 years ago, 100 years ago, or even 240 years ago. Some may be baffled at such a statement given present cultural controversies over marriage and abortion, and the general disdain we seem to have as a society for the things […]
A Word to the Hurting
2020 has been nothing short of perilous. Bloggers and preachers regularly employ hyperbole, but what we are seeing due to the coronavirus pandemic is unique. At the time of writing, I’m a 44-year-old man who was born and raised in the United States, and I can confidently say no one my age has ever seen […]
Is Male Headship a Gospel Issue?
Men, mean, and misogyny all start with the same letter. Obviously, guys are jerks and need to calm down. And women need to be filling the pulpit because the resurrection of Jesus was first announced to women. Believe it or not, that’s the sort of argumentation you get in the Twitterverse when you say anything […]
Give us EARS to Hear
I am wholeheartedly committed to the priority of the preaching of God’s Word in our regular church gatherings. True, I am a pastor, so I guess by default I “have” to say that, but even apart from that role, there is a deep conviction running through me that the Word of God itself bears testimony […]
Why We Should Have Seeker Sensitive Churches
I can’t really document the dates so well, but I think most will generally agree that at the turn of the century the “Seeker Sensitive” movement was in full gear. This movement’s mantra is, essentially, that churches should be designed for seekers. In my own state of Arkansas, I hear a lot of talk about […]
Do You Have to Go to Church Every Sunday?
A familiar ding of the phone went off. (That’s right, I still walk around with my cellular device on loud). The text message read: “So you think you have to go to church every Sunday?” The reason for this message was because I had reached out to some church members who had missed quite a […]
Ensign Taylor
Meet “Ensign” Taylor. “Ensign” Taylor has attended your church for the past 6 months. He’s a nice enough guy, fun to talk to, and he has a really interesting story. You see “Ensign” Taylor lives on the Starship Excellence which, he informs us, is currently in a geosynchronous orbit above the earth while his captain […]
When Battling the Culture
Christians are in a constant battle with the culture because Christianity is opposed to the culture. A better way of saying it would be that the culture, or world, is opposed to Christ…and thus, Christianity. Many Christians seem to be particularly gifted or motivated toward ending or at least fighting certain evils we face living […]
Why I Need A Church that Judges Me
If you’re not a careful reader of Scripture you may have never noticed what Paul says to the church in Corinth: “For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?” 1 Corinthians 5:12 We are a society so enamored with autonomy that we […]
Psalm 119:61-64 — Companionship
The Cords of the Wicked Psalms 119:61 Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me, I do not forget your law. We have seen the psalmist proclaim the excellencies of loving God’s law even in the midst of trouble (Psalm 119:23). Now we find language reminiscent of Psalm 18. You see the same pattern here. […]
Discipleship is Not a Luxury – It’s a Necessity
If you could cut me and examine my blood, I imagine aside from the physical components, you would find four elements in there. You’d find love for Christ, love for my wife, love for my football team (or soccer for my American friends), and a love for making disciples. Disciple-making is something near and dear […]
46 Years of Failure
It will be known as one of the most truly wicked and shameful moments in United States history. Cheers filled the legislature as a package of legislation had passed with fawning approval. In a moment, New York became the most lethal state in the nation for pre-born babies. Through this monstrous affront to decency and […]
Any Given Sunday
Frankly, I have zero desire to be a so-called “discernment blogger.” I simply don’t have the time to fulfill my God given duties of a Christian, husband, father, and pastor while also monitoring all the happenings of the evangelical world at large. Furthermore, I can’t find the motivation to blog or tweet about every single […]
Kindly Let People Ask If Mary Knew
“Mary, Did You Know?” is a Christmas song with lyrics written by Mark Lowry and music written by Buddy Greene. It was originally recorded by Christian recording artist Michael English on his self-titled debut solo album in 1991 (English and Lowry were both members of the Gaither Vocal Band at the time). It reached No. […]
If I Could Choose 3 New Year’s Resolutions for You
I don’t know you. I don’t know if you’re the type of person who makes resolutions or not. And it’s not my desire to debate whether or not Christians should make resolutions. In general, there’s no harm in this, and it is actually quite biblical to think about where one is in his or her […]
Guess Who’s Coming to Town?
This Christmas I want you to be prepared for someone who is “coming to town.” And, no, I do not mean Santa Claus. It seems every Christmas a few people always appear on the scene and present situations where Christians need to respond appropriately. Four people who seem to consistently show up every December are […]
5 People Not to Be During Someone Else’s Trial
We recently began a journey through the book of James at Perryville Second Baptist. As I studied through James 1:2-12, I thought about some of the unhelpful people I’ve encountered during a personal trial, or a trial that someone else was going through. In today’s post, I’d like to caution us to not be one […]
Judge Kavanaugh and the Church
Judge Brett Kavanaugh became Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh on Monday, 10/8/2018 after a long and contentious nomination process. The contention behind the nomination is what makes it remotely interesting to a Christian blogger. Like it or not, the church was involved in this process and largely took sides. The fallout is worth examining. The […]
Ep. 005 | Christians & Sports — TAU Roundtable
In TAU Roundtable 005, the guys discuss the disposition Christians should have toward sports and give some sports hot-takes.