shamed and disarmed
Hospital chaplain Matt Marino received a call to go to a patient’s room. He expected to find someone gravely ill, fearful, or clinging to life. Instead, he was surprised to find a “strikingly attractive 23-year-old sitting up cheerfully in the hospital bed, holding her infant daughter and chatting with family and friends.” Confused, Matt quietly asked the nurse why he had been called.
cynical
I leafed through the book, Can’t Be Bought (not the real title). The book told the challenging story of a megachurch pastor who realized he had built his ministry on marketing strategies rather than on Christ’s call. He decided he would no longer cater to the crowd but instead preach the cost of discipleship and let the chips fall where they may. Sadly, the book isn’t good. And on the last page, the publisher—apparently hoping to cash-in on the success of the book—offered T-shirts emblazoned with that catch phrase, Can’t Be Bought.
you choose Q: "why are people in the church sometimes self-righteous and don't help the hurting?"
Q: Both my sister and I have been hurt by a church we both grew up in. We are church "shopping" right now. Why is it that Christians in the church are so self-righteous and cold to those who are really in need and are hurting from various forms of abuse and recovered addictions? Aren't Christians supposed to be supportive…
lost and found
Everyone has had the dreaded experience of losing something. Cell phones, keys, wallets, and money are all prime examples. The existence of Lost & Found departments in shopping malls tells me that people losing things is a common experience. Things are lost. Things are found. We’re mighty glad and relieved when lost things are returned to us!
Why would you…
friend of sinners
Jesus’ teachings can seem to be paradoxical.
Exhibit A: He requires a standard of living that’s even more rigorous than the Old Testament. Jewish law condemned adultery (Exodus 20:14); Jesus said that even looking at someone lustfully was wrong (Matthew 5:27- 28). Jewish law allowed for divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1); Jesus condemned it except for marital infidelity (Matthew 5:32). Many Jewish leaders misread…
principled
Teaching in a Christian preparatory school, I am accustomed to including an “honor code” on each quiz and test that my students take. Because they live in a world of moral relativism, some students are accustomed to signing on the line even when they’ve cheated. Recently I had to turn a student in for cheating, and as I watched the…
we've got answers
While in college, I volunteered at a center that provided emergency housing assistance. One winter day, a distraught woman called to complain about her negligent landlord. She couldn’t stay in her rental home because of severe maintenance problems. In a panic, she asked what she could do to care for her children in the cold weather. I gave the standard…
an apology
A pastor friend of mine recently said that the Christian church ought to apologize and repent of the hurt it has caused to the homosexual community. That’s a pretty radical statement, but I happen to agree.
Now, before you label me as someone going soft on sin, please understand that I believe the Bible teaches that homosexuality is wrong. Romans…
one-hit wonders
A recent TV special on one-hit wonders—pop music performers who had one hit and then disappeared—fascinated me. Old footage from their prime showed them to be arrogant, bold, confident, outrageous, and young!
Now, 20 to 30 years later, the TV crew caught up with many of them. Some had moved on with their lives, raising families and enjoying obscurity. But…
