When I was in college, I helped lead a sailing trip into the Bahamas. I will never forget sailing away from land into the vast, unknown ocean in the middle of the night. It was exciting and yet extremely eerie. In particular, I remember watching the depth finder readings as we passed into deeper waters. The numbers slowly ticked deeper and deeper down until all at once they … [Read more...] about When Oceans Rise
A Brief Theology of Fun
Fun. Nothing seems more antithetical to the Christian life than fun. Or at least that's the stereotype. Many bible verses come to mind... Solomon commends entering the house of sorrow over the house of mirth.Paul talks about his many travails.Jesus tells his disciples that following him means bearing a cross daily. Obviously, I have no interest in contradicting … [Read more...] about A Brief Theology of Fun
The Curve Ball
"After these things and these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them for himself." -2 Chronicles 32:1 After...these acts of faithfulness. Well, if that don't smart! King Hezekiah was a good king. He followed the Lord with his heart. He kept the commandments. Chronicles … [Read more...] about The Curve Ball
Bryan Chapell on the Importance of Sermon Illustrations
A sermon of nothing but illustrations and stories feels thin and will leave the hearer hungry. But a sermon without any illustrations will fall short of deep impact. A healthy sermon needs truth illustrated. Bryan Chapell makes this point well in Using Illustrations to Preach with Power: "The mind yearns for, and needs, the concrete to anchor the … [Read more...] about Bryan Chapell on the Importance of Sermon Illustrations
Input
Output requires input. The more input, the more output. Pour water in a cup and eventually it will overflow. Output follows input naturally. But we are a culture obsessed entirely with output. We look at numbers. We analyze sales. We count heads. We tally wins. Focusing exclusively on output can lead us down rabbit trails and away from, ironically, further … [Read more...] about Input