Theology 101: Being a biblical scholar doesn't make you a faithful Christian any more than being a lawyer makes you a law-abiding citizen.

Theology 101: The proper Christian response to political and social uncertainty and turmoil? Faith, hope, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

The Nun and the Stripper The most astonishing, countercultural truth in the kingdom of Jesus is that love and acceptance have zero basis in worth or accomplishment. A billionaire in New York City is no more worthy of love and acceptance than the schizophrenic homeless man

The Untamed Tongue “No human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” James pulls no punches. That muscle in our mouth can kill or heal, spark wars or absolve a world. From beginning to end, the Bible speaks about the power of speech, for good

Am I a Calvinist or Arminian? I knew that would get your attention! People define those terms in various ways. But some define Calvinist as “the Protestant theological system of John Calvin and his successors,” and Arminian as “doctrines of Jacobus Arminius…a Dutch Protestant

Theology 101: Some things are simple and need to be embraced and stated plainly; some things are complicated and need to be nuanced and asserted tentatively. The ability to tell the difference is a mark of theological maturity.

What’s more important, to teach on eschatology (end times) or Genesis (beginnings)? I’m sure that will be a provocative question for some. Now, before I deal with this, let me remind us that all Scripture is inspired by God: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable

The problem with being a leader is that you're never sure if you're being followed or chased. - Claire A. Murray

When you accept a leadership role, you take on extra responsibility for your actions toward others. - Kelley Armstrong

The church must learn that the wickedness of our day is not unique and, therefore, is not a reliable indicator of Christ’s return. Other generations have been equally wicked (if not more). The return of Christ is based on the fulfillment of the Great Commission. When Christ is

Theology 101: We ought to spend more time picking our own weeds than inspecting other believers' fruits.

It is the responsibility of leadership to provide opportunity, and the responsibility of individuals to contribute. - William Pollard

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the ultimate love story. It reveals how God sent His Son to die for our sins and rise again, so that we could be forgiven and have eternal life. It's a message of hope and redemption for all who believe.

Can God Count? The boy counted everything. Socks in his drawer, peas on his plate, cars on the highway. He loved numbers. He loved to count. One day he asked his father, “Daddy, can God count?” His father said, “Yes, son, God can count.” “What does he count?” “He counts the

Lord, I believe. Help Thou my unbelief. That is our table prayer, our bedside prayer, our office prayer, our driving prayer, our 24/7 petition. Lord, I do believe, but I also don’t believe. I am a cocktail of contradictions: double-hearted, forked-tongued, pulled heavenward and

A number of years ago, the Orthodox theologian, Fr. Thomas Hopko, composed 55 maxims to guide Christians in their daily lives and struggles. Here are ten of my favorites. 1. Be always with Christ. 2. Have a short prayer that you constantly repeat when your mind is not occupied

Praying for a Heart with Two Large Ears The chief problem for Israel is the same one we face in the church today. It’s not scandals among the leadership, apathy in the pews, or people deconstructing their faith. Though all of those are significant, they are symptoms of the

Christ’s Solidarity with the Ostracized When you consider the Jewish world of Jesus, what he did in Luke 5 is quite shocking. I suspect his disciples, if they had known what he was about to do, would have stepped in and tried to stop him. Even the person that Jesus did this to

To know if our feelings are lying to us, we put them up against Scripture. If they betray God’s Word, they’re betraying us. —@CourtneyReissig

The conclusion of Samuel's farewell sermon to God's people: "Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you" (1 Sam 12:24). The Christian life in one verse.