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Are you a Varsity or JV Christian?

By on June 3, 2010 in Personal, Theology/Bible

For many years, I believed that Christianity had a Varsity squad and Junior Varsity squad. The JV squad consisted of those who had accepted Jesus as their Savior, and the Varsity squad of those who had accepted Jesus as their Savior and Lord. I saw members of both squads in my own church. I believed that baseline Christianity was JV. These were the people who were going to Heaven but who nevertheless didn’t care very much about Jesus. I believed that Elite Christianity was only for the few varsity players. These were the people who not only weren’t going to hell but who also followed Jesus in this life on their way to Heaven.

I didn’t know it at the time, but my two-tiered view of the Christian life was influenced by Keswick theology. This theology colored my spiritual worldview in some very unhelpful ways. It affected my evangelism, since I thought it was my job to recruit for the JV squad only. It affected my ecclesiology, since I thought widespread carnality among church members was the norm. I thought all churches were comprised of some members who really loved Jesus and of some who didn’t. Continue Reading →

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Caffeine Doesn’t Help After All

By on June 3, 2010 in News, Personal

I gave up my caffeine addiction last Fall after my doctor told me I needed to do so for health reasons. I loved my morning coffee, and I didn’t want to give it up. I am not a morning person, and I thought I needed the morning jolt to get me going. Nevertheless, I got on-board with the doctor’s instructions, and now my morning fix has given way to my morning decaf. Notwithstanding the brief withdrawal period, it really hasn’t been that big of a deal. Continue Reading →

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Pray for the leak to end soon

By on May 29, 2010 in News, Personal

Louisiana is my home state, and we have all been watching this oil leak with great disgust and sadness. Pray for the leak to be fixed soon and for clean-up efforts to minimize the environmental impact as much as possible. A whole way of life is threatened right now, and we need this to end.

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On Matt Chandler

By on December 16, 2009 in Christianity, Personal

Matt Chandler received a pathology report today indicating that he has cancer (read the statement here). I will be praying for him and his family, and I’m sure that many of you will be as well. I’m grateful that in the midst of this trial, he’s got the smell of grace all over him. Yesterday, he wrote this on his Twitter site:

“The pathology report is secondary at best. A good report doesn’t mean much, and bad report doesn’t mean anything. My days are numbered and not by this report.”

So true. We love you and will be praying for you, brother.

Psalm 139:16: “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

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Christ-Centered Gift Idea for Kids

By on December 13, 2009 in Christianity, Personal

I think that perhaps the best book that we have ever bought for our children is The Jesus Storybook Bible. It tells the story of scripture in a way that is engaging to kids, all the while showing that Jesus is the point of both the Old and New Testaments. That is why the subtitle of the book is Every Story Whispers His Name. If your kids don’t have this book, you should get it for them this Christmas.

Many of you are no doubt familiar with this book. What some of you may not know is that the book is now available in a deluxe edition. The deluxe edition includes CD’s with audio recordings of the book being read by actor David Suchet (of “Poirot” fame). Here are a couple of samples of his readings:

The Young Hero and the Horrible Giant

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A Little Girl and a Poor, Frail Lady

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The audio in this deluxe edition is a great value, and I am looking forward to sharing it with our kids. The Amazon price of the whole thing is only $16.49. You’ll want to get this one.

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Beauty Will Rise at Thanksgiving

By on November 26, 2009 in Book Reviews, Personal

Rose Kennedy buried four of her own children–all of whom met tragic ends. Her oldest son Joe was killed in action in World War 2. Her daughter Kathleen died in a plane crash in Europe. Her sons John and Bobby died by the assassin’s bullet. At the end of her life she wrote this:

“It has been said that time heals all wounds. I don’t agree. The wounds remain. Time—the mind, protecting its sanity—covers them with some scar tissue and the pain lessens, but it is never gone.”

I have never known that kind of grief. It is hard to imagine. And I would not dare gainsay her experience. Nevertheless, I am thankful today that there is more to the human story than this. Continue Reading →

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McLaren, Homosexuality, and the New Testament

By on November 17, 2009 in Personal, Theology/Bible

I am back home in the Bayou State for the 61st Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society. The meeting is in New Orleans this year, and the theme is “Personal & Social Ethics.” I will be delivering a paper on homosexuality. Here’s the title:

“Why Evangelicals Should Ignore Brian McLaren: How the New Testament Requires Evangelicals to Render a Judgment on the Moral Status of Homosexuality”

For all of you in New Orleans this week, I’d love to see you there. Here’s the place and time of my presentation: Continue Reading →

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Kids Pray the Darndest Things

By on October 26, 2009 in Christianity, Personal

We often snicker when my three-year-old daughter prays. She knows that she is supposed to kneel, to close her eyes, and to put her hands together. She has heard enough praying in her short life to know what kinds of words to include in a prayer. The only problem is, she hasn’t a clue how to put the words together in an appropriate way. For instance, she’s infamous in her Sunday School class for having prayed, “Lord, thank you for our sin.” Just this morning at the breakfast table, she prayed, “We thank you for God, and we forgive you.” Not exactly model prayers. Continue Reading →

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My Sister & Family on “The 700 Club”

By on August 6, 2009 in Christianity, Personal

My sister and her family were featured on “The 700 Club” today (see video above). It’s the story of my nephew’s ministry and near-death illness. Two details not included in the video: (1) The town Deweyville, Texas was home for our family for two years in the early 80′s; (2) Carter resumed his mercy ministry in Deweyville after he recovered from his illness.

I love my sister and her family, and I am so proud of them! What’s more, I’m grateful to God for His mercy in their lives.

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From “Christ Air” to Christ Heir

By on August 4, 2009 in Personal, Sports

Folks have frequently asked me about the picture of me on the skateboard in the header image of this blog. Usually the questions have something to do with whether or not the picture is real. The answer to that question is yes (though readers should know that getting a still-shot in the air is pretty easy; landing, however, is another matter altogether). Truth be known, I haven’t been a serious skateboarder since the late 80′s. This picture was taken at my parent’s home in 2005. I had decided to try my old skateboard out while visiting my folks, my friend Barry Joslin snapped a picture, and voila. I became what every authentic skateboarder despises—a poser. But at least I got a good picture out of it. Continue Reading →

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