This past Sunday was Easter and I preached a message called “The History of Redemption.” The sermon was 25 minutes of only Scripture, telling the story of the Bible from beginning to end. It was a powerful day for our church, but for me it was a powerful few months of memorizing and internalizing the Scriptures. I’ve been […]
Category Archives: Theology
What I Learned from a Weekend with Ex-Cons
This past weekend I spoke at a men’s retreat for Desert View Bible Church. There were about 140 men, mostly guys who attend the church. One of the men works with Alongside Ministries, a ministry that provides Christ-centered mentoring to the incarcerated community. He brought about 15 men who have been released from prison in the […]
Do You Know What it Really Means to Abide in Christ?
Abiding in Christ is not optional for effective Christian leadership. If you want to do true spiritual good, you must walk in dependence. Francis Schaeffer said that the central problem of our age is: the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, individually or corporately, tending to do the Lord’s work in the power of the […]
Stop Putting Jesus First
It’s common for Christians and Christian leaders to talk about their priorities. Usually they list it something like: Relationship with Jesus. Family. Friends. Work. Church. While this approach is surely well-intentioned, I think there’s a better way. Rather than seeing Jesus as the top priority, picture him as the hub of the wheel of your […]
Christians Should Know Better Than Anyone That They Aren’t Better Than Anyone
The prerequisite to becoming a Christian is to admit that you are a failure before God. Without this awareness, there’s no real appreciation for God’s amazing grace. The longer you live as a Christian, the more of a failure you realize you are. At the beginning you see the failure in your actions. But over […]
Lessons from Les Misérables
This post is probably a few weeks late, but perhaps that will allow for more people to have seen the incredible film adaptation of Les Misérables and appreciate these lessons. I have loved Les Misérables for a long time in play form and was thrilled by the film version. While the singing was not as naturally […]
Where is Jesus When Horrible Evil Strikes?
Last week’s shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut continue to bring me–and our nation–a great deal of sadness. This past Sunday at Redemption Gateway we took a break from our 1 Peter series to address the question, “Where is Jesus when horrible evil strikes?” It seemed appropriate to try to shepherd our people through […]
What Role Do Good Works Play in the Christian Life?
Many Christians are confused about the role of good works in the Christian life. To some (called legalists), good works are essential for achieving salvation. To others (called antinomian or anti-law), good works are optional and unnecessary in the life of a Christian. But what does the Bible say? The Apostle Paul’s short letter to Titus provides […]
I am Far More Sinful and Wicked Than I Ever Dared Believe and Far More Loved and Accepted in Christ Than I Ever Dared Hope
I’m doing a series of posts on sentences that have changed my life (part 1, part 2, part 3) Here’s another: I am far more sinful and wicked than I ever dared believe and far more loved and accepted in Christ than I ever dared hope. I first heard this influential phrase from Tim Keller, […]
The Gospel is Not Just the ABC’s but the A-to-Z of the Christian life.
Over a series of posts, I’m writing about the sentences that have changed my life (part 1). Here’s the second: The gospel is not just the ABC’s but the A-to-Z of the Christian life. I’m not exactly sure who first coined this sentence — my guess would be either Dick Kauffman or Tim Keller — but […]
