I was sitting on the conveyor belt in the baggage claim area of the airport in Jackson, Miss., when the tornadoes came through last fall. The airport staff had directed us to take shelter there until the storms passed. I had already heard of the casualties in Arkansas, children who lost parents, parents who lost babies. My own mother, meanwhile, was on the road somewhere in the storm trying to get home. As I sat there in the darkness, the familiar emotions of fear and worry gripped me. … [Read more...]
Developing leaders in the church
Geiger, Eric, and Kevin Peck. Designed to Lead: The Church and Leadership Development. Nashville: B&H, 2016. 234 pp. $22.99. The church needs leaders. The world needs leaders. Jesus saves us to be leaders in advancing the gospel to the ends of the earth. One of the purposes of the church is develop and send out leaders to advance the gospel to the ends of the earth. Most Christians and ministry leaders agree with the previous paragraph. So where are all the leaders in our churches? … [Read more...]
Analysis ‘The Shack’ & the missing art of evangelical discernment
Editor’s note: The Pathway has no plans to review “The Shack,” which opens in theaters March 2. However, this analysis of the book on which it is based is insightful when considering the film’s merits. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) – The publishing world sees very few books reach blockbuster status, but William Paul Young’s “The Shack” exceeded even that. The book, originally self-published by Young and two friends, has old more than 10 million copies and has been translated into over thirty … [Read more...]
Why does theology matter?
I can remember having weekly vocabulary tests in Elementary school. Nothing was scarier than coming across a word that was long and complicated. As I became older, I realized that one word was misunderstood and feared throughout many of our evangelical churches – the term “theology”. Many Christians today have preconceived notions about what “theology” means, as well as its suitability for use in church. In apparent defiance, many well intentioned Christians claim that the Bible alone is … [Read more...]
Our republic protects against man’s depravity
Will we make it as a nation? That depends on where we put our trust. And lately, it’s been pointed in the wrong direction. Like many of you, I watched the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States. And like many of you, there was much I appreciated in the ceremonies and also things that concerned me. But what really caught my attention were the remarks of new Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. After painting a very grim picture of the state of the nation, … [Read more...]
Five reasons sermons fail
To preach is to occasionally lay an egg. Every preacher has felt it, and every preacher hopes to never feel it again. What did I do wrong? Why did the sermon flop? How do I avoid this ever happening again? These questions, and many more, hound the conscience of the preacher who’s delivered a still-born sermon. Unfortunately, I’ve not only been on the receiving end of a sermon flop, I’ve been on the delivering end also. From observation and experience, here are five reasons why sermons … [Read more...]
The infinite value of every human life
A thirteen-year-old girl named Anni is seated at the piano on the stage at Carnegie Hall. She is wearing a neat white dress, and she’s playing brilliantly. The crowd applauds enthusiastically. That was one month ago. Three years ago, it was a different story. Then, Anni was huddled in a jail cell in China. She was kept there overnight without food, water, or even access to a toilet. The Chinese government had locked her up as retaliation for her father’s activities protesting China’s … [Read more...]
MOVIES: Send Hollywood a message
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (BP) -- Following a contentious election season, it's apparent that many Americans are tired of corruption and ineptness in our political system. Will this latest presidential election change Washington D.C. for the positive? We can hope and pray that it will. Now, when it comes to Hollywood, there is an opportunity for Christians and conservatives to send a message that could provoke change for the better. Many Christians want change in the entertainment capital. It's … [Read more...]
Counsel for your year-end giving
The Christmas season is now upon us, which means year-end solicitations are upon us as well. I know this all too well. I am on the receiving end of scores of appeals, and, as president of Midwestern Seminary, I am on the requesting end also. With so many pressing needs and viable ministries to which you can give, how should you discern which causes are most deserving of your financial support? How should you consider year-end giving in light of biblical principles of Christian … [Read more...]
Opposing hate with the gospel
KANSAS CITY – It’s an annual event our house - the celebration of the day our children became part of our family forever. “Gotcha Day” or “Adoption Day” features ice cream, pictures, favorite meals, and a recounting of their unique adoption story. Like most families, we share these moments online. But this year, our celebration angered individuals in the recently emboldened alt-right movement. The alt-right or “white nationalists” as some call them, are a grouping of far-right individuals … [Read more...]
Hemingway, Sinatra & the Christian
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (BP) – Ever since I can remember, I have been influenced and mesmerized by the arts. That said, I find it sad when creators such as musicians, writers or filmmakers fail to acknowledge the Creator. It pleased God to grant certain men and women extraordinary artistic ability, even knowing many would use their talents to glorify themselves rather than Him who formed the heavens and the earth. Despite this fact, I have often appreciated the gifts of those who don't seemingly … [Read more...]
New book examines Protestant, Catholic dividing lines
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) – With the approaching 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, the need for clarity on the commonalities and differences between Catholics and Protestants grows ever more urgent, according to the authors of “The Unfinished Reformation.” Gregg R. Allison, professor of Christian theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Chris Castaldo, lead pastor of New Covenant Church, Naperville, Ill., provide a thorough and careful examination of the issues at … [Read more...]
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