There's this idea in Christianity, particularly in American or Western Christianity, that God would never want us to undergo any kind of problem. "If God is for us," then He would naturally want to protect us from any and all harm or discomfort. He would never will for us to be killed, or expect us to go … Continue reading It’s Not Your Best Life Now (Thank God!) →

Biblical teachers often make a big deal about the examples set by Jesus' apostles. I think we can all understand why. Those courageous followers are the heavyweights of Christianity-- the captains of the team we all aspire and look up to. Sometimes, they're given so much admiration that it can even be a bit intimidating. … Continue reading The Next Step →

There are a lot of seemingly intelligent people out there who don't believe in anything that can't be proven with absolute certainty. Everything is debatable until you can see it right before your eyes, like a mountain perched on the horizon. No one can refute the claim that Mount Everest is, in fact, a mountain. And not just … Continue reading Why Doesn’t God Just… →

I recently spent two weeks in Milan, Italy. Our team built some really enjoyable friendships with some bright and thoughtful college students there. The excuse for our friendship was to provide some avenues of practice for their English. And while that was going on, we were all hoping to get to know them on a … Continue reading Catholic Confusion →

When I was a new believer, I was a bit like a deer in the headlights. My story may not detail a dramatic, overnight reversal from ruthless cartel kingpin to a peace-loving pastor, but looking back on it now, at least from my own perspective, it seems like a pretty dramatic shift. I can recognize … Continue reading More Like Him →

We all want to be successful. But what is success? Our definitions each vary a bit based on the things that are most important to us. The way I see it, our measurements of success are grown from some concoction of culture, personal experiences, family/friends, and individual faith. Our definitions of success are not something … Continue reading Redefining Success →

A major part of being a Christian should be to avoid contributing to a misconception that gives someone a reason to reject God out of ignorance-- ignorance of God's actual character, what the Bible says, or how Jesus calls us to live, love, and forgive. Christ and His church have a bad rap because the vocal ones … Continue reading Rep Our City →

If God is real, then I exist because of Him. He is my Source. There's not much arguing about that. If God is the reason I'm here, then He knows more than I do, including how things were originally intended to be. This can also be called "perfection," not to be confused with what "perfection" … Continue reading If God is Real →

Even if it's just while we're in the shower or incapacitated on the porcelain throne, we all spend at least a little time pondering the meaning of things. Someone who doesn't even believe in God will have likely still concluded there's some sort of inspired meaning to life. For them, that meaning might be wrapped up … Continue reading What Determines Right and Wrong? →

Before you tell me how you believe in science and not creation (as in God), tell me how it is that your logic, reasoning, and technology each exist and function to uncover scientific laws in the first place. You pride yourself in your ability to learn and understand, but it makes no sense that you have those abilities at all. So … Continue reading Science & Creation →