I had the opportunity to listen to a podcast of an interview with Mark Eckel while driving to my first appointment this morning. You can find this podcast and other information about Mark Eckel by clicking on this link. Of the many good things that Mark said, I was struck by one in particular. He […]
When art becomes idolatry
A visit to just about any of the churches in Rome will allow the visitor to see brilliant works of art. Much time and money has been invested in statuary, paintings, mosaics, and marble decor among other artistic delights. There are representations of Biblical scenes and people; there are also statues of former church leaders […]
Responding to doctrinal weeds (some thoughts on discernment)
I recently was asked about how to respond to a spouse who is enthralled by some false teachers. The points I gave for consideration are these: The Bereans were praised (Acts 17:11) for checking to see if what Paul was teaching is true to Scripture, so it is clearly not wrong to determine if a […]
Conflict is inevitable
A few days ago, I read 1 Thessalonians 3:4 where Paul writes, “For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know.” Why would Paul anticipate suffering? I believe the answer lies in his understanding that […]
The Skill of the Craftsman
I was reading Augustine’s Confessions this morning where he mentions a treatise by Cicero called Hortensius as the means by which God began to change Augustine’s heart. Thinking that it would be interesting to read this work, I searched for a copy only to find out that Hortensius is a lost work. My initial reaction […]
Miscommunication Hurts
This story illustrates that miscommunication carries a cost. Four Euros will be little missed in the grand scheme of things. But what about the cost associated with miscommunication, through words or actions, of the Gospel of Jesus?