Imagine a Christian sitting down with their Bible. They reach a difficult passage. Perhaps something in Romans about predestination, or a confusing section of Revelation. Instead of speaking to their pastor, opening a commentary or spending time wrestling with the text, they reach for their phone. “ChatGPT, what does this verse mean?” Or insert anyContinue reading “Can AI Be Your Bible Teacher? The Danger of Outsourcing Your Spiritual Growth”
Tag Archives: Jesus
The Happiness We Were Made For
Everybody wants to be happy. We spend our lives pursuing it. We look for it in relationships, careers, possessions, achievements, and experiences. We convince ourselves that if we could just change a few circumstances, we’d finally be happy. But what if we’ve misunderstood happiness altogether? What if we’re looking for it in the wrong places?Continue reading “The Happiness We Were Made For”
Is Britain Really Experiencing a Christian Revival? And What If It Isn’t?
For a while, the headlines were wonderfully encouraging. Christianity was making a comeback. Young people were returning to church. After decades of decline, Britain was apparently experiencing a quiet revival. Christians understandably rejoiced. Pastors shared the statistics. Churches celebrated the prospect of renewed spiritual interest. Perhaps the tide was turning. Then came the uncomfortable news.Continue reading “Is Britain Really Experiencing a Christian Revival? And What If It Isn’t?”
Don’t Just Explain the Text: Why Preachers Must Apply It Specifically
There is a sentence that can sound wonderfully spiritual at the end of a sermon “Now go and apply this to your life.” The problem is that it may mean almost nothing. A congregation can hear thirty minutes of careful exegesis, understand the structure of the passage, appreciate the historical background, admire the preacher’s theologicalContinue reading “Don’t Just Explain the Text: Why Preachers Must Apply It Specifically”
Saturday Snippets
As well as reading a lot of books, I also read a ton of articles every week. Here are some of the articles that I’ve read recently and have found interesting, helpful, challenging and encouraging. I hope that they will be the same for you, my dear readers.
Want to Preach Better? Learn to Write Better
Over the past year, I’ve received more positive feedback on my writing and, perhaps more significantly, on my preaching. That has made me wonder: what changed? I don’t think I suddenly became more theological. I don’t think I discovered some hidden preaching technique. I haven’t spent hours crafting clever sound bites or trying to manufactureContinue reading “Want to Preach Better? Learn to Write Better”
Saturday Snippets (August 22)
As well as reading a lot of books, I also read a ton of articles every week. Here are some of the articles that I’ve read recently and have found interesting, helpful, challenging and encouraging. I hope that they will be the same for you, my dear readers.
Will Christians Really Judge the World?
There are some verses in the Bible that we can read dozens of times without really stopping to think about what they mean. Then, suddenly, one phrase catches our attention and refuses to let us move on. For me, one of those phrases came up recently in a sermon I was listening to and itContinue reading “Will Christians Really Judge the World?”
Rebuilding Trust in Church Leadership: Biblical Models for Integrity and Transparency After a Season of Scandals
Trust is slowly earned and quickly lost. That is true in families, workplaces, friendships and churches. Yet when trust is broken by a Christian leader, the damage can feel especially deep. Pastors and elders preach the truth, call others to holiness, offer spiritual guidance and are often welcomed into the most vulnerable moments of people’sContinue reading “Rebuilding Trust in Church Leadership: Biblical Models for Integrity and Transparency After a Season of Scandals”
A Heart Aflame for God
The phrase spiritual formation can make some conservative evangelicals slightly uneasy. It can sometimes be associated with mystical practices, vague spirituality or disciplines borrowed uncritically from Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions. Yet the Bible clearly calls Christians to pursue spiritual maturity – to keep our hearts diligently, to work out our salvation with fear and trembling,Continue reading “A Heart Aflame for God”
