Physical Intimacy While Dating: How Far is Too Far Before Marriage?
Sex outside of marriage was as hot of a topic in biblical times as in Christianity today. “Fleeing immorality,” which includes pre-marital sex, is a theme in 1 Corinthians and the rest of Scripture (6:18). So why don’t more Christians take waiting for sex seriously? According to Pew Research in 2020, 50% of Christians say, […]
Leaders: Confess Your Sins Early. A Response to Ravi Zacharias
Apologist, author, and teacher Ravi Zacharias has been my online mentor and teacher for almost two decades. Like many others, I was floored when I heard the first accusations against him. The first hint of misconduct arose in 2017 when he was accused of an inappropriate relationship with a female apologist. In Ravi’s view, he […]
Speak Up! Lessons of Courage From the Life of Moses
Eleven of us players anxiously huddled together during a seventh-grade football game. The quarterback was frantic to get the next play. The coach had relayed the play to me on the sidelines, and it was my job to sprint onto the field and deliver it to the quarterback. But I froze. The words were glued […]
Do You Workout Inside or Outside?
Working out at the gym yesterday reminded me of 1 Timothy 4:8 “Physical training is good, but training in godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come (NLT). It’s easy to focus on running, pilates, or pumping iron to shape our outer man or woman and forget that […]
What a 17-Year-Old Taught Me About Giving 100%
My gangly instructor guided me through the weight room into the cage where ten monkey-like creatures performed acrobatics. They flung themselves from pole to pole and jumped from one wooden box to the next. I sensed the skepticism on their youthful faces as I slowly passed them. Who is this guy? What is he doing […]
Where is Your Compass Pointing?
In the neo-classic movie, Pirates of the Caribbean, bumbling Captain Jack Sparrow devotes himself to finding one thing: The Black Pearl. It’s not a jewel but a ghostly pirate ship. He’ll do anything to possess it—steal, lie, cavort, and cheat. To capture his prize he relies on a mysterious compass. This device, shrouded in mystery, […]
When God Wants You to Sell Your House
Showering is my time to think, pray, and untangle life’s questions. Maybe it’s the soothing nature of the falling water or the solace I find in the quiet that inspires me. In any case, I can drain even the most robust hot water heaters amidst my musings. A few years ago, I entered my watery […]
Humility That Inspired Greatness: Gene Carpenter
As I recounted the time I spent with Gene Carpenter over the last twelve years, I was surprised and saddened when I realized I didn’t have any pictures with him. Indeed, the death of a loved one warrants a walk down memory lane, and I wish I had a photograph of our friendship to prove […]