Doesn't the word "humility" just kind of make you wince? Ouch, this is going to be about grovelling and self-deprecation... Except it's not. Not when we properly understand this virtue. Humility is not about putting yourself down and flagellating yourself for your faults and failures. In fact, beating yourself up is actually a way to exhibit pride disguised as humility. No, humility is not putting yourself down; rather, it's arriving at a correct assessment of yourself. This has always been a challenge for human beings, and never has it been more difficult than in today's noisy Continue Reading
Why Dinner Together Should Be a Thing at Your House
It was a tough decision. Out of our church of less than a hundred, who would get invited to the memorial? After losing a baby to miscarriage, we wanted the comforting presence of our friends, but eighty-five was too many. How to draw the line? I ended up inviting about thirty people, unsure of exactly why I chose the ones I did. Later, it hit me. Every one of the friends we invited were people with whom we had shared a meal. Eating together, called "breaking bread" in the Bible, is a spiritual act. This habit was something the early Church was devoted to, along with the Continue Reading
Why You Need to Know What “Safe” Really Means
Have you noticed? It's one of those commonly used but cleverly redefined words of our postmodern culture. On the surface, "safe" means free from harm or danger -- but you need to know today's broader implications of the term. I've explained the difference in a guest post here: www.care-net.org. Take a read and let me know ... how does this change your perspective on "safe places?" Continue Reading
What is an Authentic Christian Parent?
"I'm an atheist." The young man looked me straight in the eye and crossed his arms over his chest. "Okay," I said. "Tell me more about your life." I learned that "John" had grown up in a religious home. His father took him to church every Sunday -- and then beat him during the week. I asked John, "When was it that you decided to become an atheist?" "The day my dad threw me out of the house." John's dad claims to be a Christian -- but does he demonstrate authentic faith? If you are a follower of Christ and you have children, you already know there's a daunting task before Continue Reading