These days, you can read every reaction from vengeful glee to heartbreak concerning Mark Driscoll, the pastor of Seattle mega-church Mars Hill who is being asked to step down amidst a swirl of accusations. Find out more here: Nine Current Mars Hill Pastors Tell Mark Driscoll To Step Down from All Ministry I’ve visited Mars Hill a couple of times, read a number of Driscoll’s books, and listened to some podcasts. I believe Mark has accomplished much for the sake of the gospel, yet it’s tragic that his leadership has evidently created an abusive environment. My purpose here is neither to Continue Reading
There Could be Anything in the Envelope
I wasn’t going to do it at first. I thought it might be a really cheesy violation of some etiquette rule Emily Post or Ann Vandenberg has warned of. But then the poetic irony got my attention. I wrote a greeting on each card, slipped both into a single envelope, and mailed them. My sister-in-law was about to celebrate her birthday. Less than a month before, her father had passed. Into one envelope, I had tucked sentiments of joy over her life and sympathy for her loss. Tears and elation; weddings and funerals; sickbeds and parties. This is the human drama unfolding while creation Continue Reading
This Small Part of You is Crazy Powerful
The late afternoon sky filled with billowing smoke as the spreading grass fire gobbled its way across the canyon wall, blackening the hillside. Watching from across the valley, I thought of the warning in James chapter 3 about our words. “How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness … staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell … no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” Wow, that seems harsh. Are we really that out of control Continue Reading
How Knowing Your Weakness Strengthens You
There’s an old tale about a boy whose mother was looking for him. Willy, where are you? she calls. In the pantry, comes the muffled reply. What are you doing in there? she asks. Willy answers, Fighting temptation. Every sin begins with temptation. The more we can avoid temptation, the more sin we can steer clear of. You may consider yourself immune to obvious wrong-doing like robbing a bank, or cheating on your spouse, or selling drugs – yet you can still be dangerously oblivious to your weaknesses. It's the subtle temptations that can sneak up and blindside you. The enemy knows Continue Reading