I once casually asked a young Minister why he was pursuing a particular course of action in his church. It wasn't a do-or-die course of action by any means, but he was a nervous character, and the conversation escalated quickly. Frustrated by my question, he lifted his hands … [Read more...] about Submission
Authority
A Backbone Made of Magdeburg Steel
When Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of a Wittenberg church in 1517, he was nailing himself to a cross. From that time on, the governing authorities of Rome wanted him dead. Gone. What stood in their way was the lesser magistrate. A small number of local … [Read more...] about A Backbone Made of Magdeburg Steel
Authority
If you want to know what is in a man, if you want to know what he is really made of, then you put him into the corridors of power. For this, we have no shortage of examples. We imagine that men like Pol Pot or Stalin were exceptions, and we imagine that if we ever got into the … [Read more...] about Authority
3 Weeks before Marriage – Her House, His Fishing Gear
It's an easy mistake for a husband to make. He reads in the bible that he is the head of the wife and then begins to fill this language with ideas from elsewhere: From his stint in the Army, the shift manager at work, or from leadership tips picked up at the pub. In short, … [Read more...] about 3 Weeks before Marriage – Her House, His Fishing Gear
6 Weeks before Marriage – Thy Husbands’ Racket
Living redemptively means seeking to play out the gospel in marriage. It's an ongoing, visual display between a husband and wife of Christs' willingness to cover our shame. It doesn't condone or overlook sin and weakness. It covers sin and weakness with grace. What should be a … [Read more...] about 6 Weeks before Marriage – Thy Husbands’ Racket