Putting Out Fires: How Churches Can Respond to Sexual Scandal
As a person who believes that we are meant to thrive in healthy communities of faith, recent news headlines about sexual scandal are troublesome and grievous. And I know that I’m not alone in the desire to make the bleeding stop. The problem is not a new one, but the solution will be uncomfortable.
Every Day a Bride: a message of God's love for the church
The glory of the bride on her wedding day is the glory of being chosen and treasured. But, not every day is the wedding day. This is a reminder that no matter what you face today, nothing can rob you of your identity in Christ.
Living with a Pure Heart in an Pornographic World
We see and hear things all the time that are trying to distort our mindset about sexuality. Maybe it starts as a seed, but if it remains unconfronted, it can grow to a place that wreaks havoc.
You can read some key truths here that will help you know what to do.
Children, the Mess, and the Investment
Christ knows the cost of raising children, and He deemed it a worthy cause. As we interact with the children around us, whether in our home or outside of it, we are called to reflect His countenance. Here’s what you need to remember.
The Hand that Rocks the Cradle - the significance of the modern mother
If the mothers of the past could step into our homes, I imagine that they would come sit close enough to us that their knees would touch ours. Maybe they would lean forward, look us in the eye and say, "No, dear. You are not failing. You are facing a challenge that we never did. You are not particularly weak. You are a pioneer woman in a world that has not set you up for success."
Secret Rooms: When Leaders Hide Their Sin
If we aren’t careful to watch over our lives, we can end up with rooms in our hearts that we try to keep secret. We may be able to keep it from people for a time so then we often think that we can keep it a secret from God.
Is Isolation Your "New Normal"?
We’ve recently passed the one year anniversary of the death of our social lives. If you are like me, that was quite the shock to the system. But slowly over time, I think we began to adapt to the distance. Where once there was a painful awareness of the loneliness, many have grown used to the social distancing and adopted new ways of coping. Are you wondering if you even want to return back to the hustle-bustle-exhaustion-from-social-expectations? Have you stopped seeking out connection? You may not feel lonely anymore (and may even be feeling guilty about that), but are you really better off alone?
3 Reasons Why You Keep Doing What You Do (and the keys to stop those sabotaging habits)
There are some habits in our lives that carry some major, long-lasting consequences. You likely know what they are in your life. These habits could ruin your relationships, destroy your marriage and sabotage your destiny.
So how do we identify the sabotaging habits and also step out of them to a new habit of freedom in Christ? Here are 3 key things you need to understand in order to get free from those sabotaging habits.
To Parent Is To Suffer (and other happy thoughts)
Biologically and metaphorically, we pass life into another human when we parent. Into the next generation. And to pass that life includes a kind of death in each of us as moms and dads. So, the question is, will we “die” keeping our vision renewed or with continual groaning?
Talking about Sex in Church
You cannot be a follower of Christ without it impacting your sexual choices.
The early church leaders knew it. The question is, do the 21st century church leaders know it? And if they do, where is the mainstream conference session? It makes me wonder why there aren’t more sermon series on these matters?
Woke or Awakened?
In these desperate times, we can’t afford to just try to say the right things - we are in need of an awakening of the heart. We are in need of complete transformation -- this is available through Jesus.
A Confession to Make
To confess is to admit that you are or have been wrong. It is difficult enough to admit to yourself that you’ve been wrong. It is downright painful to have to admit it to others.
If it is so scary, why should we confess our faults, our past, and even our moral failures to one another?