Years ago I prepared a list of “Desert Island Books” at the request of several wanting to know what I considered essential reading for an English-speaking Christian.

The cross assures us of God’s love for suffering people.

The Bible has warnings about boldly embracing whatever comes out of our hearts.

Saul was possessed by a demon that was sent by God. Did the Lord put a murderous spirit within Saul? If God is not “the author of sin”, how can he cause Saul to act in this sinful way?

I have used this method in a variety of settings, such as a home group for non-Christians or around the dinner table with my children. In every setting, it has birthed rich explorations into life, theology, and God. Here’s how to use it, and how to invite others to study the Bible with you.

Many evangelicals who visit our church are caught off guard when, every Sunday,  we say that you have to be baptized to take the Lord’s Supper. I was recently asked why we do this, and since others likely have this same question, I thought it would be helpful to answer it here.

A friend was asked this question recently, and asked me how I would answer it. He knew a woman whose husband had besetting problems with pornography. I assume other women in our church are in the same situation, so I thought I’d construct my thoughts and share them with you.

If God is unchanging, how can he change his mind? How can he grieve and have regret? This past Sunday, I received some follow up questions after the sermon on a particular set of verses in 1 Samuel 15:10-35.

Several Sundays ago I received a text from my mom during church. “Call me as soon as the service is over, please.” I had a hunch it was about Grandma.

I was having a conversation recently with friends about whether they were planning to be cremated. At one point, one of them said, "Christians need to think about this more." The topic rarely comes up in preaching, so I thought I'd offer four guiding principles here.

The Valley of Dry Bones in Ezekiel 37 is one of the most vivid prophetic visions in the Bible.

Have you ever been in a heated argument and been so sure of your position, but then later, after you’ve cooled down a bit, you saw more clearly where you were wrong?

Some years ago, our dog, Gem, needed surgery for a tumor in her throat that was beginning to restrict her breathing. But after a careful pre-op examination, the vet called to say Gem’s chances of recovery were not good.

“I gave you the candlesticks too … Why did you not carry them away with your forks and spoons?” So goes the line that transforms prisoner 24601 into a man of compassion: Jean Valjean in Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables.

My family and I have been reading through the book of Ephesians after dinner one verse at a time. It is remarkable how often we can have a rich 30-minute conversation on one verse. The depth of God's Word!

Proverbs 31 is a classic biblical text on being an amazing wife. “An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels” (v. 10). On reading this passage again this week, though, it struck me how motherhood isn’t the main focus in this idealized description of a godly wife.

I love the mountains. I love hiking, trail running, mountain biking, skiing, backpacking. I feel a deep sense of happiness out in the wilderness of the PNW. The mountains sing of God’s grandeur and the quiet of solitude is a comfort to my soul.

Here’s a list for you: four things I have found, over the years, to be common among immature Christians. These serve as good reminders for all of us, regardless of our level of maturity.

During the course of COVID, one of the most complicated ethical questions the church has faced is, “How should we love our neighbors?”

Dying Christian traditions have built increasingly complex doctrines of the worth and ethical treatment of humankind, while neglecting doctrines of the majesty and holiness of God. In other words, “...they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever!” (Romans 1:25).