“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”Mark 8:36 Yesterday, the Benham Brothers spoke at my workplace. They rose to fame because they lost a show on HGTV because they refused to back down from their public opposition to gay marriage back in 2014.… Continue reading Gain the World, Lose Our Souls
Category: Culture
Through “The Looking Glass”
THE LOOKING GLASS SELF In 1902, C.H. Cooley published a social theory that I believe holds up over a century later - “The Looking Glass Self.” The basic premise of the theory is that our behavior is shaped by our perception of how we believe others see us. In other words, perception of “society” is… Continue reading Through “The Looking Glass”
On “Modest Apparel”
Clothing is one of the top “legalistic” or “Pharasaical” topics – along with music – that is up for constant debate among our churches. Should women wear skirts or are slacks okay? Blue jeans? Must men wear ties? Should that be with or without a jacket? What color suits and dress shirts are okay? How about… Continue reading On “Modest Apparel”
The Christian Cancel Culture
John Cooper, lead singer of the Christian rock band Skillet, has been in the news over the past couple of years for his critique of “Christian” pastors who use their pulpit for money and popularity rather than preaching the Gospel. He composed a lengthy Facebook post about making “pastors uncool again.” Most of us agree… Continue reading The Christian Cancel Culture
THE NEOLIBERAL ETHIC AND THE SPIRIT OF CAPITALISM
“For the love of money is the root of all evil.” I Timothy 6:10INTRODUCTION The dominance of global neoliberal economics and cries for economic justice in the United States has reignited a firestorm of criticism of the capitalist system. What once was a booming economic system that attempted to address and correct the horrors of… Continue reading THE NEOLIBERAL ETHIC AND THE SPIRIT OF CAPITALISM
No Peace
“There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.”Isaiah 48:22 Look around at our nation, our world; our history. How often has there been peace? America has seen its share of wars and conflicts - Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Korea, WWII, WWI, Civil, and Revolutionary. We even had a “Cold War” sprinkled in for good… Continue reading No Peace
A Quick Lesson from 1984
"You are a flaw in the pattern, Winston. You are a stain that must be wiped out. Did I note tell you just now that we are different from the persecutors of the past? We are not content with negative obedience, nor even with the most abject submission. When finally you surrender to us, it… Continue reading A Quick Lesson from 1984
Equity Through Salvation
“Before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.”Psalms 98:9 This verse jumped out at me today because of the current political climate (of course, right?), but bear with me. One of the things the Left is calling for is equity. This… Continue reading Equity Through Salvation
Rethinking the Unrest
Something to think about with all the chaos and civil unrest happening right now. Those who are pulling down statues believe as strongly and passionately about their cause as you do about keeping those statues to remember history. They believe in their cause as much - and possibly more - than you do about evangelizing… Continue reading Rethinking the Unrest
The God Who Laughs
Psalm 2:4 "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision." When "the heathen rage" (Psalm 2:1) and the kings and rulers of the world gather together "against the Lord" (verse 2), the Lord laughs and mocks them. This should chill us to the bone - not for our… Continue reading The God Who Laughs
Simmons' Opinions 