CORNERSTONE

Few subjects generate such controversy in the church as music in worship. The shift to an entertainment-driven aesthetic in evangelical worship may shoulder ...

In my earlier post, I noted that I used to be clueless that the local church is essential. As a pastor I’ve met many Christians who are not connected to a lo...

For the last several years, has the church discussed any subject more than community? With the new year now upon us, I’ve reflected on Christian community. F...

The Lord could have chosen to take us immediately into glory upon conversion. But He didn’t. It’s hard to avoid wondering, “Why not?” We must trust that He h...

When I was in seminary twenty years ago, unprecedented numbers of students were unable to pass an English Bible test. The trend has only worsened since then....

Awhile back a pastor friend, Wayne Larson, wondered why pastors tweet and post comments on “grace” so much more than Jesus. Many consider the book of Galatia...

You can mitigate against over-scheduled children (and over-scheduled adults) by setting a sane family rhythm. Our time with our children is precious. That be...

Imagine owning a car without any access to gas–as in, there isn’t a drop to be found anywhere (kudos if you have an electric, but read on). Or imagine having...

I recently re-read George MacDonald’s short essay, “The Fantastic Imagination.” It has me ruminating on cultivating imagination. As a pastor, I’ve been think...

Communication is a tricky thing. It has its own academic field, after all. Navigating family communication can be particularly challenging. You expect it to ...

What shapes you? James K. A. Smith, in his book Desiring the Kingdom, contends: Because our hearts are oriented primarily by desire, by what we love, and bec...

One of my favorite features over at lifehacker.com is “This is How I Work.” I thought it might be fun to use their format and do a post on how I work (from t...

Las Vegas is iconic Americana. Like it or not, it reflects something of the soul of the USA. It also reflects, I suggest, something of the soul of American C...

Justification is a biblical term. If you’re interested in the Bible then you will care about justification. Nor is it some throw-away term coined by white tow...

As a pastor and a parent, I want to see kids who grow up to love church. Awhile back my wife and I spent time with some good friends that are members of the ...

I moved to Castle Rock from Oklahoma City. It’s easy to overstate the differences between these two places. But there are real differences. In Oklahoma, the ...

It was Sunday morning and we were driving through University City in St. Louis County. We were going to church. It was a bright, beautiful morning. We drove ...

In The Lion King, Simba flees the pride in shame. He leaves because Uncle Scar convinces him that he’s responsible for his father’s death. In his exile, he f...

It is not merely that that we have made mistakes, or even that we have lived morally deficient lives, though we have done both. Nor is just that we have done...

Practical preaching is a good thing. A preacher should explain the biblical passage so that listeners can apply it in the power of the Holy Spirit. When a se...