We must envision a kingdom that outlasts us. We all know the first words of Genesis: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Far fewer of us can recall the last words of Genesis: “They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt” (50:26, ESV throughout). The first sentence…
We need fresh eyes for our faith’s basic teachings, no matter how long we’ve studied the Bible. In this Close Reading series, biblical scholars reflect on a passage in their area of expertise that has been formational in their own discipleship and continues to speak to them today. One warm April night, my high school…
How to find freedom from cycles of navel-gazing and self-loathing. Jasmine L. Holmes is not a licensed counselor or psychologist. But she is a Christian woman who actively struggles with shame. In her newest book, Never Cast Out: How the Gospel Puts an End to the Story of Shame, she shares candid accounts of dealing…
Did Evelyn have anything to show for after a life in the laundromat? Did I as a homeschool mom? Evelyn Wang feels like she has achieved nothing. Evelyn (Michelle Yeoh) is the main character in the award-winning film Everything Everywhere All at Once, which won multiple awards at this year’s Oscars. Yeoh was awarded best…
Sometimes there is more to the story than just a bored listener. I think his record was 15 minutes. Usually, he was out in under 10 minutes. Brother Leroy (not his real name) just couldn’t seem to stay awake during the sermon. And he wasn’t a quiet sleeper. On occasion, he would snore, but most…
For believers, both old and new relationships carry an eternal weight and value. This piece was adapted from Russell Moore’s newsletter. Subscribe here. As I headed off to California for the installation of my old friend Matthew J. Hall as provost of Biola University, I commented to my wife, Maria, “I wonder what the most-repeated…
How a social reformer, a lawyer, a doctor, and a peacemaker changed the subcontinent. Women in India have endured often harsh and cruel lives in a society which has long favored boys to girls, sanctioned child marriage, and practiced a dowry system. The government and culture have limited their access to education, employment, and escape…
The Latino population boom has resulted in more passionate, growing churches in the US. Can pastors keep building on the momentum? For years, Hispanic pastors in the United States have watched their flocks grow in faith and number. This year, a long-awaited survey confirmed it nationally. Lifeway Research’s first Hispanic church study, said to be…
Leaders of Russian-speaking followers of Yeshua discuss whether making aliyah is a commandment, a blessing, or a choice. Jews should leave Russia if they can. The stark warning was issued by Pinchas Goldschmidt, the former chief rabbi of Moscow, as 2022 came to a close. After 30 years in office, he left two weeks after…
How the acclaimed Bible teacher found a new church home. In March 2021, I made public my departure from the Southern Baptist Convention, the denomination I’d loved all my life and served since I was 12. For the first time in my life, I didn’t have a home church. Didn’t have a clue where to…
