(Note: This is a chapter from a new book I’m writing, “How to Respond When The World Hates You.”) Persecution of Christians comes in many different forms and levels of intensity. I call it degrees. As you read over the definitions I’ve developed below, you may start to see a pattern forming. And that is […]

Read more "The 25 Degrees of Persecution"

God isn’t dead. He’s just too old and too out of date. He’s just so… so… unscientific. At least that’s what Dan Brown, the author of “The DaVinci Code,” thinks. Brown has written a new book, “Origins,” that basically asserts that mankind no longer needs God, but can replace religion by developing a new form […]

Read more "Dear God: You’re Fired!"

In his bestselling book, “The Road Less Traveled,” psychiatrist M. Scott Peck sums up human existence thus: “Life is difficult.” It seems like Peck is stating the obvious, to which most of us would say “duh!” But Peck’s observation is profound because it acknowledges the simple fact that life on planet earth isn’t always easy. […]

Read more "DISASTERS, DICTATORS & DISEASES"

It’s amazing how media plays such a huge role in our lives. For a half century, I have been working in media in a variety of forms, and I’ve had some good experiences and some bad ones. My major at university was Media Arts, with a specialization in film & TV, with lots of journalism […]

Read more "Social ME-dia: The Danger of Vanity"

Several years ago, I was at a dinner party the night before a big prayer breakfast. As I was making a point about how great it was to be with other Christians, a man interrupted me with a not-so-subtle chastisement: “Oh, let’s not call ourselves Christians,” he chided, “because the term carries so much baggage.” […]

Read more "NO FAN OF JESUS"

One of my favorite authors is Max Lucado. His church, Oak Hills Church of Christ, is just a few minutes down the hill from our new home in San Antonio. I was struck by a story Max recounted in his book, Just like Jesus. He said this: “When my daughter Jenna was toddler, I used […]

Read more "Eating Dirt Instead of Ice Cream"

I recently had a wonderful chat with a dear friend who is very smart (he was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford), very wise and very godly.  We were talking about the image problem the church seems to be having with today’s culture. Specifically, the culture has managed to label us as “haters,” “bigots,” “mean” and […]

Read more "The Welcome of Christ"

I live on a 500-acre ranch in Texas. There are cattle on the ranch, and they are free to roam the entire property. Last week, I came upon a momma cow stuck in the mud on the edge of a small pond. The back half of her was in the pond, and the front legs […]

Read more "Stuck Cows & the Human Condition"

I have a dog. His name is Sam. And, strange as it sounds, Sam is a lot like God. At the risk of sounding, well, blasphemous, I’d like to tell you why my four-legged friend reminds me of my transcendent Friend. Here are just a few ways that Sam, one of God’s cutest created beings, […]

Read more "What My DOG Taught Me About My GOD"

Millions of people around the world believe mankind is getting better with each passing day. This worldview is rooted in Darwinian theory, namely that humans are constantly evolving and progressing to a higher level of potential, including morality. But as I observe our world today, I can’t help but think the opposite is true. Morality […]

Read more "The Lost Fear of God"