During the past two years, as I was writing a book on the subject, I have spent time recalling and distilling the many lessons I’ve learned both as a pastor and a Christian about how to face suffering. Many of these principles for handling trials and afflictions are well known: We should honestly pour out our hearts to God (see especially the Psalms); we should trust and hold on to God as having a purpose in all things (see especially the story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50).
Christianity and Homosexuality: A Review of Books
The relationship of homosexuality to Christianity is without doubt one of the main subjects of cultural conversation today. If you are a Christian in New York City, it is nearly impossible to talk about your faith without this subject being raised. Although it is not central to the gospel message at the ...
Redeemer’s Public Faith
As a college student I attended a campus Christian fellowship that always, at every meeting, had a book table of literature for purchase. On the table there was a little booklet called Doubters Welcome. I remember my surprise at the title, because as a young believer I thought that Christians frowned on doubters and wanted them to just take that leap and have faith. But I came to realize that the Bible had a more balanced view. While we want doubts to give way to faith (John 20:28; James 1:6), we should be merciful and patient with those who are still in their doubt-troubled period. (Jude 1:22). On that campus the Christian fellowship was very inviting to skeptics and doubters, and there were always a lot of them mixed in with the believers.
Blemishes in Christian Character, Part 3: Change and Grace
Blemishes in Christian Character, Part 2
[Originally posted at Redeemer.com.] In a previous blog post I wrote about the 18th century pastor John Newton, who showed us that most Christians live out their lives with obvious character flaws that ruin both their joy and their Christian witness. But why is it that so many Christians live like ...