Just as we know that Jesus had twelve disciples, we know that Israel had twelve tribes, right? Jacob (also known as Israel) had twelve sons and each son became a tribe, right? Well sort of. Even though Joseph was Jacob’s favorite son, there is no tribe named Joseph. Instead Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, […]
“Are you a minister?” The first time someone asked me that question, I was shocked, appalled even. I shook my head and laughed, “Heck, no.” This confused my inquirer. “Humph, I thought you were.” Later someone else asked me the same thing, then another, and eventually a fourth. Now I’m no longer disturbed when someone […]
A Manifesto for the Church in Exile By Rob Bell and Don Golden (reviewed by Peter DeHaan)Jesus Wants to Save Christians, Rob Bell’s third book, is consistent with his unique style, first unveiled in Velvet Elvis and later fine-tuned in Sex God. This installment is equally insightful and no less thought-provoking. The subtitle, A Manifesto […]
I recently renewed my passport, which required an updated photo. I went to my local Walgreens to take care of this and complete my renewal application as quickly as possible. I placed my toes on the line, looked into the camera, and put on my best smile. The technician scowled. “You’re not supposed to smile […]
A year or so ago I made a bold statement to some close friends. As a group, we enjoy the freedom to ask pointed questions and the expectation to give honest answers; being transparent is our norm. Yet, I surprised myself by proclaiming, “I’m more in love with God today than ever before.” Yeah, it […]
Identify and Understand Your Unique God-Given Spiritual Gifts By C. Peter Wagner (reviewed by Peter DeHaan)Having read many books on spiritual gifts, Discover Your Spiritual Gifts is clearly one of the best. In a simple and easy-to-understand manner, Wagner succinctly explains what spiritual gifts are. He teaches on their proper use and exposes ways in […]
Yesterday I posted in my Byline blog, “The Risk of Comparing Ourselves to Others.” Although my words focused on writers, the unwise practice of comparison is universal, applying to all people in all professions or pursuits. Succinctly, when we compare ourselves to other people, we either elevate ourselves by degrading them or lessen ourselves by […]
I had friends in high school who dreamed of excelling in sports, of being the star and even receiving a college scholarship. The problem with their aspirations was that they seldom practiced; a few never even bothered to try out. More recently I’ve listened to aspiring writers who dream of having the next great novel, […]
Rediscovering the Ageless Purpose of God By Frank Viola (reviewed by Peter DeHaan)The dedication page in Frank Viola’s book, From Eternity to Here provides a gripping preview of what to expect; it reads, “to every follower of Jesus who knows with their deepest parts that there must be more to the Christian faith.” His goal, […]
Whether or not we realize it, all aspects of our lives include traditions: unexamined habits and mindless rituals. But perhaps traditions most often exist in our approach to God and our worship of him. While some traditions had a positive origin, others were misguided from the start. With little thought we pass our traditions from […]