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Christian Living

Seven Reflections on Halloween

My perspective on Halloween has changed over the years. Here are my seven reflections on Halloween As a kid I relished the opportunity to score some candy, a rare and treasured treat. As a teen I was too old to go trick-or-treating, but there was usually a party to go to or friends to hang […]

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Christian Living

Do You Love God or Fear Him?

For the past two weeks, I’ve been sharing a progression of thought about God as it relates to love and fear. Consider: We are to fear God, which begins to produce understanding and wisdom. We grow to understand that God is love and ultimately that perfect love—as embodied by Jesus—removes our fear. Though we may […]

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Reviews of Books & Movies

Book Review: Stark Raving Obedience

Stark Raving Obedience: Radical Results from Listening Prayer By Ted Kallman and Isaiah Kallman (reviewed by Peter DeHaan)“The only way to have a personal relationship with anyone is to talk with them, to build trust and have a history with them,” (p 12). This is a fitting perspective for Ted and Isaiah Kallman’s book Stark […]

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Peter DeHaan News

Peter DeHaan Addresses Breathe Conference

Author Peter DeHaan spoke at the Breathe Christian Writers Conference on October 12, 2012, in Dutton Michigan. This year’s conference enjoyed a record attendance and attendees flocked to Peter DeHaan’s workshop, “Writing 101: Getting Started in Your Writing Career.” Although billed as an introductory session, it was attended by both new and experienced writers. “I […]

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Christian Living

What is a Spiritual Community?

As a writer, I write alone; it’s a solitary activity. So it’s good for me to periodically emerge from my self-imposed cocoon and spend time with other people—and other writers are the people who understand me best, those with who I am most comfortable to be around. I just returned from a Christian Writers conference. […]

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Reviews of Books & Movies

Book Review: Deep and Wide

Deep and Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend By Andy Stanley (reviewed by Peter DeHaan)Is your church all that it can be and should be? Do you ever wonder what’s missing or long for more? Are you serving those who are churched or seeking those who are unchurched? Andy Stanley’s new book, Deep […]

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Bible Insights

Do You Fear God?

The Bible says we are to fear God. But what does that really mean? I don’t think it implies God is malevolent or waiting for us to mess up so he can zap us, which would be legitimate reasons to fear him. Instead, God is benevolent and wants good things for us; there is no […]

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Christian Living

Is There a Connection Between Church and Faith?

I recently read an article where the author lamented, “Young people are leaving the church.” A bit later he wrote, “Young people don’t stick with their faith.” His implication was that the two statements meant the same thing. They do not—and assuming they do is part of the problem. I’ve had frequent, ongoing struggles with […]

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Reviews of Books & Movies

Book Review: King of Rascals

By Rob Link (reviewed by Peter DeHaan)Rob Link’s, King of Rascals, is essentially a book about Jesus—and about us. We are rascals and he, our king. As rascals, we have issues, but as our king, he loves us anyway. In part one of King of Rascals, eight chapters reveal who Jesus is and our relationship […]

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Bible Insights

Is Watering Animals a Prelude to Marriage?

In the Bible there’s the story of Jacob, who rolls away the stone from the well to water Rachel’s sheep. They get married. Then there’s Moses. He rescues some shepherd girls when they are being harassed and provides water for their flocks. He marries one of them. It’s just not a guy thing, either. Rebekah […]