Category: Culture

  • Dan

    The Care of the WHOLE

    I am continuing a series on Acts and the Holy Spirit this Sunday. As I reflect on Acts 4:32 to Acts 6:8 as a unit, I think to how we have made Christianity such a dichotomy in the western Church. For Pentecostals, I’ve grown up with everything about Christianity being about “soul winning.” It’s about saving souls. When other “liberal”…

  • Dan

    The Ugliness That Gets “Lightly” Reported

    Finally, after FIVE WEEKS of trial, the grisly story of an abortion doctor performing late term abortions and murders makes it to the main stream media. And they don’t hold back any details. This is not light reading, folks. But it MUST be read. We can talk of the violence in our schools, in Boston, in Iraq… but the violence committed…

  • Dan

    Violence in Our World

    The bombing in Boston has shaken us again. We will be on the lookout again for the perpetrators, and then we will ask, “WHY?” In our time, we are fixated on “WHY” as if we should somehow be exempt from problems. Somehow violence needs to be “over there” and not “here.” Violence is a part of the human condition. A…

  • Dan

    The Conversation of Depression

    While we’re not having another needed conversation (this one about depression), let me just go ahead and bring it up again. WE NEED TO TALK. A fellow blogger, Jeff, is a strong believer and battles depression. He puts some of his thoughts HERE. Let’s not talk about other things while we’re at it. 😉 We truly need to see the…

  • Dan

    Mental Illness and the Conversation We Don’t Have

    With the tragedy of Rick and Kay Warren losing their son, once again mental illness is front and center. Over the weekend I also saw a video from a Colorado sheriff who was upset at Obama coming to Colorado pushing gun control because there are “deeper issues.” I could only assume he meant mental illness in that mix because the…

  • Dan

    Was Jesus Controversial?

    This article makes the argument that while Jesus was controversial, he wasn’t really controversial for the sake of being a stand out due to a conflict. He stood for truth, which would cause controversy no matter where he went.  Here is the really interesting part: when truth comes in, no group of people at any time is left unscathed. As others…

  • Dan

    Social Orthodoxy and the New Legalism

    Tag something “religious” and it’s easy to take shots at it. Label something religious “bigoted” or “close-minded” and you’re a hero. You’re even more of a hero if you “come” from that group and take shots. In this Holy Week, the gospel texts focus on the last few days of Jesus before his arrest. He has taken the gloves off…

  • Dan

    Causes and Coffee

    From chicken sandwiches to Venti decaf caramel macchiatos. I can (or can’t) eat at Chik fil a or can (or can’t) drink coffee at Starbucks. How about I don’t like deep fried chicken (and we don’t have a Chik-fil-a nearby) and I like Caribou and local coffee shops more than Starbucks. And my absence or patronage means I like or…

  • Dan

    Stop Murdering Terrorists

    Growing up one of my heroes was Brother Andrew. I was reminded of his story this past weekend when a friend was listening to God’s Smuggler on audio. Then, this article was posted on Christianity Today’s website. The challenge in all of our lives as believers is to step up and truly love our neighbor. 1. We need a better Kingdom view of love. 2. We…

  • Dan

    The Funeral for Bookstores Has Long Passed

    At my age, living in two worlds of digital and print, I lament one passing as I try and embrace another medium. There is an advantage to BOTH, but it’s a world that is not allowing “both” very well anymore. My wife and I were traveling through Des Moines, Iowa yesterday so we stopped at a Christian bookstore that was…