I recently used a modern-day parable to encourage a young man struggling with sin. It involved a pig at a banquet. Maybe it will encourage you. Nothing New Under the Sun "What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9). In all likelihood, I've never had an original thought. This truism … [Read more...]
Why Every Evangelist Must be Rooted in the Local Church
There is a particular piece of advice I have given many Christian officers over the years. The same advice, dealing with the church, can and should be applied to evangelists. Fighting the Hardening of the Heart "It seems like I'm angry all the time. I don't trust anyone. If you don't wear a badge, you're one of them. I assume a person is lying to me because their lips are … [Read more...]
Sign Evangelism with Janice: Real Peace at Harrison and Locust
"And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace" (James 3:18). Only those truly wise toward God know real and abiding peace. The Morning After Rioting Late Sunday night and early Monday morning, while most of my city slept, violence erupted. While small and relatively short-lived by comparison to other places in the United States, the riot in … [Read more...]
The Death of George Floyd and the Death of Christian Civility
As I thought of the tragic and unnecessary death of George Floyd, it took my mind elsewhere--the apparent death of Christian civility in cyberspace. My Love for Cops, Those Fallible Human Beings It's no secret that I have a soft spot for law enforcement professionals. They were and are "family" to me. Do I tend to give officers the benefit of the doubt? Yes, I do. Am I an … [Read more...]
University Graduation Day: A Letter to My Daughter
Dear Amanda, It's been a couple of days since your graduation from the University of Iowa. I doubt this letter contains anything new. While we may not always agree (what father and daughter do?), you and I talk a lot. Sometimes we both listen well. Other times we don't. Relationships, like ministry, are always easier when sinful people aren't involved, but there's no way … [Read more...]
Social Distancing: American Evangelicalism’s New Way Out of Evangelism
In this article, I will answer the question: Is social distancing American Evangelicalism's new gospel-less way to "love your neighbor?" The Blight that is "Friendship Evangelism" For 40 years, Satan has maniacally rubbed his hands and smiled (metaphorically speaking) as a generation of American Evangelical Christians has bought into the lies of "Friendship/Servant … [Read more...]
Crosswalking: The Nurse, the Drunk, and the Veteran
Today while crosswalking, three very different people would cross my path: a nurse, a drunk, and a veteran. All three heard the gospel. The Nurse My plan for the afternoon was to spend an hour or so on two or three street corners in town. My first stop was the corner of Locust and Harrison. I stood holding my "Stop and Talk" cross and waving to passing motorists. A couple … [Read more...]
