dealing with “weaker brothers”

first off: i like the ESV. bad NIV translation has spawned the phrase “weaker brother”, which implies that the person must be somehow “under” you, by the -er suffix. the phrase, though, is simply “one who is weak in faith” — regardless of how they’re faith “stacks up” to yours. anyway, on with the scripture: […]

patriotism

patriotism, as most people understand it (regardless of what the dictionary says it “means”) is, in my opinion, not a stance a follower of jesus can take. it means, at its most basic, that one is aligning himself with an agency on earth, rather than with god’s kingdom, where jesus instructs his followers to make […]

on “course joking”

where’s the line? what defines “course joking” ? is it simply using a (gasp!) curse-word? is it lewdness? is it always only in the ear of the beholder? are there simply some things a christian should never say, under any circumstances? (and if so, can you tell us without sinning???) is what you ought not […]

a thought on calvinism

i remember, back when i liked to take the label “calvinist” for myself, how i had so little understanding of what it means, really. i imagine there are lots of people like i was. i also know, now that i’m several years older (and hopefully wiser!), that all the discussions i had, thinking it mattered […]

consumerism has infected evangelical culture

for too long we’ve been presenting a brand of christianity that is about personal gain, which we generally mean to be equal to “the american way” — that is personal comfort, and happy families. a good amount of “beware the homos and abortionists!” is thrown in by the major radio pastors, in an effort to […]