If indeed nature and Scripture have the same author, as Christians affirm, then there cannot, ultimately, be any disagreement between what we “read” in one book and what we read in the other.[1]– Dennis R. Venema, Ph.D. and professor of biology Theology shouldn’t merely withstand scientific discovery—it should celebrate it as a display of God’s handiwork.[2]– Daniel M. Harrell, Ph.D. … Read More
How I Changed my Mind About Genesis 1 and Science, Part 3 of 5
Neither the Bible nor nature are self-interpreting, so our interpretations in either realm are always potentially fallible and wrong.- Gordon Fish, Ph.D. physicist and patent agent Unwillingness to critically challenge one’s interpretative methods sounds dangerously close to declaring personal infallibility.- Stephen Ashley Blake, President of Realm Entertainment We mentioned last week that there’s evidence that God in his kindness used … Read More
How I Changed my Mind About Genesis 1 and Science, Part 2 of 5
The most hurtful theologically-driven myth of all times [is] that human beings are… specially created and endowed with souls, whereas ‘they’—all other creatures—were not.[1] -David P. Barash, Professor of Psychology Emeritus at the University of Washington Once many of us climb out of the swamp of our own, often fear-based and isolated, Christian subcultures, we’ll be better prepared to respond … Read More
How I Changed my Mind About Genesis 1 and Science, Part 1 of 5
I’m no kin to the monkey and the monkey’s no kin to me. I don’t know much about your ancestors but mine didn’t swing from a tree. It’s a ditty I learned in Sunday School. It was also the extent of my knowledge of evolutionary biology, except a few things I learned in Jack Chick’s comic books. When I was … Read More
How to Stay Married and in Love for a Lifetime
*This piece is written in tribute of George and Barbara Bush’s 73-year marriage—the longest in Presidential history—and is dedicated to my newest son, Josh Ginchereau, who is about to marry my youngest, one and only daughter, and dear friend, Emily Elizabeth Austen. Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they … Read More
About
Welcome! My name is Greg Austen and I’m a former carpenter, and a seasoned pastor licensed in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. I also now work for an organization called Care Net and do seminars and retreats for churches that want to want to equip families to leave a healthy, grace-based legacy that prioritizes relationships and a heart for God. In … Read More
Thank you and My Next Season
Dear Friends, I want to thank you for the incredible honor of reading my blog. It’s hard to believe it’s been almost a year since we started this journey and we now have about 100 subscribers! This post is an example of the “exclusive content” you get for signing up. 🙂 Besides thanking you, I wanted to tell you about … Read More
Becoming a Grandparent and Other Amazing Gifts
***This is dedicated to Matthew Gregory Austen, one of the finest and most humble men I know. You are an attentive and loving husband, and will be an excellent father. Ready or not, it came. My oldest son, Matthew, and his wife, Kylie, arrived with a small brown gift bag—white tissue paper sticking out—and set it down in front of … Read More
How I Became a Christian Despite the Church, Part 4 of 4
As I mentioned last week, from a theological perspective, I’ve come to see that saving faith is more than intellectual assent. That’s why when talking about my testimony, in addition to the “change in belief” experiences, I place considerable weight on a three-month series of events that occurred during my fifteenth year. I was working in a bus ministry that … Read More
How I Became a Christian Despite the Church, Part 3 of 4
As I mentioned last week, although much of our family’s church experience was toxic, it did put me in a place where I heard the gospel and was encouraged to respond. When I was 18, I made a list of several things that contributed to my understanding of salvation. These included comic books, a horror movie, an old classic, and a debate between … Read More