***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 the Holy Family Gives Laser Focus to Ministry
In my current vocational role at Care Net, the Christmas story is especially significant, as it deals with the most famous “unplanned” pregnancy in history. Earlier this year, my wife and I went to Orlando to celebrate my mom’s birthday. While there, she gave me a figurine of the Holy Family. It was originally my grandparents’, and my mom thought … Read More
Why I’m More Interested in Conversion Than Collusion
One of the greatest joys I’ve had to date is baptizing new believers into the Christian faith—especially my children (that’s my son, Timothy, above!). Experiences like that—especially given the disheartening state of politics—are far more compelling than Hillary’s email server, collusion with Russia, or Donald’s tweets. It’s not that I don’t want justice to “roll down;” I do. It’s not … Read More
Beyond the Table in the Mist
Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head. Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain [fleeting] life that he has given you under the sun, … Read More
Why the Reformation Still Matters
I’m a Protestant who believes Luther made an awful lot of mistakes, but got the big thing right—the gospel.- Mark Noll This summer I traveled to Sacramento to attend the General Assembly of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC). A highlight of my week was getting to hear EPC member and American historian Mark Noll. In honor of the 500th anniversary of the … Read More