Well, Friends, It has been a long-time coming but my book Irreplaceable: Recovering God’s Heart for Dads is finally finished and available for purchase on Amazon! In many ways, this represents the center of my life’s work to date. Not only do I hope this book blesses you and yours, but I would be so grateful for your help in getting … Read More
How Parenting Teaches Us About God’s Heart
To all the fathers out there, Happy Father’s Day! In the Bible, what is said about God often makes use of what theologians have traditionally called anthropomorphic language; that is, language that speaks of God in human terms. For example, we might talk about “the eyes of the Lord” or “the long arm of the Lord.” Other places in Scripture … Read More
Happy Together: Moms, Dads, & Healthy Marriage
Recovering God’s heart for dads means recovering his heart for moms and healthy marriage too. In God’s ideal and design, dads do their best work together in a loving relationship with mom. To say it another way, women and wives are essential and full partners in raising healthy kids. And marriage is intimately tied to fatherhood. It’s been said that … Read More
Breaking Free of Rigid Family Stereotypes
I’ve written about this more extensively here but the cultural stereotypes of dad as breadwinner or provider and mom as nurturer (think Leave it to Beaver) go back to 1760 and the Industrial Revolution, not 1950. Further, these rigid stereotypes are cultural, not biblical. As we pointed out here, even in the ancient Near East, the Proverbs 31 woman worked … Read More
Properly Understanding Mal. 4:6, Part 2 of 2
Identifying “the Fathers” of Malachi 4:6: Parents, Biological Fathers, or Jewish Forefathers? As we mentioned in Part 1, this week we’re going to examine arguments for each of the above, make a case for the third, and conclude with some important applications. First, let’s mark out the possibilities: Parents: Less literal translations like the New Living Translation (NLT) are not … Read More
The Proverbs 31 Woman: An Important Corrective for Our Times
I tend to love strong, capable female characters in books and movies, especially spy thrillers. As a pastor, however, I fully acknowledge that—in real life—degrading and oppressive attitudes and actions toward women have been rampant throughout history. And that, sadly, many of these attitudes and actions have been vehemently defended by various religions, including Christianity. But, honestly, even our irreligious … Read More
A Tribute to My “PDL” Friends and Other Sources of Hope
Every 2-3 months I get together for an “in-service” training with three of my heroes. They are part of Care Net’s Pregnancy Decision Line (PDL). Anyone in the country can call 877-791-5475 and these coaches offer live compassion, hope, and help to women and men considering abortion. They do so by presenting realistic alternatives to abortion and referrals to life-affirming … Read More
Giving Moms the Honor They Deserve
As I [Paul] remember your [Timothy’s] tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother, Lois, and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. (2 Timothy 1:5, ESV) I’ve spent a good part of my career … Read More