“O grant us help against the foe, for human help is worthless. With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.” Psalm 60:11-12, NRSV One of the more troubling but deeply revealing emails I received while serving at the center of the pro-life movement was from a dear mom whom I’ll call Sarah. Choosing … Read More
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
“Honor your father and your mother” is a command that’s central to our faith, even if discerning exactly what that looks like is challenging in various seasons of life– ours or our parents. Many of us know by personal experience that there is a lot of emotional, physical, and psychological fatigue associated with caring for aging parents. As one Canadian … Read More
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
Long before ABBA was associated with a Swedish pop group, songs like Dancing Queen, and movies like Mama Mia, it was a Greek term akin to “Papa” or “Dad,” connoting “affectionate respect.”[1] Many of us know something of these intimate terms in that when we’ve called our father to share our heart, we begin by saying, “Dad…” Or when our … Read More
As an exercise in discernment, this series critiques the teaching associated with the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP), Advanced Training Institute International (ATI), and specifically their founder, Bill Gothard. His teaching includes a myriad of distortions and this post addresses examples under the first two of six main areas (listed at the end of Part 1): the use of … Read More
Over the next five weeks, as an exercise in discernment, I’ll critique the teaching associated with the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP), Advanced Training Institute International (ATI), and specifically their founder, Bill Gothard. I believe Mr. Gothard’s teaching as a whole is a great example of a shrunken, distorted, and slightly Gnostic Christianity—in short—how not to be. As I … Read More
I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you. –the Apostle Paul (2 Timothy 1:5, NLT) My grandmother wasn’t Lois, but my mom was and she’s associated with my earliest spiritual memory. I was three and at Bushkill Falls, … Read More
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
