This actually happened years ago. It was in 1968 on an airplane headed for New York—a routine and normally very boring flight. But this time it proved to be otherwise. As they were on their descent pattern, the pilot realized that the landing gear was not engaging. He messed around with the controls, trying again […]
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How Do I Survive Losing a Loved One?
Question: My wife died in a car accident about two months ago, and I am really struggling. The church has been helpful, but in recent weeks the phone has stopped ringing and the meals have stopped coming. I try to keep busy with the kids, but when it’s quiet, all I can think about is […]
Read MoreLooking at the Big Picture . . . and Finding Hope
If you know a little about the birth of Jesus, it might be best for you to forget it and start from scratch. The Christmas story has been so sanitised and romanticised over the centuries that even Hollywood—as jaded a culture as can be found anywhere—always fails to capture the gritty pathos that surrounded Jesus’s […]
Read MoreAs Far as East from West
Memory is a tricky thing. Have you ever wondered why you can sometimes recall details of your primary school days with such clarity, while (if you’re at all like me) you can’t always remember what you had for breakfast? Some things are worth remembering, so we take careful measures to make sure we don’t forget […]
Read MoreA Tried Stone
In the groundwork of any significant building project there comes a moment when the foundation stone is laid. Traditionally this stone determines the dimensions and the alignment for the rest of the structure. Particularly in ancient stone buildings – which didn’t often use mortar – getting the foundation stone just right would bode well for […]
Read MoreA Reason to Smile
Joy—it makes people wonder at your secret. Yet joy is no secret to the trusting Christian. When we choose to grow closer to God, resting in His character and provision, joy spills over into our lives so that others can’t help but notice. Do you want to be a person of joy? Silly question, isn’t […]
Read MoreA Battle for Integrity
I must tell you that I have been troubled regarding the face of things in our country and within the family of God. My major battle has had to do with one word, one concept. My battle has to do with integrity. In our nation—and in the church—there has been a falling away, a breakdown, […]
Read MoreA Season for Humble Gratitude
It’s baaaack! The age-old yuletide season is about to slip in the door once again. Better not shout, better not pout, for the shopping precinct will be playing “Jingle Bells” several thousand times between now and 25th December. If you’re not careful, the crowds and commercialism will weigh you down like that fourth helping of […]
Read MoreCharting the Course to Biblical Literacy
Christ’s church has fallen into a troubling rut. Studies show that Christians know less of the Bible than at any other time in recent history. The level of Bible knowledge has decreased even among our best and brightest. One administrator of more than 20 years at a Christian college noted, “Our assumption now is that […]
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