Category Archives: Theology

Christ, the Fullness

From The Valley of Vision. Excerpted from the prayer “Fullness in Christ.” Thou hast taught me that Christ has all fullness and so all plenitude of the Spirit, that all fullness I lack in myself is in him…that it is … Continue reading →

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The Anti-Gospel of “Saving Private Ryan”

When Steven Speilberg’s Saving Private Ryan was released in 1998, I thought it was an immediate classic. It was hailed for its gritty, realistic depiction of the D-Day invasion at Omaha Beach in WWII and went on to win several … Continue reading →

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Christ is All

My devotions recently have been coming from the Puritan prayer book, The Valley of Vision. This collection of prayers has provided such meaningful language for my own time of prayer each day. The prayer I read today is entitled “Christ … Continue reading →

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Attractional vs. Missional

I preached recently on the difference between the attractional model of church and the missional model. I worked up this chart to help explain these somewhat arcane terms.

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The De-Centering of Self

In our day and age, the gospel can come off as little more than self-improvement. Our increasingly therapeutic culture regularly touts the benefits of mindfulness and gratitude, which certainly aligns with Christian practices of meditation and prayer. In that regard, … Continue reading →

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Praying Your Way Into Glory

I was recently reading Luke’s account of the transfiguration of Jesus. And this line really stood out to me: And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. Luke 9:29 I’d … Continue reading →

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Humility

The Desert Fathers and Mothers teach on a variety of topics. But one thought appears consistently throughout their sayings. They teach that nothing defeats the demons like humility.

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Becoming A Spiritually Realized Person

For several months, I have been reading a daily devotional book entitled Becoming Fire: Through the Year with the Desert Fathers and Mothers by Tim Vivian. Each day highlights two or three excerpts from the desert Christians: a teaching, a … Continue reading →

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Best Books of 2025

Each year I set a goal of reading 52 books — one per week. I think it’s a pretty ambitious goal and most years I fall short. But by the time I finish up my current read, I’ll be at … Continue reading →

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Silent Night: Christmas 2025

This holiday season, I have been thinking a lot about the lyrics of some of the songs we hear and sing around this time of year. I’ve thought about that line from Joy to the World, what it really means … Continue reading →

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