Jennifer Knapp comes out as a singer and a lesbian

Reprinted from my article as Denver Christianity Examiner Jennifer Knapp was wildly popular at the beginning of this decade—including a Grammy nomination in 2002—and then suddenly fell off the radar.  Speculation ran rampant… was she just burned out, dealing with personal issues, exhausted, gay…   She revealed in an interview with Christianity Today that the answer [...]

What difference do it make?

Normally my book reviews only appear in Smart Ministry. But for those of you who don’t yet receive that free ministry insights newsletter, I thought I’d include one here. I don’t like chick flicks. I tell you that up front so you won’t think I’m just one of those really sensitive guys that enjoys a [...]

He will give you the desires of your heart…?

The issue of Smart Ministry that went out this week includes my conversation with John Bevere, the internationally known speaker, author, and TV host.  John is a Pentecostal, and the discussion surrounded the fact that he does not teach “name it and claim it.”  He talked about the importance of holiness as a prerequisite—something I’ve [...]

If you like the New Living Translation

As you all know, this is the first time I’ve posted something like this and it’s probably the last. But this is a great deal… The New Living Translation Break Through to Clarity Bible Contest and Giveaway Visit www.facebook.com/NewLivingTranslation and click on the tab that says “Sweepstakes” Fill out a simple form, take a quick [...]

Don’t confuse your vision and your plans

Vision doesn’t change. Plans change constantly. Your vision is your overall goal. Your plans are your flexible means–changing to reflect new realities and new knowledge–to get you there. Suppose you have a vision to launch a new campus. You decide to do so in a movie theater. It would be a significant mistake to tell [...]

Cats, Dogs, and God

As if discussions of religion weren’t dangerous enough, I’m going to take on further risk by addressing dogs and cats. Yes, they both have their fans and lovers, and more power to you. But I think we can agree that in general there are some differences in their behaviors. Dogs are happy to see you. [...]

Submit or Die

Americans hate that word “submit.” By its very nature it seems to indicate defeat. In the new fighting craze (names like Mixed Martial Arts, Ultimate Fighting, and so on), a match can end before the final bell without a knock-out if one fighter submits. They keep a statistic on defeats by submission. Many women cringe [...]

Great research–wrong conclusion

Two Harvard researchers recently released an article in Trends of Cognitive Science that have some interesting theological implications. The essence of the research is that a wide range of people all came to the same conclusions as to what was “right” when presented with a moral dilemma, regardless of their religious backgrounds (or lack thereof).

Babies, bathwater, and the Church

Don’t throw out the baby with the bath water! We’ve all heard this old saying. But did you know that this proverb was applied to the church as far back as 1526 by Martin Luther himself?1 I was reminded of that during my Bible time as I read the story of Moses receiving the Ten [...]

How to Impress People

Today it’s called “spin.” It’s the art of withholding information and choosing words to put the best possible face on something.