As I was thinking about writing this blog posting a few days ago, I was reminiscing over the 62 years since Jesus Christ first began to open my eyes to His desire to capture my heart. In my spiritual autobiography, Waiting for the City, I chronicle that journey.  What a trip! There have been at least 10 campsites where I pitched my tent along the way, thinking each time I had arrived at the City, the final answer to life. But at each site,…

It does only if God, Himself, is waiting to see who our electoral system favors to determine our President for the next four years. The Bible is clear about that. He is not dependent on us for anything: “But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases” (Psalm 115:3). That means that God Himself “… removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding” (Daniel 2:21).  So, we can know for sure…

The day the Democrats have been eagerly anticipating for four years is finally upon us. In two weeks they have the opportunity to bring America out from under the oppressive, fascistic, narcissistic, leadership of the bad, incompetent “Orange Man,” Donald J. Trump. They are rallying around a stalwart, charismatic, dynamic candidate to lead them to victory, Joe Biden. He brings a new vision of free abortion, free health care, free education and free baby-sitting for us, and even for our children! He promises to…

Some time ago, the pastor of a large, metropolitan church called and invited me to breakfast. As we talked, I learned that there was a large group in his church who were experiencing some difficulties with his leadership. He was a strong leader, and his church followed the episcopal church model that has one man as the ultimate decision-maker in the church ministry.  We had been friends for a number of years and had discussed the question of church government previously, always amicably agreeing…

Last week we discussed the differing opinions of John McArthur and Andy Stanley on whether the church should continue to meet, in view of the state’s mandate that they remain closed. We saw that In both cases, their churches fail in following all the biblical parameters of how a church meets. We saw that the Bible teaches that they are to be: 1.) a church that is visible, attendable and available; 2.) a church with intimately related members; 3.) a church where all participate…

Every church in America faces this dilemma. What do we do when the state tells us to close up shop and meet out of doors or online only? There are two famous pastors who are vividly demonstrating the two obvious options. John McArthur in California says, “We will obey God and continue to meet just as God has commanded us. We must obey God rather than man.”  He is doing so with a congregation of thousands, continuing to meet every Sunday morning. Andy Stanley…

I have recently spent some time with a good friend of mine with whom I went to church some years ago. He grew up in the Catholic Church, and, as a young man, was seriously in pursuit of God, even briefly going to seminary to become a priest. He eventually found a vital, living relationship with Jesus, married an evangelical girl, and they have spent the last 35 years as very committed, church-going believers, raising five wonderful children who are now all adults.  As…

It is difficult to come up with an answer to that question. It is amazing how consistent we are. Left to our own devices, we invariably think we have a better idea of how to live than the detailed instructions our Father left for us in the Bible. He told us, in great detail, how families function, how the church meets and is organized, and the task and limits of our civil government. Why is it so hard to just do what Daddy says!…

When I first came to Jesus, as a sophomore at the University of Oklahoma, my primary concern was “What’s in this new relationship with God for me? What has happened to me? What are the implications in my life and my relationships with those around me? How do I continue in this new way of life?” So, initially, the gospel is always, just as it was with me, a “me-centered” gospel. And why not? There is potentially a lot in it for me—forgiveness of…

For the first time in our nation’s history, the independent, separate relationship between church and state in America is in question. Does the state have the power, constitutionally and biblically, to dictate the church’s conduct, even to the extent of shutting it down in cases of real or imagined crisis, as many blue states are doing now?  The First Amendment to the Constitution is clear: “Congress shall make no law respecting (that includes “restricting”) the establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”…