Matthew records that Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for being able to interpret the signs of changes in the weather but not being able to interpret the signs of the times. Similarly, today, the church is slow to interpret the changing morality of the culture around her. I am not talking about the obvious Hollywood elements of the culture. Those are too glaring to miss. Rather, I am talking about the parts of our culture we consider safe: education and sports. In the book, Instructing a Child’s Heart, Tedd and Margy Tripp argue that we need to understand the influence of the dominate, majority culture around us. We need to use formative instruction to prepare our kids to live in a […]
Culture
252 posts
In two 5-4 decisions, the United States Supreme Court has ruled that person of God and his Scripture are no longer relevant with regard to the institution of marriage. In the place of God, the Court has ruled that the will of men determines what constitutes marriage. The court’s decision is built on a moral foundation less stable than quicksand. Let’s be clear, these verdicts are more about the failure of the church to be salt and light than they are about the failure of the Supreme Court. For at least three generations the church has allowed her children to be taught that God has no part in the educational process. It began by teaching that God has nothing to […]
Thirteen-year old Jessica is a good student and popular with teachers and students. Her parents have been divorced for several years. Both of her parents have not remarried and handle the visitation settlement reasonably well with Jessica and her two younger brothers. One day a teacher notices that Jessica seems down. She asks Jessica If she can help and Jessica shrugs her shoulders and walks off. Later in the day, this same teacher again sees that Jessica is still down. She puts her arm around her and walks with her to one of Jessica’s favorite teachers, a guidance counselor who also happens to teach the health class on sexuality. Together, they ask Jessica why she is so down. Jessica opens […]
Christian single parents live in two worlds. As a part of the church world, they are in the minority. As a part of the world outside of church they are more of the norm. Being a parent is challenging enough with two parents – it can be overwhelming with just one. It is important for leaders and two-parent families recognize the challenges their single parent brothers and sisters face. This is important for the health of the entire church and our witness to the communities we serve. As Paul reminds us, if one part of the body suffers, the whole body suffers as well. Many of our single parent families are suffering. This is not always easy to spot in […]
If you have not done so already, google the phrase “cutest couple”. The story and video that you will find is about students in a high school in New York state who were proclaimed the “cutest couple.’ The story will challenge stereotypes. The story contains no foul language or angry speech. It speaks of awards, courage, joy, scholarship, and happiness in high school America. All of the young people in the story are happy and seem at ease. The story also sends a message of what is acceptable and valued by our culture. How do you respond to reading the story or viewing the video? What do your teenage children think about this story? How would you apply a biblical […]
Proverbs 4:20-27 is a helpful guide for protecting your heart. The command to guard your heart, in verse 23, is embedded between two practical considerations to help you accomplish this. The first consideration in protecting the heart is to be aware of what goes into the heart. This only makes sense if everything that a person does flows from the heart. In verse 20, Solomon urges his son to carefully listen to his words: My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. There is a direct connection with this verse and Deuteronomy 6:5-7 and Ephesians 6:1-3. The father’s words, and by extension the mother’s, are not just random thoughts. They specifically reference God’s words […]
This Summer is a season of change. In the summers of the 1960’s waves of cultural change washed over our social landscape with amazing speed. Fifty years later, the waves of change still pound our shores. Your children live in a culture where the God of the Bible is a national embarrassment – no reasonable person would worship such a God. Children raised to honor God will become the targets of a culture that thinks they have moved on from God. The implications of these cultural changes mandate that we must be vigilant protecting our hearts – everything that we are flows from the heart. Proverbs 4:20-27 tells us exactly how to protect and guard our inner man. Verse 23 […]
Summer is upon us, again. But this summer has the potential to be different. In addition to the normal summer themes of heat, vacations, what to do with the kids, hurricanes and other storms, there is a growing cultural instability that is about to reach critical mass. The supreme court will rule sometime next month regarding same-sex marriage. Regardless of the decision that is reached turmoil will follow. Apart from a massive turning to Christ, we must accept the reality that our culture views marriage as a relic of the past. The human race was founded on the building block of marriage. God gave the creation mandate in Genesis 1:26-28 to male and female with the command to go forward […]
Everyone has a mother. That much is obvious. The problem comes when Mother’s Day becomes a one-size-fits-all event. Just as everyone has a mother, it is equally true that everyone has a different life-experience regarding having a mother, being a mother or not being a mother. Many are blown away by the faithful sacrifice of their moms. Sadly, many are also devastated by the way their mothers have treated them. There are women who are thrilled with the joy of being a mother. There are others who are not. There are still others who long to be mothers but are not. There are mothers who are deeply appreciated and also, just as deeply despised. There are those who continue to […]
1. True sexuality is intimate, directed only towards your spouse. Lust is impersonal, directed towards anyone or anything that titillates your greedy desire. 2. True sexuality cares for the satisfaction of your spouse. Lust cares only that you are satisfied. 3. True sexuality results in gratitude to God and earnest prayer for his blessing in your sexual union. Lust knows nothing of gratitude or prayer. 4. True sexuality requires sensitivity. Lust craves sensual desires. 5. True sexuality is motivated by personal inner beauty. Lust is motivated physical outward appearance. 6. True sexuality results in a deepening relational closeness. Lust results in increasing demands for self-fulfillment, with little regard for the well-being of the object of its desires. 7. True sexuality […]