Simply Gospel

May my steps be worship. May my thoughts be praise.

  • A Christian Nation? Since When?

    A Christian Nation? Since When? …For all our talk about separation of church and state, religious language has been written into our political culture in countless ways. It is inscribed in our pledge of patriotism, marked on our money, carved into the walls of our courts and our Capitol. Perhaps because it is everywhere, we assume it has been from the beginning. But the founding fathers didn’t create the ceremonies and slogans that come to mind when we consider whether this is a Christian nation. Our grandfathers did. Back in the 1930s, business leaders found themselves on the defensive. Their… Continue reading

  • On the Internet, You Never Know Who’s Reading

    On the Internet, You Never Know Who’s Reading Rummaging through my zillions of articles saved to pocket, I came across this gem. Mind you, some of the language in the post is a little stronger than I would usually link, but there is fantastic lesson contained in this author’s experience. The thing is, we forget sometimes that when there’s a website we don’t like, for whatever reason, that there are people behind it. People who are proud of their work, and who work hard. We can be rather glib (to steal Jesse’s phrasing) about our feelings and toss off insults… Continue reading

  • “I’m Fed Up with the Church of Christ”

    “I’m fed up with the Church of Christ” Let’s talk about what we ought to be fed up with. I’m not fed up with churches of Christ. I am fed up with division. I am fed up with churches five miles apart who will not have anything to do with one another because of some breakup 30 years ago that had to do with personalities or even a doctrinal difference that did not affect the practice of the church. I’m fed up with brethren who will not love, and I’m especially fed up with myself when I do not love.… Continue reading

  • Freedom Above All Others

    What freedom do you most hold dear? I would guess most would defer to freedom of speech or freedom of religion. The thing is, despite the wording found in the preamble to our constitution, God does not guarantee such rights. He never promises that we will have the physical freedoms we have come to take for granted in this country. Surely, Paul and the other apostles in the book of Acts were not being granted freedoms of speech and religion. Nor did Jesus come to forcibly change Roman or Jewish law to allow His followers those freedoms. Instead, our Savior… Continue reading

  • I’m Just a Passing Through

    Is it possible we’ve grown overly comfortable with this world? I saw a preacher I love and respect talking about how he simply doesn’t feel welcome in America anymore. I understand where he was coming from, and I sympathize with his feelings. I do not criticize him for the statement; it was just an impetus that got me thinking. Are we supposed to feel welcome in this world? How welcome did Christ and His apostles feel in their home country, and did it affect their mission or relationship with God? An Unwelcome Savior In Matthew 8:18, a scribe approaches Jesus… Continue reading

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  • Politically Charged Topics and Christian Online Conduct

    I’ve been hesitant to write anything about Indiana’s new Religious Freedom Restoration Act. I’m an Indiana resident, so it goes without saying that I’ve heard and read one or two things about it, and I do have an opinion about it. But that’s not the point of this post. My opinions are unimportant. What’s important is this: anytime something like this occurs, where a large portion of the Christian population becomes invested in a politically charged debate, conduct becomes the point. Whenever politics and religion mix, things get ugly, and many things I’ve been seeing from my brothers and sisters… Continue reading

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  • One Reason You Are Bored with the Bible

    One Reason You Are Bored with the Bible I can already hear people saying, “But I only watch things that are wholesome and I only use social media to connect with other like-minded Christians.” Hey, me too! But that doesn’t mean these things are not still negatively affecting your attention span and ruining your spiritual appetite. And remember, even reading a religious blog article does not take the place of actually reading the Bible. Continue reading

  • Uncomfortable American Idols

    The Sunday morning Bible study I’ve been participating in is beginning to wrap up a marathon through the Old Testament. It’s an area of the Bible that presents some unique challenges, both in terms of what we can best get out of a covenant no longer binding us as well as in some of the directions classes usually take the Old Testament. I’ve studied these books numerous times now, and certain themes emerge time and again — some helpful to our spiritual development, others less so. One of those themes that gets brought out every time we get to Aaron… Continue reading

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  • Growing Up with Dorothy

    My wife just started writing about her experiences teaching our daughter and growing with her. Go read check out Growing Up with Dorothy, and be sure to follow or add her to your RSS reader for updates! Continue reading

  • Public Schools Aren’t the Enemy

    Public Schools Aren’t the Enemy Christianity’s relationship with public education is complicated and fragile, and it’s something I never thought much about until I became a teacher in the public school system. Raised as a Christian in a suburban county lucky enough to have remarkably good public schools, I never considered the idea of public school as being harmful to my character or moral development (although, perhaps it crossed my parents’ minds.) And, when I left my public college to start teaching in a public high school, I rarely considered that my beliefs might come in conflict with my career.… Continue reading