Category Archives: Faith

What Does the Resurrection Say to American Culture?

Posted on April 11, 2023 by salooper57

America does not believe in resurrection. At least, that appears to be the case from what America does believe. In this class, we clarify what the Bible means by resurrection and then examine American culture’s competing beliefs.

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Why Coming Near God Is Both Risky and Redemptive

Posted on April 8, 2023 by salooper57

People sometimes ask, “Why doesn’t God just show himself? Why doesn’t he come near?” In the Scripture, God promises to come near, but that coming near is always a kind of judgment. The presence of God is a spotlight, revealing … Continue reading →

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Leaving Home (not knowing where we are going)

Posted on April 7, 2023 by salooper57

I will be finishing up the work that God gave me to do at Lockwood Community Church over the next few months. It has be a long, fruitful, and (for the most part) happy time. My wife and I have … Continue reading →

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The Lenses We Wear When We Read the Bible

Posted on March 4, 2023 by salooper57

In the movie, “Titanic,” a mother and her teenage daughter Rose, played by Kate Winslet, are crossing the Atlantic with Rose’s fiancé. He is from the same social class as she, but he is rich while her family has squandered … Continue reading →

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Moralistic, Therapeutic Deism (What the Bible Has to Say to American Culture)

Posted on February 28, 2023 by salooper57

This session launches a class on what the Bible has to say to American culture. This is not about conservatism verses liberalism, but about biblical Christianity’s challenge to American cultural assumptions. This week, we look at the American ideal of … Continue reading →

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When God Comes Near (Isiah 63:15-64:9)

Posted on February 26, 2023 by salooper57

This past week reports of a revival on the campus of Asbury University in Wilmore, KY, made the Washington Times, Washington Examiner, FOX News, NBC news, Christianity Today, CBN, and a host of other news outlets. People are excited. People … Continue reading →

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Deconstructing Faith? Don’t Stop There

Posted on February 18, 2023 by salooper57

(Estimated reading time: four minutes.) There are a number of people in my circle of relationships who are somewhere in the process of deconstructing their faith. Among millennials, particularly educated white millennials, faith deconstruction is so common as to almost … Continue reading →

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How to Avoid End Times Deceptions

Posted on February 11, 2023 by salooper57

Don’t be motivated by fear. False prophets play on people’s fears while Christ’s genuine spokespeople encourage their hope. Fearful people are a charlatan’s best friend. Continue reading →

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Committed to the World (1 Peter 2:9-12)

Posted on February 5, 2023 by salooper57

The Christian’s commitment to the world is multifaceted. It includes a commitment to people’s welfare, to justice, and more, but it is rooted in the commitment to Christ. One aspect of our commitment to the world is our intention to … Continue reading →

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Understanding Jesus: Why He Groaned

Posted on February 4, 2023 by salooper57

A great cast of characters in literature groan. Romeo groans in his love for fair Juliet. Huck Finn’s pap, with enough whiskey for “two drinks and one delirium tremens,” groans and moans and thrashes about. Jack London’s tyrannical Sea Wolf … Continue reading →

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