Award-Winning, Bestselling Christian Author
BORN IN BETHLEHEM. When Jewish scholars 2,000 years ago wanted to find out where the coming Great King would be born, the Messiah, they turned to the prophet Micah. About 700 years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, a little-known Bible prophet …
THOSE WE’VE LOST. I took this photo of my brother a few years ago, at our uncle’s funeral. Then, two years ago, I buried this brother. Six months after that, my other brother. Is this why the older we get, the more we feel sad on those …
WE THOUGHT PAGANS BEAT JESUS TO CHRISTMAS. That’s what historians have taught us: Christians started celebrating Christmas because Romans were already throwing a party to the sun God Sol on December 25. It looks like historians got that wrong. …
1. ABOUT THE TIME MARY GOT PREGNANT, Caesar Augustus ordered a census. He wanted to count everyone. 2. This was the first census the Romans took after Quirinius became Syria’s governor. 3. Folks went to their hometown to register. 4. Joseph did, too. …
[Here’s a flashback to a post from last Christmas season…a gentle reminder.] WHY GET UPSET that the city outlaws nativity scenes on public property? Why complain about Wal-Mart greeters wishing us Happy Holidays instead of Merry …
I PARAPHRASE THE BIBLE as part of a new Bible study technique I’ve been trying out. It helps me see the Bible in a different way. I compare a bunch of translations, and I think about how I would try to put the same stories and teachings in my …
I GOT THE JOB of leading the curriculum team for our church Bible study group that meets on Sunday. Several of us take turns leading the discussion. Usually, I let others sign up to teach first. Then I pick up whatever is left. But when we put …
I KNOW that the title of this post sounds odd. But it’s true. I found out about it on Christmas Eve—the perfect night to hear the news. The church I attend has multiple locations throughout the Greater Kansas City area: Church of the Resurrection. We …
MY WIFE BROUGHT HOME A DOG. She was driving to work and she saw it get hit by two cars. Tagless the year-old black lab pup was suddenly broke and homeless. Three drivers stopped, including my wife, who’s a nurse and a caregiver by nature. Two men …
THERE ARE NOTHING BUT GUESSES about what exactly led the wise men to Bethlehem. Clues in the Bible: It pointed toward Israel. The star led them initially to the capital of the Jewish homeland, not to Bethlehem: “Some wise men from eastern lands …
A LITTLE AFTER MIDNIGHT on Friday, I randomly selected names of 21 people who would win gifts. Top gift: Kindle Fire HD. Additional gifts: 20 free books. I chose the names from all four of my social media hangouts: Blog, Facebook, Twitter, and my …
I CAN’T SHAKE THIS THOUGHT: Most of what we Christians do to celebrate Christmas isn’t Christian at all. Not if we punch our work on a timecard. Or tally the cost on a spreadsheet. Most of the time and money we put into Christmas is secular. …
