Serious About Scripture

Mentoring and motivating Christ’s people to live his words

The Foibles and Fallibility of Christian Leaders

The inconsistencies, unattended weaknesses, eccentricities, normalizations of subtle sinful habits, relational neglectfulness or awkwardness, sometimes grating quirks, phases of tiredness and even laziness, and susceptibility to pride — just to begin the list — illustrate what kinds of things can be found in almost every Christian leader at one time or another. They should remind us that we are all treated mercifully by God and cannot claim that any leadership position or recognition is fully “deserved” but strategically assigned by…

The Book Alive

The husband had fallen asleep as his wife finished reading her Bible in bed. Suddenly she threw her hand on to the chest of the sleeping spouse, screaming out, “There’s a man in this book!” There is, indeed! In one sense, the Bible is simply a book, with rows of words in order, telling a story, informing or instructing. Yet, when the eyes of the person reading it are opened to its truth, and that God himself authored it, those…

The Gospel and Divine Visitation—An Indivisible Union

It was spring in 1630. A few ladies were traveling through the Scottish countryside near Shotts when their carriage broke down. Thankfully the minister of the Kirk of Shotts, John Home, was able to assist them in their predicament. Struck with the poor condition of his manse, these wealthy Christian ladies determined to build another one for this kind man. Naturally, the grateful Home asked if he could do anything in exchange for their generosity. The ladies asked if they…

Is the “Rebellious Teen Phase” to be Expected?

What do you hope your children become when they are teenagers? Top athletes? Academic overachievers? Those wishes are not necessarily bad. Most importantly, I trust that you really hope your teenage children will love and follow Jesus.  The Bible gives us some hope that this might happen, though it’s not guaranteed. I would put it like this: Christian parents should not be surprised if they have teenagers who are believers, or who are at least submissive and respectful. This immediately confronts…