Beating Lust: Mowing Down Weeds vs. Killing Them
I didn’t realize until the last year or so how prevalent sexual lust is in the Church. I guess I sort of had an idea that it was a big problem, but not until I heard the statistic that 76% of churchgoing men actively seek out pornography that it really hit me. That’s when I began taking some action to address this problem in our fellowship. As I write this, the men in our church have begun a second go-round of The Conquer Series, a 7-week DVD study that addresses the problem of lust, with a special emphasis on...
read moreIs Abortion Really a Health Issue?
In the wake of the third presidential debate where Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump sparred briefly over the issue of abortion, Clinton made the claim that late term abortions — as in, a baby’s life is terminated even in the ninth month — are important to protect for the sake of health issues related to the pregnancy. Trump countered that late term abortion is never okay. Mr. Trump’s statements caused no small reaction among abortion advocates. So then, who is correct? Perhaps we should treat this subject like we...
read moreMY TRIBUTE TO DANA KEY
MY TRIBUTE TO DANA KEY Why I am Writing this Six Years After Dana’s Death Dana Key was one half of the two men bearing the names of the Christian rock/pop group, The DeGarmo and Key Band (later known as simply, DeGarmo and Key, and then “D&K’). Dana passed away in 2010 after a long and fruitful career and ministry. It may seem like a strange thing to write a tribute to someone six years after the person’s death. So let me provide some background how this came about. I have a 9-year-old son named...
read moreDon’t Take the Bait of the NEW Racial Tension
DON’T TAKE THE BAIT OF THE NEW RACIAL TENSION I have not addressed the growing racial tension in our nation before now because it has been easier to try to ignore it. But today that changed for me. Before I launch into this discussion I need to qualify something: Racism has never even been on my radar. I was raised by a mother who had no tolerance for racism. When my mother remarried she married a black man. Her brother, my uncle, married a black woman. I myself dated several black women in my single years. My best...
read more“I don’t want my kids to be weird”: Common Objections to Homeschooling, pt. 4
“Homeschooled kids are weird.” That seems to be the sentiment among many. But many who would think this are those who live vicariously through their children. They want their kids to be the coolest and the most popular, because their children’s social status gives many parents a sense of personal validation. And yes, this is true even among Christian parents who should know better. Listen, “weird” people are everywhere. They exist in public schools just as surely as in homeschooling settings....
read more“I want my kids to be well socialized”: Objections to Homeschooling, pt. 3
In this third installment of my Common Objections to Homeschooling series, I’ve asked my daughter and eldest child, Hannah, who is now married and an expectant mother, to offer her insights on the concern of socialization. In doing so, she also offers her views here on some of the benefits of homeschooling from the perspective of one who has been homeschooled all her life. (Photos and editorial comments added by me.) Thanks Hannah! ____________________ I’ve been asked the question many times, “So did you like being...
read more“I’m not qualified to teach”: Common Objections to Homeschooling pt. 2
Donna and I know some Christian people who have changed their tunes over the years about homeschooling. One lady told us years ago that she was not cut out for that sort of thing. In fact, we almost got the impression that she thought we were a little weird for homeschooling our children (which is not uncommon). But a few years later she pulled her one of her teenagers out of public high school for getting in some kind of terrible trouble that she would not disclose the details of. That same mother now says she wished she would have...
read moreCommon Objections to Homeschooling, pt. 1: “We Can’t Afford it”
In a recent article I posted on our church website, I detailed some of the significant problems with public education and provided an argument in favor of homeschooling. Toward the end of that post I mentioned that I am already familiar with some of the objections and challenges in pulling one’s children out of public school, and I would like to address those here and in the posts that follow. In doing so, I will need to state some truth that may be a little hard to read for some people. I realize that in stating these truths that I...
read moreWhat the Pilgrims can Teach Christian Parents Today
We were taught about the pilgrims coming to America in grade school but were often are not giving the full picture. To better understand why the Pilgrims left England to come to America, it may be helpful to briefly review the religious landscape of the time. In the early 1500’s a group of Protestant Reformers in England sought to bring reform to the church in England. These reformers came to be called Puritans mainly because they wanted to “purify” the Church of England of Catholic traditions that they did not believe to be...
read moreChristmas and Idolatry: What Every Christian Needs to Know in Order to Properly Defend the Celebration of Christ’s Birth
There has always been those who denounce the celebration of the birth of Jesus, most notably the Free Presbyterians, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Puritans. But I have run into a few people within the circles of “Christendom” myself who do not belong to these groups but who also have some reservations about Christmas. I think after reading this post all concerns about celebrating the birth of Jesus on the grounds of participating in pagan idol worship will be dispelled. Let’s first look at the facts about the ancient...
read more