I wrapped up a recent Ask Anything Monday that inspired me to go back to my AMA-styled blogposts. When I do these types of AMAs, I'm trying to do my best to steward a few of the amazing questions that came in on Instagram and Facebook. Sometimes, to continue the fun,...
THE BLOG
Basic Theology
Does Jeremiah 10 Prohibit Christmas Trees? (And Other Good Questions)
This question comes up a lot at Christmas: Is Jeremiah 10 a prohibition of Christmas trees? Let's look at what it says. Hear what the Lord says to you, people of Israel. This is what the Lord says: “Do not learn the ways of the nations    or be terrified by signs in...
How do you avoid making someone a “project?”
Verity '22 Streaming AccessNow Available Introduction This November we were so excited to bring back the third annual Verity Conference located in Petoskey, Michigan. 250+ women came from all around the United States to join us in person, and over 200 women watched...
Answering Kids’ Theology Questions
Some of my best conversations with my five year old happen when I’m putting her to bed at night. When it’s time to sleep, her mind starts swirling with theological questions and conundrums. She’s a lot like me in that way. Some questions are easy to answer, like “Can...
How to Avoid the Theological Pendulum
In my interdenominational work I frequently see a “theological pendulum swing”: negative experiences in one corner of Christendom driving believers into the opposite persuasion. Changing opinions are not a problem; they’re often a sign of maturity. The problem? When those believers turn and shout at the corner in which they used to stand, worried everyone who remains there is on the brink of deception.
Four Views of Baptism
There are few topics that divide Christians with such ferocity as baptism. This sacrament – necessary to the Christian faith – is modeled in Scripture by Jesus as well as His disciples in the early church. But when it comes to how we practice baptism, Christians are divided. Some churches practice infant baptism (paedobaptism) while others practice believer’s baptism (credo-baptism). Some believe you are saved through baptism, others believe it is a symbol of salvation, and others think it is somewhere between.
The Trinity: Modalism, ESS & Essential Doctrine
This episode is an overview of the nature of the Trinity and why God as triune is a fundamental Christian doctrine! We look at the fights within the early church to defend Christ’s deity (including Athanasius’Â On the Incarnation)Â and how these fights were finalized in the Apostles and Nicene creeds. We then look at teachings like modalism, oneness and eternal subordination of the Son.
Should Christians Tithe? [Two Views]
We pass the basket for “tithes and offerings” without blinking, but have you ever stopped to think about those words? Tithes and offerings. It’s an indication there is a difference between a tithe and simple giving! And there is. A “tithe” means a “tenth”, and it’s a principle we see in Scripture primarily in the Old Testament.
Is Easter Pagan?
A few years ago I first saw an infographic running around Facebook about Easter and its “pagan origins”. I was intrigued by this accusation. I knew that it often came from Messianic and Hebraic Roots communities, but since I try to entertain other views, I did some serious digging.
Four Views of the End Times
A lot of people have eschatology on the brain these days. With all the speculation about the end of the world, one world governments, microchips and 666, it’s hard to know where to draw the line between what’s biblical and what is not!