Pastor’s Blog

It is called the “Hjalli Teaching Model.” Founded in 1989 by self-described “radical feminist” Margret Pala Olafsdottir, several nursery and elementary schools in Iceland (where Olafsdottir is from) now use the model. The goal? Their words, “to counter stereotypical gender roles and behaviors.” At the schools, everything is gender-neutral, including the identical uniforms boys and […]

You scurry undetected. Your words are not many. You would rather do, than talk. People know your face. You wonder if they know your name. You fit in. You don’t stand out. Are you shy? Probably. Do you fear man? Maybe. Hesitant to speak because you don’t know what to say? Perhaps. Is this a […]

How do our kids stay Christian? Is there a more pressing question for Christian parents? And the question is vitally important for churches to address, too. We know the theological answer. God sovereignly ordains salvation. And that He preserves those He calls to saving faith. All good and well. But God also ordains the means […]

One-hundred years ago, G.K. Chesterton quipped, “A dead thing can go with the stream, but only a living thing can go against it” (Everlasting Man). There is too much floating these days. The cultural stream is running fast. In fact, it is no longer a stream. It is a raging river. How can we fight […]

“When sin grows ripe, and abounds in a land or nation, at such a time as this a man may know there is some fearful judgment approaching. But when is sin ripe?” Puritan pastor Richard Sibbes asked the question 400 years ago. Many have asked it since. Every generation has cause to do so. A […]

Not long ago I came across the story behind the Christmas hymn, “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Morning.” The hymn is based on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem written during the Civil War. Obviously, it was a dark time for our nation. Adding to this, Longfellow had just tragically lost his wife and his son […]

C.S. Lewis is ageless. He died 60 years ago but you would never know it by reading him. I was reminded of that this past weekend at our “Slaying Leviathan” Conference. Dr. Glenn Sunshine’s book gave us the name for our Friday and Saturday gathering as well as the theme for the weekend: “Leviathan is […]

Who likes crisis? I have met a few through the years. But not many. I suspect most would choose a lazy river to a raging current. Blue sky and 75 degrees, feet dangling from an innertube, floating down a peaceful river sounds good. Being on a river with rocks, rapids, and an occasional water fall, […]

Some of you know the story. If I may, all of you should. It’s the pilgrimage of Christian and his good friend, Faithful, as they travel the King’s Highway on their way to the Celestial City. It’s Bunyan’s “The Pilgrim’s Progress” I’m referring to. Toward the end of their journey, the Highway took them through […]

Dear Bob, You’ve been confusing me for years. So much so, I went to the State of Washington’s website to see what your job description is supposed to be. I say “supposed to be” because I was suspect whether you are following it. And my hunch was correct. You aren’t. Here is what our state […]

Man gave up. He gave up in the Garden and he has given up ever since. God was simple and straightforward with Adam. Take care of Eden. Eat of every tree. But stay away from the one called the “knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:17). Call it a test. When confronted with the Creator’s […]

Three little pigs went out to build their life. The first little pig would do what made him happy. He had heard since his days as a piglet that life was about him. There wasn’t much planning, not a lot of foresight either. Just get up in the morning and follow his dream. And he […]