Applied Theology
Christians in Sudan are facing many uncertainties following the military’s recent ousting of longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir. Since his removal from power, Sudan’s churches have come together to pray for their country’s future, even gathering outside the military headquarters to pray. This is a vital time to join our prayers with those of our Sudanese brothers... Continue Reading →
Anxiety depression frustration worry of the world find peace by being still God is God
How are you supposed to have joy at work when your colleague in the next cubicle is lazy yet takes credit for work you completed? Down the hall, colleagues trash your boss all day. Worse than the negativity at work is the drama caused by people yapping back and forth at each other like a... Continue Reading →
Edward Mote walked to work one day in 1834 thinking of how blessed he was to be a Christian. He wanted to write a song that would praise God adequately. That day at work, he penned a line here and a line there, until he had the song mostly finished before the workday was over.... Continue Reading →
Not long ago while taking a walk, I noticed a nice pickup truck—a fairly common occurrence for me. I grew up appreciating nice trucks, and that particular aesthetic skill has not left me. This particular truck was a mid-sized four-wheel drive with several added features designed particularly to navigate the desert terrain of southern California.... Continue Reading →
Several years ago, a pastor friend confided in me. He did not know how to pray. He hated to admit it, but he could not sustain prayers longer than a few seconds. Sustained prayer was for him as foreign as Durian candy in a Michelin five star restaurant. It just wasn’t happening. My friend wanted... Continue Reading →
Just yesterday, my youngest son did something stupid. To tell the truth, his mom and dad often do stupid things, too—daily. But our job is to correct him and help him to be better than we are (which means making him prone to doing fewer stupid things). So we corrected our child. The main way... Continue Reading →
Faith overcomes anxiety
#AsiaBibi has been wrongfully incarcerated for more than 8 years. Now she has been freed by courageous judges in Pakistan. #Persecution
About forty years ago, my friend and I sat excitedly as the diamond needle made its way from the edge of the vinyl disc toward the center. Reliably, the turntable rotated at 33.3 RPM until the needle made its way to the grooved section with the song we most wanted to hear: “Fly Like... Continue Reading →
When a honey bee gets angry, it stings. After the sting, it dies. Literally, the bee gives its life in defense of its anger seeking revenge. Our anger is often like that of the bee. It is volatile and deadly. And, like the bee, we are able to inflict only a temporary pain to the... Continue Reading →
In my Sunday preaching, I am deep into a quest to cover each book of the Bible in a single sermon. I started preaching this single book series over one year ago, and I have now reached 2 Corinthians. In listening to 2 Corinthians, I was struck by a paragraph at the opening of chapter... Continue Reading →
Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) is affectionately and appropriately known as “The Prince of Preachers.” I recently revisited a sermon from him concerning the reality that any of us might be called upon to suffer for Christ. In this sermon, Spurgeon uses the friendship of David and Jonathan to show how quickly and unexpectedly persecution may occur.... Continue Reading →
The Old Testament locates justice in God and understands that people called by his name ought also to practice justice, beginning with their own families and their own covenant community. The rationale behind such a design is organic and seems inescapable. How could an Israelite demand in the name of God that justice be carried out... Continue Reading →
I was minding my own business, just making the regular afternoon pilgrimage to the men’s room. Out of nowhere, a colleague popped in and asked me a most unexpected question: “Are you upset with how the world is responding to our new president? I bet you’re unnerved by the way the world thinks he’s a... Continue Reading →
Gregory C. Cochran 