Applied Theology
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 →
No one needs to ponder whether Christians in Palestinian territories are suffering terribly. They are. Who’s to blame? There are very strong voices in the media and in political circles who point out that Israel is the country doing all the killing. Sure, Hamas is firing hundreds of missiles into Israel, but they don’t end... Continue Reading →
Just this past weekend, my family and I hosted a World Cup party. About 25 people crowded into my living room to enjoy the epic battle in which the U.S. Men’s National team fought against the highly-touted, Ronaldo-led squad from Portugal. Yes, the last-second cross from Ronaldo to the head of Varela sent shockwaves down... Continue Reading →
The hardest part of sharing the gospel (for me) is starting the conversation. Like most Christians, I love to talk about Jesus and the truth of the Scriptures, but it is hard to get the conversation going. So, I’ve tried to identify easy “connections” between the Bible and everyday life. One of the most natural... Continue Reading →
Psalm 2 famously states, “Kiss the son, lest he be angry and you perish in the way” (2:12, NKJV). But there is more than one way to kiss the son. Luke 22 tells the story of Jesus’s arrest. Jesus was handed over to his captors by a kiss from Judas Iscariot: “Jesus said to him,... Continue Reading →
William Peter Blatty, the son of Lebanese immigrants from New York, won an Oscar and three Golden Globes for his famous movie, The Exorcist. Before this film, Blatty’s success was limited. Most likely, the success of The Exorcist exceeded even his wild imagination. It turns out, the success of that movie extends beyond the material... Continue Reading →
Should Christians read pagan literature? The question is a fair one, considering that more than one place in Scripture expects the believer to renew his mind and do everything he does to the glory of God. It’s hard to see how Buffy the Vampire Slayer might be considered mind-renewing. It may be even more difficult... Continue Reading →
Books abound on church growth strategy. There are books to grow your church from the inside out. Other books teach church growth from the outside in. One book wants you to grow your church by learning from unchurched Americans. Another book says Christians just need to become contagious (in a good way, of course). Each... Continue Reading →
Tryon Edwards, great grandson of Jonathan Edwards, once said, “Most controversies would soon be ended, if those engaged in them would first accurately define their terms, and then adhere to their definitions.” Edwards was perhaps too optimistic about the end of controversy, but he was right to note the power of definitions to bring clarity... Continue Reading →
"He who has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (Rev. 2:7). I am a football fan. And I am a Christian. Therefore, as any good Christian ought, I cheer for the Saints! The Apostle Paul blesses the churches at Ephesus and Colosse because of their love for... Continue Reading →
The lure of chronological snobbery is an almost invincible force which overwhelms us all. Each of us hopes to excel our own pasts and, thus, to excel the generations which gave us birth. So, it is understandable that we are tempted by chronological snobbery. As a term, chronological snobbery was first utilized by C. S.... Continue Reading →
On December 28, 2012, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a life-wrecking edict to stop Russian adoptions. The story below is my attempt to capture the agony and offer some hope. A bag of Sun Chips broke my heart. I saw the half-empty bag with its twisted, crumpled top dangling gingerly over the side of the... Continue Reading →
To my post Did God Cause Kids to Die in Connecticut, some objected that it did not go far enough. Some believed that it was necessary to say that God actually caused the school shooting for the purpose of judging Americans for kicking God out of our schools. Yesterday, I demonstrated why that position is... Continue Reading →
Thank you for the responses to the post, Did God Cause the Connecticut Shootings. The responses came mostly through Facebook and other media. Some thought the article didn’t go far enough. Others thought it went too far. So, let’s consider the objections in these two directions. First we will consider the objection which says my... Continue Reading →
A brother in Christ recently asked, “Did God cause the Connecticut school shootings?” I am attempting to answer that question with this blog post because I imagine that question—or something similar to it—is on the minds of a lot of Christians. So, let me begin by clarifying some language. Clearly, God did not cause the... Continue Reading →
Gregory C. Cochran 