Applied Theology
Well, this isn't exactly from the 2014 Fifa World Cup, but it is related to soccer and, more importantly, to our persecuted family. Originally POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 17, 2012 Before the game, our team took note of the size of the goalie. He was at least 6’3” and weighed in at a solid 280. He was... Continue Reading →
The Apostle Paul gives the following impossible command to the Philippian church: 14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe First, he does NOT say, do your best to avoid arguments. He doesn’t say try... Continue Reading →
In my previous post, I sought to show why it is important for Christians to fight for religious liberty. What are some simple ways Christians can do this without selling out to a political agenda? I thought of 3 simple ways to get the conversation going: Learn. Disciples are learners. Primarily, this learning must be... Continue Reading →
Freedom, though given freely by God, isn’t offered freely by Man. It must be fought for and won, sometimes through reasoned debate and cool persuasion, other times through battles with swords or guns. Tyranny is always lurking, scheming to usurp individual liberty. This is as true in America as it is anywhere. I am thankful... Continue Reading →
Should Christians Watch the World Cup? The short answer (for me) is “Yes.” Whatever we do, we do all to the glory of God. Can the 2014 FIFA World Cup be watched to the glory of God? Each Christian will want to answer that question for himself. As for me, I have answered the question... Continue Reading →
Chaos usually ensues after our worship service concludes. It isn’t the chaos of a charismatic explosion, filled with dancing or laughing or strange verbal utterances. It isn’t chaos of any negative sort. Rather, it’s the delightful chaos of slightly uncontrolled children rushing around in search of candy, suckers, and places to run. My children are... Continue Reading →
As usual, Wanda’s café was crowded during the lunch hour, so my student and I decided to head outdoors under the breezeway to enjoy our fresh-grilled meals, which, in my case, included a side order of crispy fries sprinkled with that patented bay seasoning lightly coating them, giving them a salty, spicy kick to accompany... Continue Reading →
A few years ago, a friend of mine got in trouble. This time, my friend got in trouble for doing the right thing. In solidarity with his union brothers, my friend was walking a picket line because the company he was working for had been taking advantage of employees. My friend was enjoying conversation with... 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 →
Brooke Parks at Persecutionblog asks an excellent question: Is Christian Persecution a Social Justice Issue? I believe that it is. At least, I believe that persecution is a justice issue. Parks is correct to note the limits of social justice. Parks points out that the goal of ministry to the persecuted is not to remove... Continue Reading →
Voice of the Martyrs has helped to rescue two young women from captivity in Nigeria. You can read the full story below. More information is available on their website. I publish this story from Voice of the Martyrs here to get the word out and offer support for the care VOM is giving to the... Continue Reading →
In William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, a drunken jester named Trinculo declares, “Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows.” This familiar expression has oft been adapted to the political arena: “Politics makes for strange bedfellows.” Indeed, the twisted manipulations of political warfare can lead former enemies into convenient beds of agreement. Yet Trinculo’s statement is not... Continue Reading →
The four gospels in the New Testament provide abundant examples of Jesus teaching his followers the cost of discipleship. Persecution by the world is part of what it means to be a Christian. On some occasions, the stark reality of Jesus’s teachings come into such sharp focus that human experience seems to be nothing less... Continue Reading →
I’ve been off the grid for a bit, partly because of spending a week at the NorCal Pastor’s Retreat. This retreat, by design, was retreat from everything resembling a normal, daily routine, including cell phones, text messages, internet service, television, indoor plumbing, private bathrooms, etc. For me, the retreat also served as a kind of... Continue Reading →
I know a woman whose life was very hard through no fault of her own. She and her husband had 8 children together when he was murdered, leaving her a widow with very little means to survive. Family members offered to take the younger children so she could try to survive with the older ones.... Continue Reading →
Gregory C. Cochran 