Do you suppose the angels in the sky looked at all like this picture on the night Jesus was born? The following is a guest post from my lovely wife about how my family celebrates the season! Advent is a word that has many different meanings to just as many people. For some, it is a season of the church … Read More
Celebrating Advent with Your Family
My wonderful wife, Tracy Bradford, has written more on the subject of celebrating Advent with children. Full of practical ideas fueled by spiritual consideration, take some time to see what’s here! ______________________ I remember the first time that my husband and I sat with our two small boys to officially celebrate the Advent season 13 years ago. I had made … Read More
Life on Mission–Connect
OK, so your purpose in life as a follower of Jesus is to tell others about Jesus and bring people to him. However, if you’re going to accomplish that goal and live up to your purpose, you’re going to need to connect with people who don’t believe what you do. That can be a little messy, and that can be … Read More
This Saturday is Judgment Day?
In anticipation of a message I’m delivering this Sunday on the end of the world and in response to so much of what I see and hear in some Christian circles, I thought it was significant to repost one of my most read blogs… It’s happening again! A Christian leader has come to imagine himself as having read and understood … Read More
21 Myths: Jesus’ Resurrection is all the Resurrection There Is
A lot of Christians in the 21st century, it seems, have lost touch with the ancient, New Testament idea of the resurrection. Many Christians are mystified by the teaching of the New Testament about resurrection, assuming that arriving in spirit in heaven is the end of blessed existence.However, ancient Judaism (Jesus and the apostles and much of the earliest church … Read More
21 Myths: Jesus is A Republican
You know you’ve heard it. Maybe you even have said it or thought it.I don’t know exactly how to explain it, but it seems that worldwide, those who take the stories of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John as literal accounts of history are more likely to find themselves on the conservative side of the political divide.That may be why evangelicals … Read More
21 Myths: Jesus of Faith, Not of History
Myth: The Bible gives us theological insights about Jesus, but not historical ones. Some people are interested in the Jesus’ religious ideas, but deny that the Bible provides, or even intends to provide, any historical accounts about him. Are they right? Is the Bible meant to be taken seriously as a historical description of Jesus’ life and ministry? I would … Read More
21 Myths: Jesus Was All About Love and Peace
Would the real Jesus please stand up?People who have a somewhat distant awareness of the content of the gospels end up bringing this myth to life from time to time.It’s the idea of a soft Jesus who maybe got angry once in the temple.It’s the notion that Jesus would never have actually had any hard feelings with any sin.It’s the … Read More
21 Myths: Jesus & Mohammed Taught the Same Thing
I bet you’ve heard some version of this myth about Jesus. I would guess it’s most often repeated by people who don’t really want to come to terms with the fact that claims about religious truth aren’t all equal or the same.The versions I’ve heard of this myth kind of go along these tired and cozy lines:“Well, Jesus and Mohammed … Read More
21 Myths: Not One Scintilla of Historical Proof
I’ve heard it said 100 different ways by 100 different people.“There is no historical proof that Jesus of Nazareth existed.”“The only witness to Jesus’ life is the Bible.”“It’s all made up. There never was a Jesus.” Behind the many ways this myth about Jesus is spun is ignorance about what we do and can know. The content in the gospels points … Read More