What would it be like to spend time with history’s greatest theologian? Imagine if you had access to the greatest theological mind since Christ, not just for an hour or a day, but for years. Think of all the questions you might ask. Think of all the ways you could observe and imitate a life lived full-out for the glory of God. There is one young man who had the remarkable privilege of being the protégé of none other than …
It’s little surprise when privileged men rise to prominence. Born into high circumstances, given an exceptional education, and exposed to remarkable opportunities, no one marvels when these men are successful. But we take notice when men rise from the lowest and least likely of circumstances to change the world. This is the case with a Christian man who became one of history’s greatest evangelists. He grew up in abject poverty and received only a meager education, yet he thrived because …
In each generation, there are countless men who rise to fame because of their widespread impact. But there are only a select few who are remembered far beyond their day, who leave such a mark on the course of the world that their names are forever written in history. We know one such man as Saint Augustine of Hippo. Born Aurelius Augustinus, he was first a professor but, following a dramatic conversion, became a pastor and theologian. He is arguably …
Life is too difficult for us to do it on our own. We are too weak, too unwise, too full of sin. Thankfully, God does not intend for us to carry out the Christian life independently. Instead, he gives us the strength, the wisdom, and the godliness of other Christians so they can bear our burdens, address our folly, and model what it means to be holy. Some of us depend upon friends, pastors, or spouses to be our dearest …
His name was known around the world. Crowds flocked to his church to hear him preach, and everywhere else people devoured the printed editions of his sermons. When he died, 60,000 admirers filed past his casket and 100,000 lined his funeral route. Even today, people visit his grave to pay tribute. Even more read his books and are inspired by his sermons. Yet before Charles Spurgeon was The Prince of Preachers, he was a young boy in the arms of a …
Dear Mom, We don’t really do this stuff, do we? We don’t often feel the need to say what we assume the other person already knows. It’s that British reserve, I suspect. But on this Mother’s Day, I want to tell just some of what you mean to me, and I’ll do it through a few memories, a few glimpses of days gone by. You are in my earliest memories. As I try to collect them into some semblance of …
As we look to the history of the church to observe “Christian Men and Their Godly Moms,” we encounter a number of mothers who were remarkably accomplished. Some have forceful personalities, some are skilled theologians, some are worthy of full-length biographies in their own right. Yet many more are perfectly ordinary, serving their families in quiet obscurity, wondering if they are making any significant impact in the world. In this entry in our series, we look to how God used …
Every mother knows that at some point, in some way, she will have to surrender her children. While they are young, she is responsible for protecting and teaching and training them. But all the while, she will be preparing them for independence, preparing herself to release them to the world. Ultimately, she will be preparing herself to surrender them to the will of a sovereign God. In this entry in the series, “Christian Men and Their Godly Moms,” we encounter …
Earlier this year I wrote a short series called The Commandment We Forgot. These articles looked to the fifth commandment (“honor your father and mother”) to explore an angle few of us have seriously considered: What does it mean to obey this commandment as adults? Along the way I offered a number of practical suggestions on how we can honor our parents, and one of these was to give them esteem both publicly and privately. Today I want to ask …
A single sentence can change a life. Angela Yuan learned this the hard way, her heart shattered when her cherished son spoke just three short words. The proud, atheist mother simply wasn’t ready to hear “I am gay.” She fumbled for a response, but the pain was too sharp, the shame too intense. Finally, she made up her mind. “You must choose. You must choose the family or choose homosexuality.” He made his decision. He packed his bags, he walked …
