Medals
My two favorite women in the news recently are Gina Haspel and Maxine Thompson. Haspel is the first woman ever nominated to lead the CIA and Thompson shot a man who was trying to break into her home.
A Banned Book
Assembly Bill 2943, if passed, will add language to California’s consumer protection laws which prohibit selling materials which challenge current politically-correct standards of gender and marriage. Hard to believe, but the sale of a book upholding the definition of marriage used by every...
Most Influential
Conley Smith did not make Time magazine’s recent list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Too bad. When the eternal score is settled someday, he will have made a far greater impact than Roseanne Barr (yes, believe it or not, she made the list). Conley went to heaven this past...
Disheartening
When Bill Hybels announced his early retirement last week, he became the third high-profile evangelical leader in the past two months to leave public ministry because of inappropriate moral behavior. This is disheartening for all ministry leaders and besmirches the reputation of evangelicals who...
Younger Pastors
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In his recent column in Facts and Trends, Dr. Thom Rainer wrote about the coming crisis of pastoral leadership – not enough pastors. He reported that half of all American pastors are over age 55. In 1992, only 24% were over that age. He also noted the percentage of pastors under age 40 has...
Free-range parenting
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The state of Utah is the first state to pass a law based on the concept of Free Range Parenting. According to the New York Times, “under the law, neglect does not include ‘permitting a child, whose basic needs are met and who is of sufficient age and maturity to avoid harm or unreasonable risk...
Tossing tables
Jesus models a perfect balance of authority and judgment with compassion and winsomeness. In the Palm Sunday narrative, just after Jesus arrived at the Temple, he flipped tables and rebuked merchants for creating a market in a house of prayer (Matt. 21:1-17). Jesus announced, “It is written” to...
Compelled speech
The U. S. Supreme Court will consider a California case this week with profound ramifications related to free speech – more specifically “compelled speech.” The case is about a California law requiring pregnancy care centers (which are established for the purpose of preventing abortions) to post...
Finding the Future
Demographics are destiny. Well, maybe not completely, but it is hard to buck entrenched demographic trends. Gateway Seminary is currently in the early phases of a major effort to determine key aspects of our ministry through 2030. While we are clear about our mission, we are equally clear about...
Unity is not always possible
In the aftermath of Billy Graham’s death, cultural commentators have written about Graham’s ability to unify Christians in contrast to the current climate of disunity. Graham did an amazing job of reaching across theological and political lines – in his era. Unfortunately, the moral and ethical...