In the screwball comedy classic Bringing Up Baby, Cary Grant, dressed in a woman’s bathrobe, jumps up and down shouting, “I’ve suddenly gone gay!” He could have been speaking for a growing number of congregations today. Continue Reading
January 5, 2015
Transsexual Tragedy
“No, of course, What really matters is the blame, Somebody to blame Fine, if that’s the thing you enjoy, Placing the blame, If that’s the aim, Give me the blame." -from 'Into the Woods' by Stephen Sondheim’ There’s a time for mourning and a time for finger pointing, and generally they shouldn’t mingle. Case in point: The recent and well publicized suicide of 17 year old Joshua Alcorn, a high school transsexual going by the name “Leelah”, who posted a farewell message via Tumblr on December 28, deliberately timed to be displayed Continue Reading
December 1, 2014
The Transsexual Dilemma: Part 1 of a 5-Part Series
Six years ago I wrote an article on transsexualism – a person’s identification with the opposite sex (“I’m a woman in a man’s body”) or the act of surgically or cosmetically living as if you were a member of the opposite sex. At the time I was concerned about the challenges it poses to the modern Church, so the Christian Research Journal, a publication for which I’m blessed to be a contributing writer, commissioned an article from me on the topic. Continue Reading
August 27, 2014
When the Young and the Restless Leave Church
My son had some disturbing news to share the other day. He attended an event where several of his old friends who had graduated from his youth group showed up. When he asked how they were doing, too many of them explained that, since moving on from the high school ministry, they’d left the faith for various reasons. Of course, others still had their relationship with God intact, but he was understandably sad. I’m understandably disturbed. And the worst of it is, the ranks of older adolescents shifting from church to unbelief seem to be Continue Reading
August 15, 2014
Keeping it Real
"All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many part." -Poem by Shakespeare Believe it or not, that tow-headed 17 year old is me playing Oscar Madison in a 1971 production of The Odd Couple at Wilson High School of Long Beach, California. Continue Reading
March 21, 2014
Fred Phelps: The Symptom of our Sickness
“I'll explain, and I'll be sure to use small words so that you'll be sure to understand. You wart-hog-faced-buffoon!” - The Princess Bride Buffoons have their place, but they shouldn’t. They contribute nothing but noise and, accomplished only in the art of the obnoxious, they pass gas and call it an insight. They both earn and love our contempt; they’re revolting. So when they exit, tears are hardly expected. Fred Phelps, founder and head buffoon of the Westboro Baptist God-Hates-Fags cult, has exited, and tears are few. His notoriety Continue Reading
October 18, 2013
Chosen
I’m not big on “favorite scriptures”, since all of the Word is inspired and profitable (II Timothy 3:16.) Still, I guess everyone has certain ones that come to mind more than others. One of those, for me, is Ephesians 1:4, a verse I lean heavily on. In fact, when I’m tired, which is pretty often, or stressed (who isn’t?) this one pumps me up beautifully. According as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. Continue Reading
June 7, 2013
News That Made Me Smile
The news this season is anything but uplifting. Scandals at federal levels, terrorism at international ones, unspeakable crimes against children, general social and moral decay. But a few stories this week actually put a huge grin on my face. Maybe you’ve already seen or heard them, but on the off chance you didn’t, let’s review them, because they’re fun, or funny, or inspiring, or all three. Well, you gotta love the first one. A couple days ago J.R. Gilkinson was sailing with a few family members just off Newport Beach in California, when Continue Reading
February 26, 2013
The Feminine Mistake
Every Tuesday we’ll post something to do with strengthening marriages. Hope it helps. — The Feminine Mistake This year marks the 50th anniversary of Betty Friedan’s groundbreaking The Feminine Mystique a landmark book which shaped and propelled the modern feminist movement. Today some of Friedan’s ideas would seem pretty tame, even to social conservatives like myself who see nothing wrong with women working, or opting not to marry, or choosing and pursuing careers. Nor have I ever found the idea of equal pay to be anything but reasonable Continue Reading
January 28, 2013
Your Name, Your Impact
Every Monday we’ll post something about maintaining your sexual integrity. Hope it helps. — Your Name, Your Impact “A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble.” - Charles Spurgeon The people who’ve known you feel something when they hear your name, because your name represents how you’ve affected them. Interesting how that works. By way of example, just monitor your emotions while reading these Continue Reading
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