I’ve launched a new website, happytensions.com to capture explorations of God’s mysteries, which make us supremely happy. Readers here on this site may be familiar with the fact that “happy tensions” are one of my favorite themes about which to muse. Here’s a new-old thought on a key one. Promises Made, Promises Kept We wait in the middle, between when God’s promises were made, and when they will be fulfilled, kept to their fullness. On this, John Calvin writes: “Let us also remember that we are all in the same condition as Abraham. Our circumstances are all...

What do you think Christianity is? How do you read the Bible? It is quite easy to think of the Bible as a book of rules — things to DO. Yet, it is far greatest The Story of God, of His coming near to us, and in that way is not primarily about us. The Bible is about GOD. And not just facts, figures and fables — as if God were a science experiment, a idea to be calculated, quantified and categorized. In reality, God has acted in history — in this real world — and as we read Scripture we discover the stories are true, the characters are generally failures, and God is always faithful. That’s...

Who will be the most famous person this year? How about Persons? I say it will be The Triune Creator God. How so? As They work out the unified mission in this world, for our good and to the glory of God the Father, Son and Spirit. More and more people will take notice and be renewed to a saving knowledge in Jesus. It’s not trendy but will become more increasingly the trend as the future becomes the present. This new year presents endless opportunities for good and bringing hope to a dark work. It will be quite an adventure. It’s always good to start new adventures with some essential...

The Gospel is powerful, deep and completely life-altering (Romans 1:16-17). “All of our personal & church problems come because we don’t come continually back to the gospel to work it in and live it out.” — Tim Keller, The Centrality of the Gospel (We work out what God has first worked in — Philippians 2:12-13) “Most necessary it is therefore that we should know the gospel well, teach it unto others, & beat it into their heads continually.” — Martin Luther (Let’s beat it into our own heads first — Ephesians 3:14-21; Romans 12:1-2) SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title:...

(Not that we rethink The Mission, but let’s rethink what we perceive as our mission. The Mission stays the same: Jesus’ words in Matthew 28:18-20, and Acts 1:5-8.) On Friday a new website launched:  rethinkmission.org. Team Rethink Mission, led by church planter and pastor Jonathan McIntosh, is all about “inspiring Gospel-centered missional churches.” I’ve been tracking Jonathan’s preaching and articles for a few years (he recently transitioned from the pastoral and teaching team of The Journey Church in St. Louis). His message is consistently about Jesus, and...

Download an e-book (PDF) version of Fight Clubs: Gospel-Centered Discipleship by pastor Jonathan Dodson. I’ve mentioned it before, and am eager to dig in myself. (Note: this isn’t a book built for just one person. You won’t be able to “fight” alone. So, send the link to a friend, read it together and fight for one another, together, through the Gospel.) Here’s the table of contents of Fight Clubs: Introduction 1. Why Fight?: The Call to Fight 2. Fighting for the Church: The Failure of Accountability 3. How to Fight: Motivations for Discipleship 4. Fighting with...

Prepositions are small words, but they carry great weight. What we often call peace with God , is really just a subjective sense in the mind that all is calm. It is a kind of peace, but is it really having peace WITH GOD? To be at peace with God demands the removal the the enmity we by default live in. Not only are we indifferent, we are at war (Romans 8:7-9), and probably in more passive-aggressive ways than even play out on human and family levels. If insanity is defined at doing the same things over and over yet expecting different results, then we are functionally insane if our thinking is...

(While on vacation this week I plan to have time to sit and think deeply on Who God is and how my tiny story fits in His great Story. Here are some reflections on the Trinity, and us as image-bearers.) First, a snippet of an old hymn: Holy Father, holy Son, Holy Spirit, three we name you, though in essence only one; undivided God, we claim you, and, adoring, bend the knee while we own the mystery. (Holy God, We Praise Your Name ; Latin text, 4th century; English translation by Clarence A. Walwort) “The Trinity isn’t a technicality but the central relationship of the Christian faith.”...

The Gospel is not only the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ, it is the good news of a whole Life (here, now, and for all eternity) lived in His hands. Jesus is not only the starting point, He is the beginning, end and middle of life. There is never a second that we don’t need Jesus. Disciples need Jesus as much as sinners do. He is the only way to recapture true humanity, to become our best self, and to live for a vision beyond ourselves — giving our lives away. In Jesus we are moving from our former identity (sinners) to embracing the fullness of our new identity (disciples)....

With family and friends who live with and battle Parkinson’s disease, I’m reminded daily of the brevity of life and the plight of humankind. We all live with suffering in various forms. Former Portland Trailblazer Brian Grant — one of my favorite players from the teams of a decade ago — lives with early onset Parkinsons. He’s 37. Parkinson’s changes game plan for ex-Trail Blazer Brian Grant (The Oregonian frontpage, 5/21/09) Watch a clip of Brian Grant’s story on ESPN’s Outside the Lines SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Battling Parkinsons", url:...