Faith and Encouragement

african hut, remote village

What Happens to People Who Never Hear the Gospel?

Approximate Reading Time: 7 minutes (This article also includes a podcast discussion. Click the play button below, or subscribe and listen on your Apple or Android device) No matter how you spin it, salvation isn’t fair. On one hand, many feel it’s unfair that some go to Heaven while others don’t simply because Christians responded to the gospel. On the […]

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The Most Important Parenting Question I Ask Myself

Approximate Reading Time: 9 minutes (This article also includes a podcast discussion. Click the play button below, or subscribe and listen on your Apple or Google podcast app.) Take a moment and ask yourself this question: what is the goal of a parent? That’s no simple question because the answer is rooted in our worldview. For any parent willing to

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(Spiritually) Keeping Up with the Joneses – Dangerous Comparisons

Approximate Reading Time: 7 minutes Looking up to believers in our lives isn’t always a bad thing, but it can be. Last week we looked at how the strengths of other believers are a blessing and encouragement to us. However, our sinful hearts can take the blessing of having mature believers in our lives and make it about us, stirring

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(Spiritually) Keeping Up with the Joneses – The Blessing of Examples

Approximate Reading Time: 3 minutes Many of us have “that Christian” in our lives. They’ve been saved for decades, perhaps even as long as we have, and their knowledge and passion for God is at a level we could never obtain. We feel a sense of admiration for them, but also a tinge of jealousy because we want to be

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Christians and Psychology (Part 5): Finding the Better Solution

Approximate Reading Time: 9 minutes (This article also includes a podcast discussion. Listen on your Apple or Android podcast app.) My last article was a tough one, taking a very heavy and honest look at my own mental health history and trying to understand that my problem, at the root, was spiritual. Psychology could only look at surface-level symptoms, but

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3 Reasons Not to Blame Others

Approximate Reading Time: 6 minutes In 2019, I’m almost hesitant to write an article like this. Much of Christian writing mixes spirituality with self-help, making a pseudo-gospel where Christ exists so we can be better people. But after yesterday’s bigger topic of why we blame others for our failure (link), it seems important to also discuss some more practical reasons

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Why Do We Blame Others When We Fail?

Approximate Reading Time: 6 minutes No one likes failing. It’s embarrassing, frustrating, and often makes us feel like we’ve wasted whatever time we’ve invested. All of that is much worse, however, when it’s someone else’s fault that we failed. Whether it’s in business, competitive sports, or in our own lives, it’s so often someone else’s fault that things don’t go

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