A couple of months ago, my sister called me to inform me that her dog had passed away. During the conversation, she shared the difficulty she was having trying to explain to her children that they would not see the dog again without telling them that he was dead. I sympathized with her struggle, but I thought to myself that it would actually be beneficial for these children to learn about the deat...  Read More

Lemuel Haynes (1753-1833) was long considered the “invisible man of African American theology” due in part to his affinity for Jonathan Edwards and his open critique of Thomas Paine, which “led many to the mistaken belief that he was not an abolitionist.”The illegitimate son of a slave and a white socialite, young Lemuel didn’t know his parents. He was indentured to and raised by a Baptist deacon,...  Read More

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, initially published in 1998, is now on its 25th-anniversary edition. In its lifetime, it has sold over four million copies. In this review, my approach will include a brief summary of each law and thoughts about its application to the particular context of Addison Street Community Church.  Read More

Would you let your most trustworthy friend operate on you even if they didn't have much medical training? Probably not.  Read More

Google© has become the dominant online consumer search engine. We should know this as its brand has seamlessly snuggled into our vocabularies as a verb. Who of us doesn’t access this powerful search tool and its counterparts to get quick answers to our everyday questions? Where would we be (literally!) if we didn’t have online maps supported by real-time Global Positioning Systems (GPS)? For you y...  Read More

When it comes to sexual abuse or assault, we as the church need to listen better to survivors and then speak more. The trauma suffered, whether once or multiple times, among many other things, robs the victim of their ability to voice their pain. But even getting to the point of listening may take time and lots of trust built up over time.Not for a second do I pretend to understand what a sexual a...  Read More

If prayer is much like talking, then it should come naturally. But if prayer is the “breath of dependence,” then it doesn’t seem as easy. And that’s because depending ain’t easy at times  (especially the more independent we become). Of course, there’s the fact, too, of talking to someone we can’t see or audibly hear that makes this kind of religious expression more elusive to us. There are sinful ...  Read More

If you're reading this, then theres a fair chance that you've listened to your share of sermons. You may even be a connoisseur of sermons. So what is it that we should be expecting in a sermon? What does faithful biblical preaching look like? And what is the point of the sermon? Throughout the Scriptures, Gods faithful servants are called to speak what God has said, not adding or subtracting to hi...  Read More

You’ve probably heard it: the judge within you whispering (and maybe sometimes shouting) doubt and condemnation. But rest assured: that's not the final word on you, believer.The book of First John is a lighthouse bright for the darkness and brimming with rich Gospel assurances. You can’t read that pastor-apostle John letter without being challenged and comforted.John was probably Jesus’ bosom budd...  Read More

Have you ever been turned off by someone's attempt at rectifying a wrong with you? All of us offend someone at some point in our lives. It probably happened this week. Instead of judging someone's lackluster apology too quickly, why don't you plan on giving a meaningful (that is, sincere and full) apology the next time you are aware of offending someone or somebody? Do you know how to apologize?Ji...  Read More

Dear Blessed Woman,I know you won’t get this. I doubt you’ll even see this as you are in heaven, joined by that great cloud of witnesses. After all, you don’t share the “ever-present” or “all-knowing” qualities of your Lord and mine.What was it like to be surprised by that angel? Did you have any idea? When did you tell your parents? What was their reaction? The Sacred Text doesn’t tell me, but di...  Read More

The following is a review of the book, Strange New World: How Thinkers and Activists Redefined Identity and Sparked the Sexual Revolution by Carl R. Trueman (Crossway, 2022).Pastor Will Pareja wrote this review (June 2022)If your breath has been taken away at the blistering pace of moral change today, you should read this book. Dr. Carl Trueman is a specialist in the history of ideas/philosophy. A...  Read More