For the month of September I'll be the guest speaker/preacher on Sunday mornings at Cypress Bible Church. The five-week series is titled "A Faith That Can Change the World." Here's a brief summary of the first sermon: Do You Trust Me? What does it … [Read more]
An Overlooked Perspective on Millennials Leaving the Church
Recent articles written about “Why Millennials are Leaving the Church” and “How to Keep Millennials in the Church” have left me wondering why nobody is interested in my opinion. Well, not necessarily my opinion, but the opinion of my … [Read more]
Awkward Moments in Premarital Counseling (Part 2)
(Written by Dying to Control contributor, Mike Ballman) Here’s what happened on the previous episode of Awkward Moments in Premarital Counseling: I was sitting with a couple in my office, discussing their relationship and their desire to get … [Read more]
Awkward Moments in Premarital Counseling (Part 1)
(Written by Dying to Control contributor, Mike Ballman) “I will take Awkward Moments in Premarital Counseling for $500, Alex.” “The answer is ‘I presume you two are already having sex.” “That’s easy, Alex, the answer is ‘What is the big fat … [Read more]
Two Become One Flesh
If you’ve ever heard me teach, you know—sooner or later—I’m going to talk about the story of Adam and Eve. It’s not because I’m obsessed with the story (although I admit that I am); it’s because the account has served as the backbone for much of … [Read more]
From Procreation to Recreation
Human beings have been walking the earth for more than 6,000 years, and as surprising as this may sound to some people, we’ve been having sex for just as long. The idea that sex is wrong, or dirty, or evil is a preposterous notion. Sex is good. It’s … [Read more]
Sex, Marriage, and the Church
In last week’s post—Can the Church Still Be Relevant—I wrote about how the Church needs to contextualize the Christian faith in 21st century terms if it wants to stay relevant. This week, I want to begin fleshing out what that might look like through … [Read more]
Can the Church Still Be Relevant?
Whether it’s a student in a classroom, a parishioner in a pew, or a judge on American Idol, everyone seems to be asking the question: “How is this relevant?” Granted, the word itself may be trendy, and the labels “relevant” and “irrelevant” may be a … [Read more]
Stop and Smell the Roses
A few months ago I was eating dinner with my wife and daughters at a local, Italian restaurant when six teenagers walked in. They were wearing formal attire—the three young men were sporting suits and the three young ladies were dressed in gowns, the … [Read more]