Discomfort, a Missing Ingredient in Discipleship
“If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.” (John 14:15-16, NLT) As dean […]
Review of Ross Douthat’s ‘Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious’
I have always appreciated Ross Douthat’s writing. For many years, he has written columns as both a committed Catholic and a conservative in the New York Times. He is an […]
Jesus Elevates Your Dignity
In the United States in the 1920s and 30s, life was very difficult for racially mixed children. This was especially true for a particular child, “Joseph,” born in 1928 to […]
What Are You Measuring? A Call to Better Metrics.
Over the past four to five years, I’ve had numerous conversations with church leaders who have embraced the challenge of shifting from primarily attractional strategies to a culture that prioritizes […]
New AI Tool for Learning Christian Church/Church of Christ Theology: Ask RENEW.org
Since January 2018, we have sought to prayerfully articulate the best of Christian Church/Church of Christ theology at RENEW.org…because we are convinced it represents the best of biblical theology. We […]
It Goes Without Saying? A Reflection on Pope Francis
April 25, 2025 “If necessary, use words.” The original (Saint) Francis purportedly said this. Preach the gospel all the time, and—if necessary—use words. To this, we talkers want our chance […]
Christian Love and LGBTQ+: A Q&A with Dr. Chad Ragsdale
*Editor’s Note: A common slogan within LGBTQ+ communities is that “love is love,” implying that any consensual sexual expression is a legitimate form of love. At the same time, love […]
Auschwitz and the Agnostic
It was in the spring of 2007, if I’m recalling correctly, that I first traveled to Slovakia. I was younger then, though not so young as to believe I had […]