Resources by Daniel McCoy:
Why Does God Allow Suffering?
Why does God allow suffering? God allows suffering because it is a byproduct of sin. Sin happens because God gave us free will, even though he opposes sin and helps us overcome it when we are willing. God gave us free will because he loves us. And although suffering is not a good thing in...
Daniel McCoy
The Story of the Roman Emperor Constantine and the Church
Roman emperor Constantine the Great is remembered as the first Christian emperor of Rome. How should Christians today feel about his legacy? The year was AD 303. The Roman military commander Diocletian had been emperor since 284. For almost 20 years, this brilliant leader had been able to stabilize a notoriously ungovernable empire. For he...
Daniel McCoy
Are We There Yet? Here’s an Invitation to Join a Groaning Creation.
Just as we are invited to join all creation in glorifying God, we are also invited to join a groaning creation in crying out to him. Hearing “Are we there yet?” from kids in the backseat had always sounded whiny to me. But this particular evening, I was in the backseat too, wondering how long...
Daniel McCoy
Is Christian Nationalism Faithfulness? 4 Lessons from the Constantine Years
What is Christian nationalism, and is it a current problem? A healthy patriotism becomes American Christian nationalism when it draws an essential connection between the US and Christianity and then uses that connection as a primary means for moving the kingdom of God forward. We can learn much about Christian nationalism’s allure from the Constantine...
Daniel McCoy
What’s the History of Valentine’s Day? And Here’s Why It Matters…
What’s the history of Valentine’s Day? Here are two historical reasons for the holiday as well as a radically appropriate way to celebrate the holiday in this era. Have you ever wondered what’s the history behind Valentine’s Day? As it turns out, the origins of Valentine’s Day are as clear cut as a toddler’s self-inflicted...
Daniel McCoy
Two Dangerous People in Your Church: Heresy Hunters & Tower Topplers
These are two of the most dangerous people in your church because they help create what they claim to stand against. My favorite Andy Griffith episode growing up was “Mountain Wedding.” In it, hillbilly family the Darlings are being harassed by kooky troublemaker Ernest T. Bass, who has declared that he’s going to marry their...
Daniel McCoy
Zacchaeus of the Bible & the Cure for Little Man Syndrome
Who was the Zacchaeus of the Bible? Zacchaeus was a little guy with a massive salary. Although a Jew, he collected taxes from the Jews for the Romans and climbed the ranks to become a chief tax collected. He was loaded and loathed. Something compelled Zacchaeus to throw off what made him feel important and...
Daniel McCoy
Why Is There Anti-Semitism…Then and Now? Q&A with Matthew Umbarger
Why is there anti-Semitism throughout history and even in our own times? Matthew Umbarger is a Catholic scholar who spent nine years studying the Old Testament in Israel (PhD in Hebrew Bible from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev). He has long had a heart for understanding and loving the Jewish people. I recently caught up...
Daniel McCoy
Complementarian Versus Egalitarian: 10 Questions for Egalitarian Church Leaders
When it comes to the complementarian versus egalitarian debate in the church and home, there are 10 questions to consider which get at the heart of egalitarianism and its implications. These 10 questions will help you delve into important areas…
Complementarian VS Egalitarian: 10 Questions for Egalitarian Church Leaders
When it comes to the complementarian vs egalitarian debate in the church and home, here are 10 questions to think about for egalitarian leaders. For an ebook form of this article, click here. If you are a church leader leaning toward an egalitarian approach to men and women in church leadership, we want to engage...
What Is the Worst Sin? A Good Question That’s Killing Us
What is the worst sin? Instead of absorbing the angry answers that come with tribalism, let’s bring the question to Jesus. The story is told of two brothers who were notorious scoundrels. When one brother died, the other bribed the preacher: He would write the preacher a check with multiple zeroes if the preacher, during...
Daniel McCoy
Feeling Attacked? A Fight or Flight Response Is Too Weak.
When we as Christians feel our faith being attacked, it’s easy to get tense and slip into the natural “fight-or-flight” response. Doing this can narrow our focus to where we stop seeing crucial things around us. I noticed a theme that followed me throughout one of my days recently. See if you can catch it:...
Daniel McCoy
Where Christmas Originated
Have you ever wondered where Christmas originated? It goes back to the birth of Jesus Christ in ancient Israel, but how we celebrate Christmas today comes from traditions from all over the world. What’s more American than McDonald’s? It was started by the McDonald brothers in San Bernadino, California, in 1940. Since then, it has...
Daniel McCoy
10 Ways the Holy Family Experienced the Stress of Christmas
Although most paintings don’t give any hints, Mary and Joseph experienced the stress of Christmas in ten major ways. Traditional Christmas cards often feature a painting of the Holy Family: Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus. All three are poised in holy reverence. Every hair is in place. Every robe ironed and spotless. Halos crown...
Daniel McCoy
The Spiritual Meaning of Christmas: It’s Bigger Than “God Loves You”
What is the spiritual meaning of Christmas? The central message which defined the original Christmas and continues to shape spirituality today is that Jesus has come to earth as our rightful King. This places Christmas far beyond feel-good sentimentality, planting in the realm of both history and transformative spirituality. For most of us, Christmas wins...
Daniel McCoy
5 Insights from the Wise Men in the Bible
What can we learn from the wise men in the Christmas story of the Bible? By digging into the historical narrative, we come away with five surprisingly robust insights from these mysterious Magi. The wise men have been a source of inspirational sayings (“Wise men still seek Him”), narrative fiction (e.g., Martin Sheen’s The Fourth...
Daniel McCoy