By David Timms A cynic or skeptic lurks deep within many of us. Cynics, on the one hand, tend to harbor deep and dark suspicions about people and causes. They assume that beneath the surface lies an intention to deceive, and they can be critical and snarky about it. We see it constantly in politics, […]
By David Timms If you want to stir up a hornet’s nest, simply ask people what is essential to the Christian faith. The early nineteenth century Restoration Movement borrowed and regularly used a slogan from earlier times. “In essentials unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, love.” The slogan seems simple and helpful, until people […]
By David Timms A month ago we celebrated Christmas. A month before that, Thanksgiving. A month before that, Halloween. It’s been candy, ham, turkey, and pie for nearly three months! We’ve attended family gatherings, church potlucks, and company parties in constant succession. And now we’re carrying a few extra (and unwanted) pounds. We didn’t ask […]
By David Timms Relatively few people—even Christians—seem to trust the Bible anymore, if by trust we mean to take to heart and live according to. The rise of biblical disuse and biblical illiteracy, especially among Christians—in an age when we can access more Bible versions than ever for free—suggests that we may speak highly […]
By David Timms The statistics are enough to alarm any Christian parent. One study suggests that as many as 70 percent of Christian teens will stop attending church for at least a year and put their faith on hold when they head to college. Parents and ministers across the country feel vexed. We want […]
