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Fundamentalist beliefs are often regarded as being extreme, restrictive, and even harmful. However, there is a common misconception about Christian fundamentalism that can be harmful to people’s faith journeys. While there are certainly elements of fundamentalist belief systems that can be harmful, such as gender roles, shaming others for their beliefs or lack thereof, and othering those who don’t align with a specific belief system, fundamentalism can also be used to empower people in their own faith journeys....

What is guilt? How does it impact our lives? And how can we overcome it in our Christian life? These questions will be explored further in this article. When it comes to guilt, we all have to ask ourselves these questions. Everyone feels guilty at times, but only Christians can feel guilty about what Jesus has done for us. Only a true believer has the kind of guilt that causes them to turn from their sinful ways....

When I talk with pastors about the legal, liability and financial challenges facing their churches in today’s increasingly litigious environment, they often ask, “But we do everything to the best of our ability. As long as that is true, why should anyone try to sue us?” The answer to this question may be the most important reason why churches need liability insurance. The issue is whether or not to take responsibility for the actions of the individual members of the congregation who are acting on behalf of the church, knowing that the members are probably also covered by some type of personal insurance such as homeowners or car insurance....

Today I want to continue what we started on Friday. In that article, I addressed the fact that we are tempted to look at the disappointments, failures, and hardships of our lives and lose confidence in our hope that God has a better way for us to live as His people (see also: Hebrews 11:13-16). But that’s not the way we should think and act, especially when our lives fall apart....

I grew up with the idea that kindness was the most important. I still believe that kind people make a better world, but I’ve also learned that the emphasis on kindness above all other traits can lead to a handful of problems that are endemic in the church. Types of Kindness in Christianity There are two main ideas of kindness in Christianity: The virtue of love (which I will refer to as “Goodness” from here-in) and the sacrificial love of God/Jesus (which I will refer to as “Sacrifice” from here-in)....

Think of heaven as you’d like it to be, then think again. What will your idea of heaven and life after death look like 100 years from now? Will people understand the Biblical message on what heaven and life after death are today? Will humanity have moved on by then? Will it even matter? The Nature of God Genesis 1:26-27 “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness....

In the last four decades, the United States has seen a dramatic decline in the number of Americans who claim to be affiliated with a Christian church. In 1972, 65% of respondents to a nationwide Gallup Poll identified themselves as belonging to a church or synagogue. By 1998, only 40% did and by 2010, only 38%.^{1} This is not simply due to an increase in the numbers of people who claim no religious affiliation....

Asking for help is one of the most difficult things in life. No one wants to be known as “the weak one.” We want to be strong, self-sufficient, and able to handle whatever comes our way. And being pastors adds its own layers of pressure. As a result, it’s not uncommon for pastors to struggle with asking for help. As difficult as it might be, however, learning to ask for help can make you stronger and more effective in your role....

“Everyone’s building a house!” wrote Dillon Burroughs in one of his books about spiritual growth. “Each is trying to build a life based on something, anything.” Whether it is our jobs, relationships, family, money, possessions, hobbies, sports, entertainment, or something else, he continues, there will always be some foundation that we rely on and try to make a life-plan from. In Matthew 7:24–27 (English Standard Version), Jesus tells this story:...

Some non-Christians think that it is a bit strange for some Christians to focus on the notion of hell. They wonder why some Christians emphasize hell and eternal punishment in the afterlife instead of the idea of not being with God for eternity. This essay will explain what bothers such non-Christian about Christians emphasizing hell, as well as how the latter could point to a moral issue in the former....