Blog
Christianity Isn't Cussing Less and Giving More
There’s a book in my library called unChristian that analyzes the results of an extensive, nationwide study conducted by the Barna Group. The study showed that 84 percent of non-Christians said they personally knew at least one Christian, but only 15 percent thought that person’s lifestyle was significantly different than their own. Non-Christians don’t think we’re different because we’re not different. But we should be.
Steps to Social Media Sanity, Principles for Ethnic Harmony, & the Least Politically Prejudiced Place in America
Wisdom for Your Weekend: Your regular installment of what we've been reading (and watching) from around the web. We gather the best and leave out the rest.
Yes, You Really Are That Bad
If there were ever a verse in the Bible that sounded like an overstatement, this would be it: “There is no one who does what is good, not even one” (Romans 3:12b CSB). No one who does good? Really? As in, literally none? In light of our biggest sin—replacing God’s authority in our lives with our own—even the good things we do apart from faith don’t seem that good.
Some Awesome Books on Writing
As I’ve written before, good writers are voracious readers. Most of the books writers consume should be about something other than writing, but every now and then, it’s good to read up on the craft itself. Call it professional development. Or peeking at your fellow classmate’s answer key.
God and Sexual Assault, "Girl, Get Some Footnotes," & the Greatest Pro-life Speech Ever Given
Wisdom for Your Weekend: Your regular installment of what we've been reading (and watching) from around the web. We gather the best and leave out the rest.
God Doesn't Want Your Tithes, Your Moral Behavior, or Your Religion
People in the American church today tend to think of their lives in “buckets.” There is the “eternal salvation” bucket—that’s where Jesus lives—and then there is the “other stuff” bucket—security, prosperity, happiness, etc. We don’t altogether forget Jesus in Bucket #1; he just didn’t seem as relevant when we’re trying to get the contents of Bucket #2.
Righteousness of God: Punishment or Pardon?
The concept of God’s righteousness scares us because it feels like a standard we’ll be judged by or one that causes us to feel excluded or condemned. But when we come to see that it is a righteousness God gives by faith, everything changes. It’s what theologians call the Great Exchange.
Christians and Socialism, Wounded Churches, & the SBC's Response to Abuse
Wisdom for Your Weekend: Your regular installment of what we've been reading (and watching) from around the web. We gather the best and leave out the rest.
Live As If Jesus Rules and Eternity Is Real
Have you ever seen someone trying to get out of a boat … slowly? They’ve got one foot on the dock and one foot in the boat, and they just don’t want to commit. When you see that person on the dock, all you can think is, “Make a decision. And quick, buddy.” Because as the boat starts to drift away, it’s going to get really uncomfortable really fast. You’re either in or you’re out!
Why the Gospel Teaches the Opposite of Religion
Believe it or not, Bill Maher, Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, and the Apostle Paul agree on one thing: Religion can turn you into a really bad person. Religion caters to the worst parts of us—pride, self-centeredness, condescension, self-righteousness, and bigotry—which is why religious people can be (in the words of our generation) the worst.
About J.D. Greear
J.D. Greear is the pastor of The Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, NC and author of several books including Gaining by Losing: Why the Future Belongs to Churches That Send.