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Articles by John Koessler
Torn by Pain
Introduction In 1997 Sara McLachlan wrote a song entitled "Dear God." It's a searing complaint against God—raw, brutally honest, and irreverent. As a believer, perhaps I should be offended by these lyrics. However, the amazing thing is that this song is really just a diluted version of the "complaints" already found in the Bible. That's right: God has given us the words—raw and brutally honest—and instructed us and encouraged us to pray anguished, passionate prayers of complaint.
Preach in Light of the Eschaton
Matt Woodley sat down with Rev. Robert Smith, Jr., Professor of Preaching at Beeson Divinity School, to discuss Dr. Smith's big ideas about preaching. In this interview, Dr. Smith shares his passion for preaching from a future condition focus—or preaching that always keeps the Eschaton in view. You're a veteran preacher, and closely connected with the next generation of ministers. What are you passionate about in your homiletics classes these days?
God's Cure for Loneliness
Illustration: Here is a story of a preacher who after 18 years of ministry quit and went into the business world lonely, discouraged, and defeated. No, I don't know him and I've never met him, but he could be any number of people that I have met. He could be one or two of you; and if we put him back into the time of the Psalms he would fit perfectly, for he is the expression of the psalmist's words that we're going to study.
On Suicide
Introduction Death is never easy. But death is even harder when someone is too young to die or dies under especially difficult circumstances. The tragic and untimely death of Dave leaves us almost speechless. It is hard for most of us to know exactly what to say. No words seem good enough. But there are some topics I think we need to talk about today. We need to talk about Dave's death, about Dave's life, and about God's grace. Dave's death Dave's death was tragic. He was too young.
You Can’t Look Away
Introduction If you haven’t had the chance yet, I highly recommend the Netflix documentary titled, My Octopus Teacher. Yes, you heard that right: My octopus teacher! It’s a beautiful film about a documentarian who finds himself burned out and exhausted. In an effort to regain a sense of direction and purpose, he begins each day by swimming in the ocean like he did as a child. One day, he spots an octopus doing something unusual.
Abortion or Adoption
Introduction In today’s Gospel we have Jesus reading scripture to the people and telling them good news. And they loved it and they loved him. In fact, Luke 4:22 says, “All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips.” Then he went on and pointed out some cold hard truths to them and they changed their tune. “All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this.
Taking Life Seriously
Introduction A lot of things happened in 1973. I was a teenager with a face filled with acne and an appetite for adventure. Beth was a cute ten-year-old dreaming of her Prince Charming from the Dairy State. Notre Dame topped the college football rankings with a perfect 11-0 season. The Sting took home the Oscar for best picture and The Walton’s swept five Emmy categories. The price of gas was 40 cents, minimum wage was $1.60, and a first-class stamp cost eight cents.
God's Love for the Unborn
Introduction Several years before I became the pastor here [at Tenth Church in Vancouver, BC], my predecessor was talking to a group of people at the church, encouraging them to host a potluck dinner as a way to connect with our neighbors.
Kingdom Values: One Kingdom. Indivisible.
Introduction There is a surface need: American values vs Kingdom values. I want to look at Kingdom values. Let’s start with a definition. Value means, a person’s principles or standards of behavior; one’s judgment of what is important in life. So, what are some American values? Freedom, independence, happiness, patriotism, nationalism, individualism and materialism are a few. What are the values of the Kingdom of God? How and when do Kingdom values run counter to American values? Or do they?
‘Imago Dei’: One Kingdom. Indivisible.
Introduction We’re in an election year. While we won’t tell you who to vote for, we do want to equip you with a biblical understanding of our role as citizens of two kingdoms, the kingdom of man and the kingdom of God. The goal of this series is to root the church’s identity as the people of God in Christ and his kingdom. God’s people are unified by our faith in him—our primary identity does not lie in political affiliations, interest groups, or demographics.
Sí, el carisma tiene un lugar en el púlpito
El carisma ha atravesado tiempos difíciles en la iglesia. O, al menos, algunos de nosotros hemos empezado a sospechar de los líderes carismáticos. Las grietas han venido saliendo a la luz desde hace un tiempo. Hace nueve años, mucho antes de que Oxford University Press coronara la palabra rizz (jerga para el tipo de carisma que inspira atracción romántica) como palabra del año 2023, Rick Warren observó: «El carisma no tiene absolutamente nada que ver con el liderazgo».
From the Dugout to the Pulpit
Each summer, I enjoy taking my family to see the San Francisco Giants play as we live relatively close to their ballpark. By the end of the fifth inning, my kids are usually done with their snacks, have walked around the ballpark two times, been to the bathroom three times each, and have danced their hearts out to try to get seen on camera before they threatened to mutiny in order to leave the “long and boring” game.
Punctuating Our Lives with Thanksgiving
Introduction We recently looked together through the lens of the story of Job at the great question marks that fill our lives: Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do the righteous suffer? Why do we park on driveways and drive on parkways? Life is full of these mysteries, of course. It's only natural that some of our time is spent searching for answers. But at the end of the day, I don't want my life to be about question marks.
The ABCs of Praise
Introduction This is a Psalm that begins with a commitment that on the surface seems rather simple: "I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever." "I am going to praise you, God" is the Psalmist's promise. What could be easier than that? But when we examine his language more closely, we discover a clue that the art of praise may involve more than we thought.
Should Sermons Be Memorable?
No one remembers anything anyway, so why should sermons be different? The most persistent assumption of the weekly sermon is that it should be memorable.
From Rubble to Rebuilding
Introduction In Nehemiah we’re introduced to this eminent person, the problem he becomes aware of, then we listen in on the prayer he prays before he acts using the position he’s in. The book is mostly Nehemiah’s autobiography and reads like his journal. That’s one thing I’m resolving to start doing again this year, as it begins. I’m going to write a little journal entry every day. I’ve tried it on and off over the years, but it’s a discipline I easily fall out of.
Maybe Babel Was Bad?
Brash election rhetoric seems to have grown boring (at least for now), but in the void of highly polarizing conversations, Christians still are looking for ways to define themselves. In this week’s news roundup, special guest Hannah Anderson joins host Mike Cosper and editor in chief Russell Moore for an election postmortem, including a discussion of how Donald Trump’s second bid for the presidency may or may not deepen already existing divisions in congregations.
Everything You Need to Know About the Respect for Marriage Act
This week, the Respect for Marriage Act (RMA) passed the Senate. It tries to balance the unquestionable goodness of traditional marriage with America’s changing views on same-sex relationships. Some conservatives will undoubtedly treat the act as a loss. But others will take the view that, in a morally pluralistic society, a few concessions yield a win for the common good. I’m one of them.
Lord of ‘Little by Little’
This week, we review and reflect on what we learned in our “pod-class” series on gaining self-confidence. Heather shares feedback from her listeners and reminds us that God often moves in our lives gradually—little by little—one small shift after another. If you’re new to our pod-classes, you may want to pause this episode and start with Heather's preface to the series, “On Gaining Self-Confidence,” where she sets the framework for this three-week journey of faith.
Trump Won’t Divide the Church This Time (and That’s Not Necessarily Good News)
After Donald Trump announced this week that he’s running for president in 2024, many of my fellow evangelical Christians started bracing for more upheaval in their congregations and denominations. The situation is especially troubling because many of us haven’t yet recovered from the first Trump era. But what if this time around, we don’t see the same levels of contention and division? And what if the potential quiet isn’t actually good news?
“从这代到那代”：中国年轻世代的福音需求与牧养
龙降恩是来自中国家庭教会的牧师，1985年出生，目前在美国学习神学。龙牧师2010年加入锡安教牧团队，2017按立为牧师，负责敬拜、教导、讲道、门训、牧养、城市植堂、神学教育和宣教动员等等事工，主要精力投在大学校园事工和下一代的事工。2018年底，中国对家庭教会逼迫加剧，锡安教会策略性地把他差到海外神学深造，2021年在戈登康维尔（Gordon Conwell）神学院完成神学硕士学位，2022年秋季开始在惠顿（Wheaton）学院攻读神学博士。 以下是2021年6月华福总干事董家骅牧师访谈龙降恩牧师的部分文字记录。 信主与蒙召 董：你是中国大陆很年轻的下一代传道人。能不能跟大家分享一下你的信主和蒙召的经历？ 龙：我是整个家族里面的第一个基督徒。当我回顾自己的属灵旅程时，就像保罗所说：“我今天成了何等人，是蒙神的恩典而成的。”只有上帝不可思议的恩典，才让生命经历不可思议的反转。我从“龙的传人”到主的门徒；从无神论者到教会的牧者；从共产主义者到福音主义者——这是180度巨大的翻转。...
On the Streets of China, the Cross Shone Bright
Between 1927 and 1949, millions of Christian posters appeared on the streets of China. These posters challenged, co-opted, and subverted political messages in circulation and daringly portrayed an alternative vision of national salvation. Chinese Christian artists used familiar techniques and symbols to proclaim that the kingdoms of this world, whether Nationalist or Communist, would fade before the kingdom of Christ.
The ‘Meh’-term Elections
Dive beneath this week’s headlines with CT Media’s newest podcast, The Bulletin, hosted by director of podcasts, Mike Cosper, and editor in chief, Russell Moore. In this week’s news roundup, Cosper and Moore sit down with guests Justin Giboney and Michael Wear to talk midterm elections, pandemic amnesty, and whether Twitter’s demise might be a net loss for the church and the world.
景教流行中國碑見證基督教與中國文化的最早相遇
2022年6月，歐美媒體報道，科研人員通過研究在吉爾吉斯斯坦兩座14世紀墓地中的人類遺骸體內的DNA，發現當年肆虐歐亞非大陸的黑死病可能發源於中亞天山（包括新疆）地區。這個墓地是一個著名的考古遺址，在其中的一個墓碑上，用維吾爾語刻着表明景教信仰的文字。 “景教”是什麼？ 中國人所謂的“景教”(“景”意為“光明”)，其實是基督教的一支（所謂“聶斯托里教派”），今天在西方的正式名稱是“東方亞述教會”（Assyrian Church of the East，近年伊斯蘭國在敘利亞及伊拉克殘殺的基督徒，大多認同這個教會的基督論），是由原來在教會歷史上著名的安提阿教會的部份信徒，與在羅馬帝國旁的亞述人合併成立的教會。 景教於公元5世紀建立於波斯，信徒尊稱在431年被以弗所公會判為異端（後來有很多基督徒認為是誤判）的聶斯托里為“聖徒”。該派信徒有極高的宣教熱情。景教在6世紀差遣了許多的宣教士，到中亞、漠北（蒙古）、印度、及中國傳福音，建立了非常大面積的教會。在7世紀遍及西亞和中亞，並沿着絲綢之路傳入中國后，景教曾在唐朝興盛一時，成為歷史上基督教與中華文明相遇的最早的開端。...
3 Principles for Settling Political Spats in the Church
Every election season, some Christians remind us that “Jesus is not a Republican or a Democrat.” But every election season, other Christians tell us that it’s wrong to vote for a candidate who supports abortion, or that Christians should vote only for candidates who will fight racial injustice. With issues of grave moral import on the ballot—human life, religious liberty, marriage, economic and racial justice, and health care for the vulnerable—surely God must care how we vote.
Why Do Chinese Believe Christianity Is a Western Cultural Invasion?
Since Christianity (or at least some form of it, the Nestorian Church) arrived on the shores of China in A.D. 635, it has been perceived as a foreign religion and hence irrelevant for the culturally Chinese. The “One more Christian, one fewer Chinese” chant in the 1919 May Fourth Movement further reinforced and perpetuated the misconception that when one chooses to follow Jesus, one has denounced one’s Chinese identity to go after a foreign or Western god and ideology.
More Evangelical Women Have Had Sex With Women Than You Might Think
Seventeen percent of evangelical women between the ages of 15 and 44 have had sex with another woman, according to data gathered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and analyzed by Grove City College sociology professor David Ayers. Among evangelical men, the percentage who’ve had sex with other men hovers around 5 percent. Changing attitudes toward same-sex relationships—in the US generally and among older and younger evangelicals specifically—have been well documented.
‘Can Politics Be Saved?’ with Justin Giboney
Do you ever feel pressure to stay silent to fit into your political party’s talking points? Justin Giboney, attorney, ordained minister and co-founder of the AND Campaign, joins VOICES’ Where Ya From? podcast to explore how bringing our full witness to our political decisions and conversations can be a way of loving our neighbors as ourselves. Guest Bio: Justin Giboney is an attorney, political strategist, and ordained minister in Atlanta, GA.
This Is Not the Most Important Election of Our Li...
Midterm elections are a time for reassessment—an invitation to evaluate the party in power, but also the political process itself, the health of the body politic, and the effect it’s all having on people’s souls. Two years after Joe Biden won a presidential campaign he characterized as “a battle for the soul of the nation,” voters are heading back to the polls with concerns about inflation, abortion, immigration, polarization, Christian nationalism, and even the future of American democracy.
Online Seminary Isn’t B-League
In 2008, I was a full-time missionary in Haiti in desperate need of seminary education. I didn’t want to leave the field, but I didn’t think there were any other options. As I prayed for direction, the then-president of Wesley Biblical Seminary, a family friend, invited me to apply at a new online program. I was cautious. I viewed online degrees as B-league degrees. Plus, our satellite internet was extremely slow and spotty. And I didn’t need just Greek, systematic theology, and inductive Bible study.
堅韌不拔的教會
馬丁·路德曾說：“如果我寫下所有我曾經歷過及我所知道的傳道人的負擔，我會把所有人都嚇跑的”。 如果路德看一看21世紀和宗教及教會有關的頭條新聞，他的感覺不會比他在16世紀時好太多。我們現今所處的文化背景對於宗教在社會中的價值和地位有著許多不友善的跡象。許多人依然堅信經典的世俗化理論（classic secularization），認為宗教持續衰亡是人類社會現代化不可避免的事情。 隨著諸如《新聞週刊》那樣的雜誌宣布“基督教化的美國已然終結”，人們很容易屈服於對基督信仰衰微的害怕情緒。但是，持續在這樣的擔憂裡不僅會導致它自我應驗，更會使人看不見教會在人類歷史裡的持久韌性。 其實我們很難找到一個世紀，處於其中的教會和神職人員沒有面臨事工的挑戰及對基督教信仰的衰退感到擔憂。簡單計算一下有詳細描述過去時代的“危機”及“焦慮”的歷史研究數量，就會發現這些標籤已被重複使用多次，不再有任何新意了。...
An Ark Mentality Can’t Survive an Anxiety-Flooded Age
A few weeks ago, a commentator identified what he believes to be the dominant mindset of our time. He calls it “ark head,” borrowing from the biblical account of Noah and the flood. “Ark head,” argues Venkatesh Rao, happens when we give up on solving our big global problems and look instead for an “ark” in which to ride out the storms of this age of anxiety.
我在美国过的第一个万圣节
我三十岁那年，人生第一次穿上万圣节的装扮。 万圣节不是我在南非度过的童年里的一部分 — 我们从西方出产的情境喜剧中才知道它的存在。还记得我和姐妹们会假装在玩“不给糖，就捣蛋”，唱着从“天才老爹”（The Cosby Show）中学到的歌：“不给糖就捣蛋，让你闻我的臭脚丫，给我好吃的东西”（Trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat）。 在我长大的地方，没有人会为了万圣节特别打扮，没有人雕刻南瓜灯，在我们的街道上玩“不给糖，就捣蛋” 也不够安全。另外，10 月底的南半球差不多是春天的尾巴，完全不是能装上秋收装饰及燃烧营火的季节。 搬到美国后，我已经 30 岁。怀着 8 个月的身孕，我计画著第一次的万圣节装扮。我把自己装扮成足球场，穿着绿色的衣服，孕肚则画成黑白相间的足球。这也是我第一次听到基督徒对于万圣节的辩论。几个常参加社交聚会的人碎念着我，说我不该穿成这样庆祝这个邪恶的、异教的节庆。...
Liberalism Comes in Right-Wing and Left-Wing Varieties. Christians Should Reject Both.
“Liberalism” is a word with many meanings, some compatible with Christianity, some arguably demanded by it. In its original sense, to be liberal is to exemplify the virtue of liberality, as in broadmindedness or generosity of spirit. More typically, in the United States, liberalism refers to left-wing political views, though “classical” liberalism references a relatively gentle variant of libertarianism.
What’s to Blame for Thailand’s Deadliest Mass Killing?
Top Thai government officials pushed for tighter gun regulations and a renewed war on drugs last week after a mass killing at a daycare in northeastern Thailand killed 36 people, including 24 children. Meanwhile in the Na Klang district of northeastern Thailand, devastated families gathered at Buddhist temples to attend mass cremations for their loved ones. The attacker, former police officer Panya Khamrab, also killed his wife and stepson before turning the gun on himself on October 6.
Jeffrey Dahmer and Killing Our True Crime Obsessi...
There are thousands of things to watch on Netflix—but right now, two of the top ten shows on the platform are about serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, a drama series produced by Ryan Murphy, broke Netflix records in its opening week last month, according to the Los Angeles Times, and remains the platform’s most popular English language series. Conversations With a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes, a docuseries, debuted a week ago.
A New Solution to Gun Violence: Neighborly Care
As I pull into the parking lot of Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, I notice a plainclothes man with a visibly holstered gun emerge from the car beside me. He is one of the school’s recently hired safety officers. Their armed presence is the reason I’ve arranged to speak with head of school Dean Nicholas. Our family is new to the school, returning to the United States after 11 years in Canada.
Conversation Is Hospitality-Even on Social Media
After 18th-century literary icon Samuel Johnson had dinner at a friend’s house, his biographer, James Boswell, asked if the conversation had been any good. “No, Sir,” he said. “We had talk enough, but no conversation; there was nothing discussed.” Johnson’s friend had offered one kind of hospitality at that dinner party, but not another kind: discussion. Conversation, whether remote or in person, is an exercise in hospitality, or welcoming the other.
The Rise of the Pentecostal Fusionists
Pentecostalism emphasizes the dynamic workings of the Holy Spirit. As a result, it often carries a reputation of being liberated from the dead hand of the past, rather than rooted in historic Christian orthodoxy. Emilio Alvarez, presiding bishop of the Union of Charismatic Orthodox Churches, looks to fuse his own Pentecostalism with the riches of church tradition in his book Pentecostal Orthodoxy: Toward an Ecumenism of the Spirit.
New & Noteworthy Fiction
Lightning Strike William Kent Krueger (Atria Books) The prequel to Krueger’s Cork O’Connor mystery series, Lightning Strike introduces 12-year-old Cork as he discovers the body of an acquaintance hanging from a tree. Cork shadows his father, sheriff Liam O’Connor, as Liam investigates whether the hanging was suicide or murder.
Christian Nationalism Cannot Save the World
This piece was adapted from Russell Moore’s newsletter. Subscribe here. Just as some North Americans are explicitly claiming the label of “Christian nationalism,” the ideology is advancing around the world.
I Heard What You Said, But What Do You Mean?
I Heard What You Said, But What Do You Mean? The journey from exegetical idea to homiletical idea. Image: OsakaWayne Studios / Getty Images Anyone familiar with Haddon Robinson’s seminal work Biblical Preaching knows that in it he outlines ten stages in the development of an expository message. Having spent nearly forty years of my life studying, applying, and teaching Robinson’s wisdom, I find his fourth stage to be the most overlooked and underappreciated of the ten.
Two Kidnapped Missionaries Freed in Haiti
An Ohio-based church organization says two of 17 abducted members of a missionary group have been freed in Haiti. Christian Aid Ministries issued a statement Sunday saying the two “are safe, in good spirits, and being cared for.” It said it could not give the names of those released, why they were freed, or other information. The group from Christian Aid Ministries were kidnapped by a gang after visiting an orphanage.
You Can’t Slay the Giant Anxiety with Mere Willpower
I’ve heard that we’re born with only two fears: the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. If true, this reinforces the very real fact that we accumulate fears over time. We undoubtedly manufacture some, but life experiences saddle us with the others. From worry to severe anxiety disorders, from run-of-the-mill fears to irrational phobias, we all live somewhere on anxiety’s broad spectrum.
En realidad, Dios está haciendo algo antiguo
Hace años, yo era parte del equipo editorial de una revista publicada por una organización cristiana conservadora. Debido a que el nombre de la organización estaba en la cabecera, la reputación de la misma estaba asociada con las ideas y los autores que aparecían dentro de sus páginas.
‘White Awake’ with Daniel Hill
Blind spots are something we all deal with, but it's our response to them that matters. We can choose to move on and ignore, which is an option only for the privileged, or we can choose to acknowledge our blind spots and take action. Daniel Hill shares his journey from apathy to action for justice for all. Guest Bio Daniel Hill is the founding and senior pastor at River City Community Church. Before his position at River City, he served on the staff of Willow Creek Community Church.
The Island Syndrome: When the Only Sermons You Ingest Are Your Own
The Island Syndrome: When the Only Sermons You Ingest Are Your Own Much has been said recently about the dangers of sermon plagiarism, but the effect can be a misguided shunning of others' sermons. Growing preachers study the messages of other outstanding preachers. Image: Marek Okon / Unsplash Not long ago someone asked me how I felt about having transcripts of my sermons posted on the Internet.
Quotations on Prayer that Stir the Soul
For the highest prayer is to the goodness of God, and that comes down to us in our lowest need. It quickens our soul and gives it life, and makes it grow in grace and virtue. It is nearest in nature and readiest in grace; for it is the same grace which the soul seeks and always will.
The Contentious Literary Family That Explains Global Anglicanism
C. S. Lewis envisioned Christianity as a house with “a hall out of which doors open into several rooms.” The rooms are ecclesial traditions that offer disciples a fire for warmth, a chair for rest, and a meal for nourishment and fellowship, whereas the hall is “mere” Christianity, a place where disciples greet and gift each other with riches from their respective rooms.
We Need a Savior More Than a State
Years ago, a Roman Catholic friend lamented to me that he had to go to an evangelical church to hear “good old blood hymns.” He found it inconceivable that a church structured around the real presence of the body and blood of Christ in the Mass would be so reluctant to sing about blood. He shared, though, that it was getting harder even at evangelical churches to hear bloody music.
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