Posts by Kevin Schaal

Most definitions of wisdom are wrong. Wikipedia defines wisdom as “sapience, or sagacity is the ability to contemplate and act productively using knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense, and insight.” I know that Wikipedia is not the most respected source of knowledge, but this definition is common. There is a vast difference between worldly wisdom and…

The first substantive conversation my wife and I had with our children about reproduction was when they were about seven years old. Even before that my wife, the science teacher, refused to use “baby talk” when talking about the issue. Our son, Kristopher was three years old when his baby sister was on the way.…

We live in dark times. The world is in such a state of insanity, sorrow, and rage, that it makes us wonder at the viability of humanity because of its tendency to self-destruct. War in Ukraine, war in Israel, rumored war with China against Taiwan, Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, nuclear weapons, arrogant politicians,…

There has been a huge reaction against the Prosperity Gospel pedaled by religious charlatans over TV and other media forms. “We do not give to get!” is the response. However, some uncomfortable passages of scripture seem to support Prosperity Gospel thinking, and it is appropriate for us to address them. Honor the Lord with your…

I will celebrate my 61st birthday soon. I have been a senior pastor for 37 years. That is right. I planted Northwest Valley Baptist Church when I was 24 years old. I wish I knew the things then that I know now. I would dearly love to start ministry all over again with my present…

The simpleton, the fool, and the scorner are the bad boys of Proverbs, and I mean that in no endearing sort of way. We sometimes use these words that we see in Proverbs interchangeably and understandably so.  These guys are the bad guys in the book of Proverbs.  They are the ones that mothers hope…

“Jesus ate with sinners!” The drug-addicted mother threw the statement in the face of her substance-recovering daughter as a taunt and manipulative tool.  The daughter had recently come to Christ and was seeking to find freedom from a drug-shrouded childhood.  She was raised in the drug culture by a mother who was equally given to…

  The intersectionality of religion and politics is a huge bone of contention in the present social dialogue.  People from the right and left are both attacking the idea of Christian Nationalism—in whatever way it may be defined.  However, the idea of free speech is foundational to Western culture, and it is extremely important to…