Posts by Kit Johnson
Disciplined by Faith: Part 2
In Part 1, I described two inadequate responses to spiritual dryness and practical crisis. First, many turn to worldly methods of addressing their problems or of drowning their sorrows. Second and more importantly for my purposes, many submit to the tyranny of the urgent. Their Christian life is defined by urgent concerns and finding answers…
Read MoreDisciplined by Faith: Part 1
Most Christians know the feeling. You sit down to read the Bible and pray, wanting to enjoy a passionate experience of God, but … crickets. You struggle to focus on the text, and what you grasp seems irrelevant to your pressing concerns. Your prayer time is dry, and your burdens don’t feel any lighter afterwards.…
Read MoreInstincts for Spiritual Care
My sermon text a couple weeks ago was, “We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone” (1 Thess 5:14). It’s a highly practical verse for local church ministry, and it teaches that appropriate spiritual care varies from situation to situation. Some people need direct, strong confrontation…
Read MoreYou’re Not the Only One
I am currently preaching through Ezra. Recently, my text was Ezra 4. It’s the most challenging section of Ezra to follow because the story begins in 536 B.C., jumps to ca. 480 B.C., then to ca. 450 B.C., and finally returns to 536 B.C. It’s such a unique chapter that liberal scholars dismiss it as…
Read MoreA Heritage from the Lord
Recently, I came across a fascinating article entitled, “The U.S. Birthrate Has Dropped Again. The Pandemic May Be Accelerating the Decline.” There are a variety of reasons why it’s significant that the birth rate continues to drop. Practically speaking, it will have drastic economic and sociological effects in years to come. But as a pastor,…
Read MoreThe Problem of Psalm 91
Psalm 91 is arguably one of the most beautiful chapters in all of the Bible. I remember being drawn to it as a kid when I heard it read publicly at our church. More recently, I was drawn to Psalm 91 after the Coronavirus outbreak. I even preached a sermon on it a couple of…
Read MoreLovers of Truth in an Age of Nonsense
I am increasingly concerned that Christians are following the culture’s lead as it spirals toward emotionalism and nonsense. Tabloids and gossip columns have long influenced the fringes of culture, but nonsense has become mainstream on both the Right and the Left. Americans feast on conspiracy theories and hyper-sensationalized blogs, YouTube channels, etc. Oftentimes, traditional news…
Read MoreSeeing Souls with a Gospel Lens
1 Corinthians 9:19–23 sets an important example for effective evangelism and discipleship. “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law,…
Read MoreDo Animals Have Rights
Debates over animal rights have grown increasingly loud in the last few years. Animal rights activists have taken aim at zoos and theme parks. Just 2 years ago the historic Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus closed operations in part over pressure from animal rights activists. We are also debating what is appropriate care…
Read MoreHelping Others Overcome Anger
Proverbs 21:19 states, “Better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and angry woman.” This proverb is equally true regarding a “contentious and angry” husband, parent, child, coworker, church member, etc. Angry people make life miserable for everyone. Therefore, if you live or work with an angry person, you surely long to see…
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