How often have you heard the gospel equated with a positive change in a believer’s life? “I used to __________, but then I met Jesus and now I’m ___________.” It may be unintentional, but we make a serious mistake when we reduce the good news to its results, such as patience, sobriety and compassion, in the lives of those who have heard it. These are beautiful developments, and belief in the gospel does produce such fruit. But the results should not be confused with the gospel itself. The gospel is not a means to an end; it is an end […]

One of the things I say a lot is that everyone is exhausted. I think that’s true. It may be, though, that no one is quite as exhausted as José Micard Teixeira…or, maybe, Meryl Streep. Recently, a lengthy quotation attributed to Streep (but actually penned by Portuguese self-help author and life coach, Teixeira) started making the rounds on the internet. It’s a manifesto of sorts, announcing to the world a set of things he would no longer do. For instance, Teixeira says that he has “no patience for cynicism, excessive criticism, and demands of any nature. I lost the will […]

Every year around this time, millions of people begin to contemplate what their New Year’s resolutions will be. However, according to Tullian Tchividjian, senior pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale and the grandson of Evangelist Billy Graham,.people should think twice before making one. In his upcoming book, It Is Finished: 365 Days of Good News, Tchividjian’s message is that while we have good intentions of fixing ourselves when we make New Year’s resolutions, not only do we all wind up falling short when we break them, but we shouldn’t associate our worth and value to a resolution […]