I have asked my college students this question for several years, sometimes for extra credit in a quiz, sometimes just in conversation: “When the Pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving in 1621, to whom were they giving thanks?” The answers I get never cease to amaze me. Of course, the No. 1 answer every year is, … Continue reading Turn your heart toward Thanksgiving
Twenty years ago, The New York Times ran a full-page ad for Columbia University. It advertised seven fields of study in which a person can get a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies: American, Ancient, East Asian, Islamic, Jewish, Medieval and South Asian Studies. Richard John Neuhaus spotted this ad and wrote an editorial about … Continue reading The ‘dangers’ of Christianity
In his book, “Love Does,” Bob Goff writes, “I get paid as a lawyer to collect information and memorize facts, and I’ve gotten really good at it.” What I realized about my faith is that I was doing just that, collecting information and memorizing things about God. I collected pictures and gathered artifacts and bumper … Continue reading Don’t be a stalker: Do the Bible
He’s had a tough day at work, with deadlines to meet, the boss on his case, clients unhappy about anything and everything. On top of all that, he’s not sleeping well because of stress, and he’s gained 15 pounds in three months because, well, he just owes it to himself to eat what he likes. … Continue reading Expectation is premeditated resentment
Every parent has seen this with his 1-year-old child. You are sitting at the kitchen table with your son in your lap and you see something in the backyard, like a squirrel. And you point out the window and say, “Look at the squirrel!” Your son looks at your hand. “No, buddy, look outside,” you … Continue reading Don’t park your life under a sign
It has always been interesting to me that Jesus’ disciples never asked the Lord to teach them how to witness. Or preach. Or cast out demons. They asked Him to teach them how to pray. Maybe they understood that Jesus’ intimacy with His Father was the power source. Someone has said that Jesus went from … Continue reading Teach your children the power of prayer
J. Mark Fox 