Unpacking “Everything Happens for a Reason”

‘Yes, everything happens for a reason—though it is more accurate to say that our infinite God can and does have millions of reasons for ordering the universe the way he does. But saying the words “everything happens for a reason” in most instances is either unhelpful—or even harmful. Let’s unpack this saying using a few standard questions: When? Why? What? And why not? We’ll finish with: What would be a better response?’

Murder in disguise

‘What is it that haunts the nightmares of parents of children with disabilities—with cerebral palsy, let’s say, or, given our psychologized times, perhaps even a propensity towards depression? I discovered the answer in a recent conversation with a friend who has a son with Down syndrome. It is the fear that when the parents pass away, the child will become vulnerable to state-enforced euthanasia.’

The Phoebe Hoax

‘Never has more been made of so little than what egalitarians make of Paul’s mention of Phoebe in Romans 16:1-2. This is no disrespect to Phoebe, who clearly was a faithful Christian woman from the environs of Corinth. But egalitarians have fabricated an entire mythology around this woman that is not justified by what Paul actually says about her.’

What Makes Leaders Frustrated or Chaotic?

This is a helpful little rubric for leadership.

What Jesus Actually Meant by ‘Judge Not’

You’ve probably heard this verse taken out of context. You’ve probably had this verse used against you in a discussion about morality. This one asks ‘what did Jesus actually mean?’ and goes on to address some of the common usages of this verse and why they do not align with Jesus’ point.

Why Young People Leave the Church and How We Can Help them Stay

I think this is an excellent one from David Robertson. Whilst I (a baptist) would quibble with his (presbyterian) view of ‘children of the covenant’ and baptism, I nevertheless absolutely agree: ‘Is there a cast iron guarantee that a child brought up in a faithful Christian home will continue in the faith? No. But we should expect that to be the norm – not the exception.’ By and large, I agree with David’s diagnosis and suggested prescription.

From the archive: Celebrity backed campaigns and gospel ministry

‘One way the church has, in recent years, tried to persuade people to follow Christ is through celebrity endorsements. Whenever somebody high profile becomes a believer, we can be quick to point and say, ‘look, there’s someone admirable. Listen to them!’ It is our own version of the public information attempt at behavioural change. It is a poor approach because it suffers from exactly the same problem [as celebrity-backed public information campaigns].’