There’s a popular contemporary Christian worship song called “My Lighthouse” by Rend Collective. While it features a catchy chorus, the song has divided some churches over a fundamental question: Is it acceptable to call Jesus a “lighthouse” if the Bible never explicitly uses that term? Usually, this question is framed within the debate about what’s “allowed” or “forbidden” in worship (regulative principle versus normative principle). Worship wars aside, if we look at this question through the lens of communication––specifically speech act theory (SAT), as I’ll discuss below––the question becomes whether the image of a lighthouse accurately captures the action God is performing in Scripture. Enter the preaching wars. In many corners of the Christian tradition, expository preaching––as opposed to topical or narrative styles––is often viewed as the gold standard. According to this approach, expounding a text requires a double task: exposition (explaining what the text means) and exhortation (applying the significance of that text to the audience). To expound a text requires a double task: exposition and exhortation. The challenge is moving from one to the other. Historical-grammatical tools help us understand what the text said, but how do we know what it is saying to a contemporary audience? When preachers are afraid to move beyond the literal words of the text, they can fall into what Kevin Vanhoozer has called the “heresy of propositional paraphrase”—simply repeating what a commentary says without ever moving the heart. It’s exposition without exhortation. Relying solely on propositional information is often “left-brained” (as Iain McGilchrist might say) and can be elitist, mirroring university-style lectures that many in a post-Christendom context find difficult to engage. Today’s audiences (as in many other times and places) are shaped by stories, music, drama, and emotion—not just facts and data. If one goal of preaching is to challenge and change the audience’s character and behavior, then we must reach the heart. As someone once summarized Thomas Cranmer’s famous words: “What the heart loves, the will chooses, and the mind justifies.” To reach the heart, we need imagination, anecdotes, and stories. But where’s our warrant to do this? This is where SAT can be a useful tool for preachers. SAT provides a pathway through the preaching wars by showing that the distinction between meaning (exposition) and significance (exhortation) is a false dichotomy. Speech Act Theory and Preaching What is SAT? When I was working on a PhD (and later a book) on preaching, I learned how SAT posits that when someone speaks, he isn’t just conveying information; he’s performing an action. There are three aspects to any communication: 1. Locution: the propositional idea being communicated (the literal words). 2. Illocution: the communicative act being performed—such as a command, a promise, a warning, a rebuke, a pronouncement, or an encouragement. 3. Perlocution: the speaker’s intended outcome. In the history of SAT, the final aspect, perlocution, is contentious (how much can the speaker control the outcome?). So for our purposes, let’s consider only locution and illocution. For example, if a sign says “Wet paint,” the locution is the information that the paint isn’t dry. But the illocution is a warning: “Don’t sit on this bench!” If you only understand the information but sit on the bench anyway, you haven’t truly understood the speech act. Similarly, if a person in a movie theater shouts “Fire!” the locution is communicating the proposition that a fire exists. But the illocution is an appeal to leave the building. If you only acknowledge the fact that there’s a fire but do nothing to remove yourself from the theater, then you’ve not only failed to grasp what the speaker said but also put your life in danger. To offer one more example, when a wife asks her husband, “Are you wearing that shirt?” the locution is the propositional idea that the man is wearing a shirt. The illocution, however, is an implicit request that the husband find a different shirt to wear. What’s the payoff for preaching from these scenarios? First, communication isn’t less than propositional ideas, but there’s always more going on than just conveying information. Locution is always attended by illocution. Therefore, it’s necessary for the listener to correctly grasp not just the information being said but also the action being communicated. For listeners to do this well, they need to pick up on more than just the words. Tone of voice, hand gestures, pictures, or other visual aids are useful in getting the message across. Preaching the Illocution With SAT as our guide, we see how exposition and exhortation are connected. Preachers need not choose between communicating a text’s meaning or a text’s significance. There’s always application, because there’s always illocution. The preacher’s communication should mirror God’s communication. The preacher must ask, “What action is God performing in the text?” in order to understand the proper illocution. Locating God’s action in a passage becomes an essential element of sermon preparation: Is God rebuking? Is he comforting? Is he promising? Locating God’s action in a passage becomes an essential element of sermon preparation: Is God rebuking? Is he comforting? Is he promising? Because his task is to recreate the text’s action, the preacher is granted the freedom to move beyond the literal words of the passage. To convey a “warning” effectively to a modern audience, he might use a modern-day illustration or a cautionary tale. Or he might use humor or a specific metaphor (like a “lighthouse”) to evoke the same sense of guidance and safety found in the biblical text. Moreover, the preacher may also use his body in addition to his words, employing hand gestures or emotional tone to reinforce the message’s urgency. Preacher as Ambassador Some fear that using imagination makes the sermon about the finite, flawed human preacher rather than the infinite, perfect divine Word. However, God has always worked through human agents and natural means. God parted the Red Sea through the physical act of Moses raising his staff and hand over the water (Ex. 14:16). God inspired Scripture through the distinct personalities, idioms, and metaphors of human authors (2 Pet. 1:21). To be fair, there are some words of caution that I should give around selecting and using illustrations in preaching. First, good illustrations lead people into the text being preached, rather than distracting from it. They provide a “way in” to a passage that may be hard to access because of things like historical context or cultural differences. Second, illustrations should have a point to them. They should be used to emphasize the main idea of the text. Stories that are tangential or self-referential may be interesting, but may not be ultimately helpful or edifying. Third, when using illustrations from your personal life, use wisdom on how you portray yourself. There’s a temptation to be too self-deprecating on the one hand and to be viewed as the “hero” of the story on the other. Don’t embellish the story by saying too much or too little about yourself. Remember that the goal of preaching isn’t to put yourself on display, but Christ. As “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Cor. 5:20), preachers are commissioned to speak on his behalf. In doing so, Christ speaks (the divine, supernatural personal agent) through human preachers with their distinct personalities (the finite, human personal agents) as they use explanation, illustrations, idioms, metaphors, humor, emotions, stories, anecdotes, and imagination (natural instrumental means). Deep down, we’re creatures of imagination and emotion. We see evidence of this in the Bible’s songs, poems, and psalms. We also see it in the worlds of imagination our contemporary worship songs draw us into. But can we do the same with contemporary expository preaching? Can it be called “expository” preaching if we accommodate the imaginations, stories, and emotions of the finite human preacher? The answer is yes. Expository preaching’s aim has always been to preach both exposition and exhortation, explanation and application. By employing speech act theory, we see that expository preaching isn’t just about repeating propositional facts. It’s about using every imaginative tool available to ensure the action of God’s Word is felt and understood today. Whether we call God a “lighthouse” or use a modern anecdote, our goal is to be true to the text’s intent while being true to the audience’s need for a transformed heart.

On My Shelf helps you get to know various writers through a behind-the-scenes glimpse into their lives as readers. I asked Simonetta Carr—author of numerous books, including Church History and the Christian Biographies for Young Readers series—about what’s on her bedside table, her favorite fiction, the books she regularly revisits, and more. What’s on your nightstand right now? I have a huge pile of books on my nightstand—some for reference and some waiting to be read. The ones I am reading right now are the following. First, Michael Horton’s Heaven Came Down (an Advent devotional). As I write this, Advent hasn’t started yet, so I am trying to restrain myself from reading ahead, but what I read in the preface and what I see by peeking ahead is very promising. I also like the idea of having a prayer and some reflection questions for each week. Second, David Kirwa Tarus’s A Different Way of Being: Towards a Reformed Theology of Ethnopolitical Cohesion for the Kenyan Context. I chose to read this book because I have had the pleasure of corresponding with the author while writing my children’s book on Byang Kato, an important African theologian, and I have a high estimation of Tarus’s work in the African context. Besides, I am a firm believer in the importance of learning from the global church because we can often get used to our comfortable blinders. This book was written to address the problem of ethnopolitical conflicts in Kenya, but, while some portions don’t apply to our situation, many do. Some of the language might also be unfamiliar to us in the context it is used. For example, some expressions such as “redeeming the culture” or “liberation theology” might seem either odd or problematic to us, but knowing that Tarus comes from a different geographical and historical context helps me to listen more closely to what he is saying. Faced with grave problems of widespread violence and disunity in his country, Tarus seeks solutions from several sources, giving a large space to John Calvin’s theology and to a true understanding of the doctrine of the imago Dei. I do have some qualms with some portions of the book (I think he misunderstood David VanDrunen’s position on the two kingdoms), but even these points of divergence have benefited me as they caused me to think more deeply about the issues at hand and compare my views with those of the author. These points of divergence have benefited me as they caused me to think more deeply about the issues at hand. Third, Grace in Addiction by John Z. This book was recommended to me by one of our pastors because one of my relatives is struggling with a gambling addiction—which is apparently the hardest addiction to eradicate. The author of this book is a pastor with a history of alcohol addiction and reflects on similarities between AA and the church. It shows why AA has been so successful by harnessing many of the same riches the church has but often fails to employ. Overall, it gives me a new appreciation of those riches. Last, The Belgian Girls by Kathryn Atwood is a book I promised my friend Kathryn I would review, and it has been sitting too long on my nightstand. (I rarely read fiction these days.) This is a fictional story of two women during the German occupations of Belgium. One of them, Gabrielle Petit, is an actual historical figure—a Belgian spy who worked for the British Secret Service. The book was inspired by her story. Atwood is an excellent writer who has done extensive research on the women involved in the European Resistance. I like how she presents here two very different women from different backgrounds, united by the same concerns. What are your favorite fiction books? As I said, I rarely read fiction. That is not because of a dislike for the genre. It is just that my work as a writer requires me to read a lot of nonfiction books, and I rarely find time for anything else. That said, I do have a few favorites. They’re all books I read long ago, but their endurance in my heart through time makes them more precious. My overall favorite is an Italian classic, The Betrothed by Alessandro Manzoni. It is a shame that few Americans are aware of this book. It was written in the 19th century and tells the story of a 17th-century couple who had to overcome colossal obstacles to get married. Among other things, the book addresses difficult topics such as the state of women who were forced to enter convents and the horrors of the plague. It also includes the wonderful conversion of the villain. The writing is superb, although some of its genius is lost in translation (I have not found a translation that conveys the Italian musicality of the very first paragraph). I am, of course, a fan of J. R. R. Tolkien’s works (I wrote a book for children about him). And one of my childhood books that I still browse from time to time is The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, filled as it is with poetry and wisdom (one of my favorite stories in the book is the decision of the fox to be tamed by the prince although she knew she would suffer when he left). These are just a couple of my most beloved fiction books. There are many more. What biographies or autobiographies have most influenced you and why? Definitely Augustine’s Confessions. His candor is exceptional and invites us to a similar honesty and openness as we search our souls and join the author in prayer. It has inspired me to be equally honest in my writings. Apart from this, I don’t know if I can pinpoint any particular biography or autobiography. I read so many of them because of the type of writing I do, and I think they have all influenced and shaped me in different ways—some with their honesty and accuracy, some with their ability to portray the essence of a person’s life. What are some books you regularly reread and why? I would have to repeat Augustine’s Confessions. I return to this over and over. And Calvin’s commentaries, which are the most insightful I have found. Apart from these, I like to read The Sidney Psalter by Philip and Mary Sidney. It’s a poetic rendering of the psalms that I find very moving. When I need to be reminded of God’s unending love in Christ, I read Ralph Erskine’s Gospel Sonnets. And when I need to strengthen my prayers for my children, I read Aelred of Rievaulx’s For Your Own People. Aelred was a medieval Cistercian abbot who wrote out of his love for the monks God had placed in his care. I substitute the word “Shepherd” with “mother.” Also, as strange as it may seem, I often reread The Diary of Michael Wigglesworth. Wigglesworth was a Puritan pastor who struggled with same-sex desires. His thoughts and prayers are so honest and earnest that I find it easy to relate to them in my struggle with different persisting sins. What books have most profoundly shaped how you serve and lead others for the sake of the gospel? I would say, once again, Calvin’s writings, especially his commentaries and letters. He was such a warm and wise pastor. I don’t have them in a book; I find them online. For his letters, I have the advantage of knowing some French. And I can say the same about John Newton’s letters. You can find some of them in different editions and also online. How can parents make teaching church history fun and accessible throughout the years? Church history is becoming more accessible to kids through books and videos. Exposing the children to these resources is the first step. History is fascinating in itself. But I would encourage parents to look for historical accuracy. Don’t try to paint a picture where Christians are always good and right, or you may have problems when your kids grow up. Instead, help them to face history with honesty and courage, knowing that we’re all still learning and, most of all, God is still preserving his church in spite of our mistakes. I’ve written an article on the topic that might be helpful. What’s your best piece of writing advice? I always quote my mother, who used to tell me, “Don’t write unless you have something to say.” It seems obvious, but this is why I never thought of writing a book until I was 55. It’s not that I didn’t write before. I wrote poems, personal letters, and newspaper articles (reporting what others said). I also translated books. But it took some time before I thought I personally had something to say. My mother  used to tell me, ‘Don’t write unless you have something to say.’ I’m not saying this to discourage young writers. You might have lots to say very early in life. Just don’t rush it. Read a lot, explore the life around you, listen to people with different experiences and backgrounds, and take time to reflect. After all, the Bible has sobering warnings about a multitude of words, idle talking, and the desire to be teachers. And if you consider publishing, check your motives. Why is your book important? I see a lot of posts of young authors who seem to view publishing as a personal achievement rather than a service to others. My mother also used to say “Non disperderti,” meaning “Don’t scatter your thoughts; don’t lose your focus.” I find it’s easy to go down several rabbit trails, especially when I do research. It can be fun (and even profitable) at times, but most of the time writing requires concentration, discipline, and a concerted effort to aim at quality rather than quantity. What are you learning about life and following Jesus? I don’t know if I can put this into words. I’m learning on so many levels. For one thing, I’m getting older and can legitimately slow down. So I’m learning the importance and benefits of that. Slowing down helps with seeing things in a clearer light, considering different sides of an issue, carefully listening to others, and just basically loving others for who they are. It’s interesting to me how we tend to rush through life, eager to accomplish so much, especially in our modern Western world, and then, when our lives get closer to the end, when runners in a race would normally sprint and when regrets would instinctively spur us to compensate, God slows us down. And then we see what is really important—taking time in prayer; taking time to reflect on what we read, hear, and see; valuing others; and learning patience and gratefulness. So, I don’t know if I can list all the things I am learning, but much of that comes from slowing down.

Much in our world pulls us toward empty busyness and surface-level relationships. But when we gather with others to study Scripture, we experience the opposite. We dive deeper into God’s Word and draw closer to fellow believers. It’s not easy to make the most of this opportunity. Heart-talk doesn’t come naturally, and for many, active listening doesn’t either. Without clear direction and boundaries, small groups often veer away from the Bible. Whether you’re a group leader or a member, it helps to know the pitfalls that can derail Bible study discussions so you can guard against them. Here are four. 1. Sideline the Bible to talk about other sources. When preparing a Bible study, bringing in extra material can help stir thoughts and conversation. Devotionals, commentaries, podcasts, and Christian living books can help us understand historical context, plumb meanings of words, see themes and structures in the text we might otherwise miss, and they give us direction for applying Scripture. But as helpful as they are, these resources should never take precedence over the Bible. After all, Bible study should begin with observing the text itself. Without soaking in the Scriptures first, we’re vulnerable to being led astray by statements in other sources that have a Christian ring to them but lack a solid biblical foundation. We’re vulnerable to being led astray by statements in other sources that have a Christian ring to them but lack a solid biblical foundation. Recall how the Bereans “searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth” (Acts 17:11, NLT). Like them, we should take time to evaluate the messages we hear, even from well-respected figures. If you want to use other Christian material, do so wisely by having your group read the Scripture passages the sources are based on as well. Don’t assume every group member is already familiar enough with the Bible passage you’re studying. Instead, take the time to revisit each section in its context. You may be surprised by how much you discover. 2. Focus on personal issues rather than Bible interpretation. When your group works through Scripture, encourage members to share their thoughts. Hearing differing observations and perspectives often helps others better interpret and apply the text. As you do, remind your group that their comments should directly relate to the passage you’re studying. Personal stories clearly related to the material may help others consider the text’s implications, but a series of anecdotes can move the group’s focus from applying the Bible passage to unpacking an individual’s personal problems. Although it’s great to walk in step with someone who’s trying to understand how Scripture applies to his life, it’s impossible to iron out every detail of a person’s struggles in Bible study. This is a key difference between conducting a Bible study and giving biblical counsel. Groups should recognize the difference (and the possibility of distraction) from the outset. If a member needs additional care, he can share with the leader or another participant one-on-one later. Offer this reminder gently, and respect everyone’s time by concentrating on studying the Word, not one another’s lives. 3. Look for ways others should change rather than applying the text to ourselves. Having said this, when a Bible study group has read through a portion of Scripture and interpreted it, they should consider ways to apply God’s Word to their daily lives. Finding Scripture’s implications and putting them into practice is crucial. As Paul writes, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right” (2 Tim. 3:16, NLT). But when applying the text, it’s tempting to miss an important point: God wants us to see how the Bible corrects and instructs us, not others. Bible study groups can sometimes gravitate toward calling out obvious examples of sin in “the world,” “our society,” or “people these days.” We can be distracted by talking about how others need to live differently instead of exploring how we need to live differently ourselves. While it’s important to warn against and confess ways we’re susceptible to worldliness, merely judging the world can put a spiritual veneer on complaining. Such conversations breed a pharisaic self-righteousness (Luke 18:9–14). This is a sneaky trap. While it’s a good idea to approach our culture with a critical eye, its sins shouldn’t be surprising. Mulling over the world’s blatant shortcomings accomplishes little, but examining our own can help us to be stronger witnesses. As Paul goes on to say, “God uses [Scripture] to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (2 Tim. 3:17, NLT). 4. Over-comfort and adopt a fix-it attitude rather than trusting God’s Spirit to bring change. When Scripture exposes what’s wrong in our lives, group members may experience conviction over their sin. If someone in the group shares how he’s feeling convicted, the study can be derailed in multiple ways. Mulling over the world’s blatant shortcomings accomplishes little, but examining our own can help us to be stronger witnesses. The person confessing sin may want to elaborate on his feelings or explain how he fell into the sinful pattern and why it’s difficult to escape. Personal struggles with sin can be complicated, and as I noted above, the individual may inadvertently begin to share a long list of troubles. For some of us, the natural response to confession is a fix-it attitude. Listen to a problem, offer a solution; hear another, suggest another. It can be tempting to go down an endless path without realizing that the Bible—and the needs of other group members—has dropped off the radar. For others, the tendency is to over-comfort the person confessing. When an individual confesses sin, he’s bound to feel uncomfortable, and the rest of the group may too. Well-meaning group members might respond to a confession with ways to cheer the person up. For instance, one Bible study participant may confess he’s too absorbed with work to spend time with his family, and a friend in the group might mention how it’s difficult to strike a solid work-life balance or how families understand when we’re busy. “Don’t be hard on yourself,” she might say. As kind as such reassurances may seem, “rescues” like these discourage repentance. It’s not godly to downplay someone’s sins. We shouldn’t dull the sword of God’s Word when it pierces someone’s heart (Heb. 4:12). It’s tempting to avoid discomfort. That’s what we’re most apt to do in casual conversation. But glossing over moments of conviction in a Bible study context can make group members think there’s something wrong with godly sorrow that brings repentance (2 Cor. 7:10). Rather than making excuses for group members under conviction, accept their confession with prayer and understanding. We make moments of transformation possible when we set aside time to study God’s Word. Don’t let that time derail. Remind your study group that the inspired Word must be the center of every meeting. Then let it work in their hearts and yours.

Sports gambling was once relegated to the underbelly of American life. It was a major scandal in 1989 when Pete Rose, an All Star player and manager of the Cincinnati Reds, was caught betting on Major League Baseball—even on games played by his team. His lifetime ban from the sport and the Hall of Fame came as no surprise to fans. In recent years, sports betting has emerged from the shadows. You can’t watch a sporting event without seeing a commercial for betting. Sports shows on major networks are sponsored by companies like DraftKings and FanDuel. In 2025, 22 percent of U.S. adults reported betting on sports. In Everybody Loses: The Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Gambling, journalist Danny Funt explains how a system that’s rigged against the bettors made it into mainstream culture. Funt also convincingly argues that the costs of legalized sports gambling are already high, and things are likely to get worse before they get better. As the costs continue to rise, Christians can benefit from understanding how sports betting took over our culture and why that’s bad. Cultural Change Sports gambling has always existed, but it used to be seen as seedy and antisocial, often run in the shadows by organized-crime networks. League commissioners and team owners used to fight for laws to prevent it, especially after problems, like the infamous 1919 Black Sox scandal, threatened the game’s integrity. It’s taken years of linguistic manipulation to move sports gambling into the mainstream. For example, employees of sports gambling companies are discouraged from using the term “gambling” when referring to the industry. The approved term is “gaming” (8). It’s no coincidence that the industry’s leading lobbying group, the American Gaming Association, uses that euphemism in its title. “Gaming” makes a predatory industry sound like it manufactures board games. But creative naming isn’t the only way gambling has been mainstreamed. Years after Congress passed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 1992, which banned sports gambling nationwide, companies such as FanDuel and DraftKings created daily fantasy sports (DFS) using a legal loophole. DFS are online games where users build virtual teams of real athletes for short periods of time (often days instead of the typical season-long fantasy sports league) for a chance at cash rewards. It’s not quite like betting on your home team to win the game, but it helped make gambling seem more acceptable. It’s also an easy way to introduce sports betting to the masses. Changing the Law PASPA didn’t kill sports betting in the purer sense either. As Funt documents, bookmakers set up their businesses offshore to feed the growing demand for gambling. The internet made those wagering opportunities accessible. Meanwhile, casino representatives met in secret with sports league officials to strategize about legalizing sports gambling in the United States. Secrecy was no longer needed beginning in 2018, because the U.S. Supreme Court overturned PASPA. Significantly, the law was overturned because it dictated what state legislatures could and couldn’t do, not because of a constitutional right to bet on sports. After that, the financial floodgates opened for the industry. Since 2018, Americans have wagered over half a trillion dollars on sports. Since 2018, Americans have wagered over half a trillion dollars on sports. It was the promise of this type of money that initially brought “leagues, their broadcasting partners, and gambling executives” together. The pretense of secrecy vanished overnight. As one interviewee told Funt, “I’d been having conversations with all those people for years behind closed doors. Then suddenly everybody’s in the room going, ‘Alright, we’re going to make a s—load of money on this’” (68). Picking (On) Winners Everyone wants a cut of the money from sports betting, from gambling executives to sports fans. However, any wagering system that exists long-term has to ensure it makes a profit. The industry is in direct competition with the bettors. Someone has to win, and someone has to lose. And, as the old adage goes, “The house always wins.” To keep a fresh supply of wager income, bettors need to feel like they have a shot at winning. This is why the collaboration between sports media outlets and gambling corporations creates a rigged game. According to Funt, Many sports outlets, from ESPN to Action Network, have spent years trying to convince their audience to take up betting. The implication is that if fans read enough articles, watch enough shows, and listen to enough podcasts, they’ll have a legitimate shot at making money. (122) Yet even while media promote a false hope of informed bettors picking well, sports betting companies restrict the bets of individuals who consistently win. That practice has led some states, like New York, to introduce bills to prevent those companies from picking on winners. To keep a fresh supply of wager income, bettors need to feel like they have a shot at winning. Yet it’s worse than just blocking winners. Sports betting companies actively cultivate reliable losers by giving them VIP rewards. Though VIPs make up approximately 2 percent to 3 percent of sports bettors, they account for 60 percent to 70 percent of revenue. Ironically, the personal hosts and special perks designed to keep VIPs happy and hooked are funded by 10 percent to 25 percent of their losses. It’s just another way for “the house” to win. Counting the Costs The legalization of sports betting is causing predictable problems. The integrity of sports has been threatened as gambling scandals involving the NBA, MLB, and collegiate sports made the news in the last year. But larger social consequences loom as well. The sports gambling industry preys on young people, especially young men. One former FanDuel executive says, When I look at the eighteen-to-twenty-five audience, there is a remarkable financial nihilism. . . . And it translates into them disproportionately betting these 100-to-1 or 1,000-to-1 parlays—disproportionately searching for very high upside outcomes because, in their mind, that’s the only way for them to escape [financial challenges]. (213) This isn’t just a cultural issue; it’s a discipleship problem too. An already anxious generation is being lured into potentially addictive gambling by ubiquitous advertising for convenient smartphone apps. As bankruptcy rates rise because of gambling debts, the church won’t go unscathed. Popular opinion about sports betting is shifting as people reckon with the damage it’s causing to society. Pastors, teachers, and youth leaders need to learn to talk about the dangers and have resources for those struggling with gambling addiction. Funt’s book can help make that case against sports betting. Everybody Loses helps Christians explain why opposition to legalized gambling isn’t legalism; it’s part of loving our neighbors well.

In recent years, interest has resurged in the role of heavenly beings in the Bible, including the “backstory” of God’s adversary (variously known as the Devil, Satan, and the Evil One). Much of what is said and written alludes to a series of key Old Testament texts—but what do those passages actually say? Let’s examine five key texts: Genesis 3, Job 1–2, Isaiah 14, Ezekiel 28, and Zechariah 3. As we do this, it’s important to acknowledge three realities: 1. The Old Testament has no clear “origin story” of the Evil One. Various figures appear unannounced (generally to oppose God), but we aren’t given an explanation of who they are or where they come from. 2. In trying to piece together an understanding of the Evil One, we’re dealing with a small number of difficult texts. There isn’t always agreement on the identity of the various figures referred to or how they relate to Satan in the New Testament. This should encourage humility in our conclusions. 3. Alongside the Old Testament, we do have other ancient documents and Jewish Second Temple literature that touch on these issues. But we should use them with great care. Their view of the world isn’t always the same as that of the inspired Old Testament writers. Of course, the New Testament in particular adds to and sharpens what we know, but even here, no definitive account is given. Genesis 3 Genesis 3 opens with one of the most famous exchanges in all literature: “Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God actually say, “You shall not eat of any tree in the garden”?’’’ (v. 1). Several points jump straight out of the text. First, God created “the serpent,” along with everything else. Second, “the serpent” talks, and this doesn’t appear to be remarkable. Given that no other animal talks in the Bible (with the notable exception of Balaam’s donkey in Numbers 22), it’s reasonable to assume the first readers of Genesis understood this “serpent” to be something other than a normal animal. In addition, God charges the man to “keep” or “guard” the garden (2:15), suggesting that even before the fall, there is some source of threat external to Eden. But how that threat was born or precisely what it constituted, the text doesn’t say. The existence of real and “personal” opposition to God seems confirmed by the way in which God curses the Serpent in 3:14–15. God’s consigning the serpent to its “belly” might be understood as a simple explanation of the movement of a snake, but 3:15 lifts the curse to an entirely different level. From the beginning, there’s conflict between God’s creation and the Serpent. In the context of Genesis (and the rest of the Old Testament), this can only mean the Serpent is the instigator and encourager of enmity against God himself and against the creatures he has made. Though some scholars disagree, the text of Genesis and the New Testament firmly steer us in the direction of a being who spearheads opposition against Yahweh as redemptive history unfolds (e.g., John 8:44; 2 Cor. 11:3; Rev. 12:9). Job 1–2 The provenance of the book of Job is much discussed. Equally, the nature and role of the figure introduced as “the Satan/Adversary/Accuser” in 1:6 has provoked significant debate: Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. The LORD said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” (vv. 6–8) Notice two striking features in this little scene. First, there’s clearly already tension or enmity between Satan (literally “the accuser”) and God that’s at odds with God’s relationship with the others in this scene. God’s question in verse 7 isn’t a neutral enquiry but a demand that he account for his “accusatory” activity. God presents Job as an example of someone who can stand up to Satan’s scrutiny and challenge. Satan has company: He’s introduced to us as approaching God along with the “sons of God.” These “sons of God” (including Satan) are answerable to God. So who are they? It seems reasonable to view these as lesser heavenly (but not divine) beings created by God to serve him. Second, the parallel scene at the beginning of chapter 2 fills out the picture of Satan: The LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job. . . . He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.” Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. (vv. 3–7) The book of Job depicts Satan not only as Accuser but also as Destroyer—one who wants to provoke, one intent on introducing enmity between God and his creatures, and one whom God allows a degree of power in service of the Lord’s long-term plans. The book of Job depicts Satan not only as Accuser but also as Destroyer. Job’s early chapters then show there’s significant similarity between the figures of the Serpent and Satan (or “the satan”): both are malevolent outsiders bent on destruction and division. Both appear to be created beings operating under God’s authority. It seems reasonable to connect them. However, we’re still none the wiser as to their backstory. Zechariah 3 Satan makes a cameo appearance in the prophecy of Zechariah: Then [an angel] showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. And the LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, O Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?” (3:1–2) The similarities with Job’s opening chapters are undeniable. This time, though, the term “Satan/Accuser” is used by God as a direct address. It’s perfectly reasonable to treat this title as functioning as a name. Isaiah 14 Isaiah 14 is part of an oracle challenging the King of Babylon’s hubris: How you are fallen from heaven,     O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground,     you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart,     “I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God     I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly     in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;     I will make myself like the Most High.” But you are brought down to Sheol,     to the far reaches of the pit. Those who see you will stare at you     and ponder over you: “Is this the man who made the earth tremble,     who shook kingdoms . . . ?” (vv. 12–16) This Babylonian ruler is being compared to an earlier figure, the “Day Star, son of Dawn,” who similarly attempted to secure world domination but experienced a crashing fall. The ancient Near East has several stories of gods trying to gain supremacy over other gods and failing, and Isaiah may well be drawing on that pool of ideas, which contains echoes of the real, original rebellion of the heavenly being we know as Satan. Although nothing explicit in the text demands we see the Evil One here, Jesus appears to allude to verse 12 in Luke 10:18 when discussing Satan. Ezekiel 28 As in Isaiah 14, the issue addressed in Ezekiel 28 is the arrogance of a king—in this case, the King of Tyre: The word of the LORD came to [Ezekiel]: “Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the LORD God: “Because your heart is proud,     and you have said, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of the gods,     in the heart of the seas,’ yet you are but a man, and no god,     though you make your heart like the heart of a god.’” (vv. 1–2) His particular brand of self-aggrandizement is compared to an earlier example, which is where things become fascinating. According to verse 13, God says to the ruler of Tyre, “You were in Eden, the garden of God”. His behaviour has precedent. But to whom is this dictator being compared: Adam or another heavenly being? The exalted language pushes us toward the latter: Son of man, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the LORD God: “You were the signet of perfection,     full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God;     every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond,     beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle;     and crafted in gold were your settings     and your engravings. On the day that you were created     they were prepared. You were an anointed guardian cherub.     I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God;     in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. You were blameless in your ways     from the day you were created,     till unrighteousness was found in you.” (vv. 12–15) God charged Adam, as the pinnacle of creation, with both guarding the garden and acting as his priestly representative. This could explain the list of precious stones. Yet the king is compared to a “guardian cherub” not once but twice (vv. 14, 16). The dramatic language describing both the initial and final downfall of this figure (vv. 16–19) suggests the comparison is with an exalted heavenly figure who openly rebels against God and who will, one day, be utterly destroyed. Although it’s hard to be certain, Ezekiel 28 is the strongest evidence for a pre-fall rebellion of a heavenly being in a position of significant responsibility. This is the clearest picture we have in the Old Testament of the origin story of the one we know as Satan. What Does This All Mean? We mustn’t be afraid to admit some issues aren’t clearly or definitively addressed in Scripture (and in the Old Testament in particular). When we step into these areas, our conclusions should be couched in suitably humble language. The Devil’s origin is one such area. We don’t have a detailed blow-by-blow account of his backstory in the Old Testament. But that isn’t the same as saying the Old Testament knows nothing of this figure. From the beginning, the text gives a consistent picture of a heavenly being who is created, is limited, operates under the sovereign permission of Yahweh, and yet displays consistent enmity toward God. Ezekiel 28 is the strongest evidence for a pre-fall rebellion of a heavenly being in a position of significant responsibility. This provides a solid foundation for the New Testament’s greater clarity, when Satan emerges from the shadows to mount a full-frontal attack on God’s purposes in Christ. What’s implied across the Old Testament becomes crystal clear in the New Testament as the writers draw on these foundational texts, exposing and explaining how Satan seeks to divert Jesus from his ministry from the beginning (e.g., Matt. 4:1–11). Of course, we know the outcome of these efforts. In particular, we know that Satan is in view when Paul writes, “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in [Christ]” (Col. 2:15). Even though Satan continues to prowl around “like a roaring lion” (1 Pet. 5:8), the damage he can cause has already been severely limited, and his ultimate fate is already sealed (Rev. 20:7–10). Thanks be to God.

“A black belt is just a white belt who never quit” is a popular proverb in martial arts. It takes an average of 13 years to earn a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ). Progressing is mostly about grit: not quitting. Those who endure to the end will be promoted. BJJ found its way to the United States in the 1970s, where it grew steadily in popularity. But in the last 10 years, interest and participation in the sport have doubled. I’ve had several friends invite me to get into BJJ, and I recently took the plunge. As a pastor and a BJJ newbie, I was surprised by the compelling parallels between the invitations and instructions of BJJ and men’s discipleship. The two key components are humility and hierarchy. Humility I’d been somewhat interested in doing jiu-jitsu since I heard Chadd Wright on Joe Rogan’s podcast. Wright, who does theology with the clarity of R. C. Sproul and the courage of a Navy SEAL, was asking Rogan about how he kept his ego in check after becoming “the most powerful man in media.” Here’s part of Rogan’s response: Jiu-jitsu is humiliating. It’s humbling. But there’s a lot of power in that humbling. . . . Jiu-jitsu is a huge factor in my sanity and my ability to stay sane through everything. Dudes are strangling me all the time. I believe humility is essential to true masculinity. And because authentic humility almost always comes through humiliation, Rogan’s response resonated with me. I’m predisposed to haughtiness, so I need to seek out opportunities to be the dumbest and weakest person in the room. A longtime friend at my church who’s a brown belt (which takes an average of nine years to earn) invited me to join him at his BJJ school. In the first week of training, I got choked out so many times (once by a 13-year-old) that it hurt to swallow food. I found the medicine I was looking for. My Instagram algorithm soon nailed me with this Jocko Willink quote: [Many think] the hardest belt to get in jiu-jitsu is the black belt. But that’s actually not true. The hardest belt to get in jiu-jitsu is the white belt. . . . It takes the most amount of courage and humility to put on a white belt and . . . have all your little fantasies of who you thought you were and how tough you thought you were get totally annihilated; that is a big step. It’s the first step, and it’s the hardest step to take in jiu-jitsu. To begin, you must admit what you aren’t; to continue, you must make peace with how slowly you’re progressing. Getting beaten up stinks, but signing up to get beaten up? That’s gutsy. It’s no coincidence that two of the most influential men reaching male audiences (Rogan and Willink) promote BJJ. Men hate suffering but love having suffered. War stories, talking about how hard the workout was, and “back-in-my-day” sentimentality are all rooted in the desire to be someone who overcame something. Men hate suffering but love having suffered. Churches can learn from the rising appeal of BJJ. I know a lot of men resistant to the gospel message because it seems cheap and easy. Saved by sheer grace? “When something seems too good to be true, that’s because it is,” they say. Yet the call of the gospel, in one sense, is neither cheap nor easy. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer says, Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate. Do you want to annihilate all your fantasies about who you are? Come to Jesus. Do you want to overcome yourself, walk the path of self-conquest, and discover the type of humility that comes from God himself? Repent and believe. Grace is a gift, yes, but you have to lose your life to find it. That first step is the hardest. Hierarchy Hierarchy gets a bad rap. Yes, it can become oppressive. But it can also be about honor. BJJ has five main belts: white, blue, purple, brown, and black. The progress map is clearly delineated. There are core competencies and rules about the time spent at each belt before you’re promoted. At least at my school, you line up at the start of class. The professors (black belts) line up on one side. Then you line up by rank from brown and down to white opposite your superiors. In my first few months, I had to line up behind small children. Knowing where you stand isn’t an abstract concept in BJJ. “Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands,” Paul warns (1 Tim. 5:22). Why? Elevating people into leadership who haven’t been tested over time is dangerous. Countless flameouts and ministry casualties have resulted from too-hasty promotion of untested men. There’s wisdom in observing potential leaders slowly mature, demonstrate grit, and exhibit the biblical qualifications of leadership over time. Elevating people into leadership who haven’t been tested over time is dangerous. I did CrossFit for 12 years, and I was pretty good. How much did that matter when I started BJJ? Not at all. Likewise, when men walk into the church, their career accolades, social media platforms, or relational successes shouldn’t count for much. When you first come to faith in Christ, you’re a white belt, and your default posture should be submission and giving honor. Everyone starts at zero. “Gray hair is a crown of glory” (Prov. 16:31) because of the lifetime of experiences that shape and mature us spiritually. Younger men and new converts are to seek out insight (4:7) through mentorship and, without shame, embrace that they’re at the back of the line. Churches have what men most need: elders. Don’t Quit The Christian life requires endurance. Endurance presupposes suffering. We don’t just start the race but finish it (2 Tim. 4:7), remaining faithful through many dangers, toils, and snares. Increasing your pain tolerance is a vital component of a resilient Christian life; it’s “the one who endures to the end [who] will be saved” (Matt. 24:13). Seventy-five percent of people who start BJJ quit before they get a blue belt. Ninety-five percent never make it to black belt. A black belt is just a white belt who never quit. Likewise, a wise, holy, Christian man is just a new convert who never quit.

Part 2 of this session from TGC25 is a panel discussion moderated by Brett McCracken on practical responses to the challenges facing the church that were raised in Part 1. Brad Edwards, Gavin Ortlund, and Jared C. Wilson speak candidly about their experiences in church leadership, the crucial need for personal devotion to Christ, and what personal devotional practices look like in their lives. Resources Mentioned The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes Lest We Drift by Jared C. Wilson What It Means to Be Protestant by Gavin Ortlund The Reason for Church by Brad Edwards SIGN UP for one of our newsletters to stay informed about TGC’s latest resources. Help The Gospel Coalition renew and unify the contemporary church in the ancient gospel: Give today. Don’t miss an episode of The Gospel Coalition Podcast: Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube

Prayer is hard for me. You may not have expected that to be the opening line of an article on prayer. When we seek out resources on a topic, we typically want an expert opinion, tried-and-true tips, or something aspirational. I’m not an expert, but of all the spiritual disciplines, prayer is the one I’ve seen God grow the most in my life in recent years. I’ve grown from someone who shrugged off my lack of fervor in prayer as “not my gift” to someone who looks forward to getting up early to pray—and praying all throughout the day. One of the most important things I’ve learned about growing in prayer is that the best place to start isn’t finding a new note-card system or journal—it’s admitting our struggle to God and asking him to help us pray. Know Your Need During Jesus’s earthly ministry, people talked with him and came to him for healing and salvation. In a way, these men and women in the New Testament modeled prayer, how to talk to God. Consider the father who brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus in Mark 9. This man came brokenhearted over his son. He was exhausted from saving his son from the demon’s repeated attempts to harm him. You can imagine the pain in this father’s voice: “If you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately, the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (vv. 22–24) This father uttered only five words, but they’re an example of the proper heart posture of prayer. He didn’t know exactly what to say, but he knew his need could be met only by Jesus. Only the desperate come to God for healing, salvation, and daily bread. You don’t have to come with eloquent words, and you don’t have to come with perfect faith. But you must know your need, or you’ll never come. Making prayer a priority—a discipline—offers us a way to be daily reminded of our true condition. If you struggle to pray, take time to remember your need for God. Consider your dependence on God for every breath. Consider your sinfulness and the even greater grace of Christ. Come to Jesus like this father, and ask him to help your unbelief: Lord, I believe prayer is important. I know I need you. Help my unbelief. Help me pray. Seek God’s Help Praying for God’s help to pray may sound odd, but it’s a prayer we can offer with confidence. God doesn’t give any command that he doesn’t also give the necessary grace to live out. He’ll help us pray. He already has in his Word. If you struggle to pray, take time to remember your need for God. We find examples of prayer all over the Bible, and we can find help for how to pray in any of Scripture’s recorded prayers. But a good place to start is the prayer Jesus taught his disciples in Matthew 6:9–13, commonly called the Lord’s Prayer. There’s not one “right” way to pray, but in the Lord’s Prayer, we find scaffolding for our prayers. When we pray, we come with many needs. The Lord’s Prayer teaches us to make God the focus of our prayers and let all our requests flow from his work and character. We can boldly approach him as our Father as we also reverence his name. Praying for the furthering of his kingdom and the supremacy of his will before addressing our needs helps put our requests in the right perspective. Asking for daily bread and for forgiveness reminds us that God cares about and ultimately provides for both our physical and our spiritual needs. And we’re reminded that we must extend forgiveness to others. Finally, praying for deliverance from evil reminds us that we must turn to the Lord and rely on him for resisting temptation. God will help us pray. He already has in his Word. God understands our weakness and our struggle with prayer. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus gave the Lord’s Prayer after the disciples said, “Teach us to pray” (11:1). They admitted that prayer is hard—or that at a minimum they didn’t know what to say. Jesus didn’t rebuke them. Instead, he gave them words for their prayers. And he gave those words to help us too. Rest in the Spirit’s Work Jesus does more than give us words we can pray. He’s also praying for us (Rom. 8:34), and his Spirit is working within us. Paul writes in Romans 8:26 that the Spirit “helps us in our weakness” because we don’t always know what to pray. When we’re at a loss, the Spirit is praying for us. When our words fail us, the Spirit never does. There isn’t a prayer spoken (or left unspoken) that the Spirit doesn’t guide and make complete by his power. God expects us to talk to him because we’re in a relationship with him. He wants us to bring our requests, offer praise, and confess our sins, but he doesn’t leave us to figure it all out on our own. If we want to grow in prayer, we can make the disciples’ request our prayer: “Lord, teach us to pray.”

The smartphone has reshaped nearly every dimension of life, and preaching is no exception. Pastors once served as the primary theological voice for their congregations, guiding people through Scripture with few immediate challenges to interpretation or historical claims. Today, nearly every listener carries in their pocket a device that can summon commentaries, articles, linguistic tools, and theological debates within seconds. This accessibility brings benefits, but it also creates new complexities—particularly when congregants “fact-check” the pastor during the sermon. A glowing screen in the pew may no longer signal simple distraction. It may indicate engaged study, or a skeptical congregant’s wish to directly verify something you just said from the pulpit. For pastors who faithfully labor over their sermons, such moments can feel like a quiet questioning of their credibility. This challenge isn’t merely technological; it’s personal and pastoral. How can we shepherd our people to receive the preached Word with humility amid a culture where instant verification has become instinctive? The answer isn’t to resist technology totally or to rebuke the curious. Instead, we must disciple our congregations to listen well, evaluate wisely, and understand preaching as a part of their spiritual formation. Understand the Impulse to Fact-Check Before you begin shepherding sermon fact-checkers publicly (or privately), consider what motivates fact-checking during preaching. Though it may not feel like it when you’re in the pulpit, not every instance of real-time fact-checking is motivated by skepticism. How can we shepherd our people to receive the preached Word with humility amid a culture where instant verification has become instinctive? Some congregants use their phones like Bereans, to engage more deeply. They look up historical references or locations, explore cross-references, or confirm definitions. Their intentions aren’t confrontational but inquisitive. Others may carry a more guarded posture shaped either by negative experiences with church leadership or by the online world’s culture of constant debate. For these fact-checkers, the smartphone has become a tool for verification rather than understanding. Still others reach for their phones simply because our technological age has trained them to respond in this way instantly to any confusion. Rather than listening patiently to the entire sermon, they seek immediate clarity on any issue they have questions about. Understanding these motivations prevents us from assuming hostility where there may be none. Our goal as preachers shouldn’t be to suppress questions but to shepherd the disposition from which those questions emerge. Help Your Congregation Understand the Pulpit’s Purpose What’s the most meaningful way a pastor can respond to phone use during his sermons? He can regularly teach his congregation about the nature of preaching. In a digital age, sermons can be mistaken for lectures or informational talks. If preaching is viewed merely as data transmission, the listener is naturally a reviewer, and one’s phone is seen as the impartial authority. But preaching isn’t a presentation to be evaluated in fragments. It’s the exposition and proclamation of God’s Word for the formation of God’s people (Eph. 4:11–13; 2 Tim. 4:1–5). Pastors don’t speak on their personal authority, nor are their sermons prompts for a rapid-research contest. No, when the Word is preached, the congregation corporately sits beneath Scripture, listening for its divine correction and instruction (2 Tim. 3:14–17). By reaffirming this understanding of preaching—through teaching, modeling, and consistent emphasis—pastors can help their congregations approach the sermon as participants in a sacred act rather than as auditors rating the accuracy of what they hear. Shepherd Your Congregation in Active Listening When teaching on preaching, pastors can also teach church members how to cultivate focus during worship. They can encourage their congregations to use physical Bibles, take notes, and write down questions for later study. They can explain that when church members instantly look up any questions they have, this can interrupt their understanding of the sermon’s flow and its gradually unfolding theological points. Encourage your congregation to put their phones on silent, or even to turn them off during the worship service. This can be done without defensiveness or heavy-handedness. Provide a positive vision for attentive listening instead of a list of restrictions. The goal of speaking directly about phone use during preaching isn’t to discourage further study but to preserve the sermon’s formative purpose. When we acknowledge both the presence and power of technology, we’re being realistic and demonstrating care. If an individual consistently demonstrates a pattern of real-time phone use during preaching that arises from suspicious fact-checking or disrupts others’ engagement in worship, a gentle pastoral conversation may be necessary. You can approach such individuals with curiosity rather than accusations: “I’ve noticed you often look things up during a sermon, that you’re often looking down at your phone. I’d like to understand how I can help you engage more fully.” Curious questions establish relational trust and give the member space to express his concerns or confusion. Some congregants will reveal their theological insecurity or an insatiable hunger to study; others may admit to habits formed by online culture. Whatever the reason for the unrestrained phone use, a clear conversation allows pastors to gently redirect fact-checkers toward healthier discipleship habits. Patience is essential. Congregants formed by technology won’t shift their habits overnight. But with consistent care, we can help them listen with greater openness. Lead Listeners Toward Receptivity Remember, your broader aim isn’t to limit phone use. The deeper goal is spiritual growth. Pastors must help their congregations embrace a listening posture shaped by reverence, attentiveness, and openness to the Spirit’s work. Congregants formed by technology won’t shift their habits overnight. But with consistent care, they can learn to listen with greater openness. Encourage pre-sermon prayer, reflective engagement during preaching, and intentional review afterward to reorient listeners away from instant evaluation. Then the sermon will be received not as an information product but as a formative encounter with Scripture. Technology may provide quick answers, but it can’t produce spiritual maturity. Preaching, by contrast, invites a slower, more contemplative rhythm—one that digital habits often disrupt. Smartphones will remain part of the worshiping environment. There’s no way around it. Instant access to information will continue to shape how congregants listen. Yet with patient shepherding, thoughtful instruction, and a renewed emphasis on the sacred nature of preaching, pastors can help their people engage with sermons in a way that’s healthier and more spiritually fruitful.

A group of conservative Republicans failed to strip an earmark to a left-wing nonprofit supporting illegal migrants in a government funding package on Friday. Lawmakers voted 58-42 to table an amendment that would strip a $500,000 earmark to New York City-based New Immigrant Community Empowerment (NICE) secured by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in the […]