Tag: Christian Life
Autopsy of Divorce
Bill Fowler, YTI Church Relations and Professor of New Testament and Practical Theology
Tags: Christian Life, Jesus
Ducky Do… My wife and I discovered NCIS late in life. Cutting the cable and living on Netflix made us desperate. One of my favorite characters is Ducky, Dr. Mallard, the Englishman who does the autopsies on victims who turn up in the series. Ducky is brilliant. He can look at a corpse and give … MORE
Self-Care
Scott Hamilton, YTI Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling
Tags: Christian Life, Christian Maturity
As a licensed psychologist and minister, I companion with people as they find their way—usually through some adverse circumstance or series of events that has left those persons functioning at less than their very best. One of the things I often do as part of that process is give people permission to care well for … MORE
“Enduring to the End”: Extreme Politics and the Christ-Follower
Jay Smith, YTI President and Bridger Professor of Theology & Ethics
Tags: Christian Life, Christianity, Politics
Politics in the United States have always been complicated. They are complicated because the Constitution places the basic responsibility of government on individual citizens. The governed choose those who would govern. “We the People” are called to use our critical faculties as we cast our vote for those who would represent us in Congress and … MORE
Rethinking the Mission of God
Bill Fowler, YTI Church Relations and Professor of New Testament and Practical Theology
Tags: Christian Life, Ministry, Missions
A Biblical Theology of Missions? My earliest efforts at demonstrating the missional heart of God were aimed at producing a “biblical theology of mission.” I would look for scriptures that expressed God’s concern for “the nations,” prophecies and passages that included the universal aspect of God’s love. By doing so, I hoped to convince and … MORE
Pursuing Purity of Heart Through Chastity
Scott Hamilton, YTI Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling
Tags: Christian Life, Christian Maturity, Christianity, Purity
(This is the second in a series on Monastic Ideals.) Chastity was a monastic practice that moved the false self toward purity of heart. It is a way toward freedom to love self and others with the love of God.
The Value of Monastic Ideals
Scott Hamilton, YTI Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling
Tags: Christian Life, Christian Maturity, Christianity, Community, Grace, Love, Monasticism, Spiritual Life
Love for God is one of the essential beginning places for the Christian ascent to holiness. As I mature, I have realized my ability to love others flows through the relationship I have with God. In some ways, living into Christian holiness is like throwing a fine piece of pottery; it comes from a long … MORE
Three Ps to Help Find Your ONE Thing
Scott Hamilton, YTI Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling
Tags: Christian, Christian Life, Christian Maturity, Priorities, Productivity, Purpose
I recently read a book suggesting that people want less. According to Gary Keller and Jay Papason in The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results, people want less on their plates, they want less responsibility—basically, they want less everything. However, the authors explain that people also want more. Folks want more productivity, … MORE
Cow
Scott Hamilton, YTI Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling
Tags: Christian Life, Christian Maturity, Grace, Kindness
Crisis! There she was, just waddling down the street – the neighbor’s Jersey milk cow. I had started down the road on my morning run when I encountered a cow walking toward me in the middle of the road. Picture Elsie, the Bordon milk representative, but add a tongue rolling out of her mouth and … MORE
Where is God?
Jay Smith, YTI President and Bridger Professor of Theology & Ethics
Tags: Christian Life, Christianity, Church, God's Love, Jesus, Love, Religion
I have the great privilege of speaking to hundreds of young men and women at some of the best colleges and universities across the United States. Many of them are anxious to serve God in some capacity in life after college. On the other hand, many more are wondering “where is God?” Indeed, when given … MORE
3 Surprising Reasons People Don’t Go to Church
Scott Hamilton, YTI Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling
Tags: Christian Life, Christianity, Church, Gospel, Relationships
I recently came across a shared article on Facebook suggesting that local churches needed to increase their guest lists. According to the article, church members needed to invite unchurched people to church. On the surface, such a thought sounds almost nonsensical. Of course, people need to invite people to church. On the other hand, what … MORE