Acedia: The Noonday Demon We Forgot
What Is Acedia? I’ve spent much of my Christian life wondering what’s wrong with me—more than I care to admit. Why is it that I not only fail to want the things of God, but sometimes feel a strong urge to resist or even reject them? Some years ago, I learned there’s a name for […]
Desert Island Books
Here’s a fun one! Jared Wilson and Ronni Kurtz discuss what books they’d want with them if they were castaways on a deserted island. Ronni mainly wants to know how many he can bring. Jared wants to not overthink the question. The guys share books and authors and genres that would make their exile from civilization more enjoyable, survivable, and spiritual.
Reverence in Worship
A few years ago, I spoke with a college senior about his recent conversion from Evangelicalism to Catholicism. One of the reasons he gave was the reverence he witnessed during Mass. Many other young adults share his sentiment and have acted similarly.[1] Their departure offers a helpful critique of what is lacking in many churches […]
King Jesus Changes Everything
I grew up as a pastor’s kid. Every week, you would find me at church, and at the age of eight, I confessed my sin, realized my need for forgiveness, and gave my life to Christ. Like many believers, I grew up saying that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I knew He had saved […]
FTC Mailbag
In this latest installment of the FTC Mailbag, Jared Wilson and Ronni Kurtz discuss listener-submitted questions and topics, including: family worship, elder pathways, ministry calling, loving a dying church, and sermon scheduling. As always, you can submit a question or topic for the mailbag at any time by emailing [email protected]
How Should Christians Think About Addictive Substances?
For most Christians in America, the use of marijuana has been a nonstarter, mainly because it was against the law. But in the last few decades, the move to legalize weed has gained steam. Today, marijuana is still considered a Schedule I illegal substance by the federal government, though twenty-four states and the District of […]
Sustaining Strength for the Complexity of Pastoral Ministry
In 2 Timothy, Paul gives Timothy more than 30 imperatives to guide his ministry to the church at Ephesus—highlighting just how comprehensive the work of pastoral ministry truly is. An overview of some of these imperatives demonstrates this: Share in suffering for the gospel (1:8; 2:3; 2:5) Guard the good deposit entrusted to you (1:14) […]
When Church Prayers Go Weird
In this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ronni Kurtz discuss the prayer in the church. Why do some of us find it so difficult? What do we make of awkward or even absent prayer in our gatherings? Why does public church prayer sometimes feel so weird?
Do I Have to Give to My Local Church?
While many Christians give to their local church, many only give directly to specific people and causes in the name of careful stewardship. Their reasoning goes something like this: “If I give to my church, while some of it goes to its various ministries, much of it funds staff salaries, building overhead, fellowship events, and […]
Your Beginning in God’s Purpose
Where did your story begin? Perhaps it was in a home wrought with chaos and conflict or in a family soon to be devastated by divorce. Maybe it begins amid a cycle of job-loss, mounting bills, frequent address changes, or an environment marked by addiction and abuse. The question is: If your childhood was marked […]