[Part 2] We left our heroes—Luke, Leia, and Han Solo—with the worshiping, childish, primitive, Freudian Ewoks. Thankfully (a phrase not to be confused with thank God, which implies a personal deity), sophisticated Luke Skywalker knows how to tap into the impersonal force, which just so happens to resemble the teaching. [...]
Publication: Pastoral Letter, July 2016 Dear Friend in Christ: July reminds us that the United States is a nation that was set free from political tyranny by leaders who were willing to give their lives. A total of 56 men signed the Declaration of Independence; later, they were captured, tortured,. [...]
[Part 1] Jesus prayed that God would not take us out of the world, but that He would keep us from “the evil one” (John 17:15). How does that work when there are so many good movies with an embedded message that contradicts Jesus? In every piece of art there. [...]
Here we go again. Sorry, that's a bit of exasperation. I read today about another Christian musician who has given up his faith because he discovered many things he had overlooked. So, here's another round of "I never knew this about Christianity." Shannon Low, frontman of Order of Elijah, a. [...]
Recently I read that the killer of Kitty Genovese died in prison. He was 81 years old. She was 28 years old when he murdered her. Many of us are not old enough to remember the story, but it made national headlines because neighbors who heard her cries. [...]
Ouch! These are painful words. They’re some of the most painful words I’ve heard parents say. It is usually at the end of the story about how their teenage son or daughter walked away from the faith. Sometimes there are tears, sometimes anger when this is expressed to me.. [...]
This year’s testimony of Joseph Bondarenko at the Gatlinburg conference reminded me of Peter and John. As I listened to Bondarenko describe how the KGB paraded him in front of an assembly of his fellow college students and told him to choose between God and a diploma, I thought of. [...]
Publication: Pastoral Letter, June 2016 Dear Friend in Christ: Thank you for praying for our annual CSM Gatlinburg Conference. It was a wonderful time in the Lord focusing on the “Unshakable” reality of Christ’s Kingdom in shaking times. The testimonies we heard were inspiring and instructive. In this letter, I. [...]
According to CNN, at least 69 lives were taken in Lahore, Pakistan this past Easter Sunday after a bomb exploded in a public park. The bomb, intending to kill many Christians, also injured more than 341 men, women and children. This is a tragedy to not only the city of. [...]
Spanning the length of the Tennessee/North Carolina border, the Smoky Mountains are home to some of the most undeniably beautiful sights in the Eastern United States. Nestled in the foothills of the Tennessee Smokies is Gatlinburg, Tennessee. CSM Publishing is fortunate to host an annual leadership conference in Gatlinburg, and. [...]
Publication: Pastoral Letter, April 2016 Dear Friends, Late one cold and icy evening, a woman was driving home with her baby daughter strapped in her car seat. For some reason, the woman missed a bridge and the car tumbled down a slope into the shallow, frigid stream below. The mother. [...]
Publication: Pastoral Letter, March 2016 Dear Friends, I want to address what I believe is the biggest hindrance to a great revival. We see it in chapter 4 of James where the apostle is writing to scattered Jewish believers, and asks a very important question: “Where do wars and fights. [...]