What do David, Elijah, Jonah, John the Baptist, and a small college have in common? Barry finishes this series by exploring the idea of “skewed vectors”—people and institutions that point in a different direction than the culture around them—including church culture. From the prophets of Scripture to the mission of higher education, we consider why […]

In part 2 of our series on higher education, Barry asks what happens when the university starts losing some of the historic pillars that once made it a university: freedom of speech, intellectual freedom in the classroom, and independence in the boardroom. Somewhere between culture wars, workforce expectations, and institutional identity crises, he asks whether […]

Barry starts a series and challenges us to think about learning. Higher education often finds itself squeezed between workforce expectations and deeper human formation. As culture increasingly measures college by return on investment alone, what might be lost when the pursuit of truth, knowledge, virtue, and meaningful contribution to society are treated as optional extras […]

Barry explores the nature of altruism and why the gospel presents love for others not as an optional virtue, but as a central obligation and even promise. From the Golden Rule to Kant’s categorical imperative, we consider what it means to apply ethical concern universally and why consistent compassion challenges our instincts toward favoritism and […]

Barry walks us through Psalm 111, an acrostic song that unfolds with remarkable, intentional design, each movement building on the last until the whole picture comes into focus. The structure itself becomes part of the message: nothing is accidental and everything fits into a dance between God and his people that creates an illuminating presence […]

Barry finishes our series looking at the temptations that can lead to compromise of the church. He reviews straw man explanations of failure when compromise comes calling, which fall short and trip us up, explanations (not justifications) that make sense and provide insight into our human desires, and how on (this) earth we can maintain […]

Barry starts a series looking at the temptations that can lead to compromise in the church. Competing values, expectations, and fears sing the siren’s song. Many times our own forgetfulness or our desire to reshape God’s religion can be our biggest challenges. Once we see these temptations for what they are, we must look to […]

Barry covers a psalm that teaches us there is a deliverer coming on our behalf, someone who brings both authority and rescue beyond what we can accomplish (or attempt to control) on our own. For those who do not live in a perfect world, we are invited to rest in the hope that deliverance and […]

Sometimes we Christians think that faith shows best when no doubts are visible; however, Barry argues that doubt’s contrast can make faith shine. He walks us through 4 barriers or objections to the faith and warns us of using circular arguments, making secondary issues essential, erecting fences to help God out with his job description, […]

Barry finishes up the series on Finding and Losing Our Way—how you can walk out into the world and carry your learning home without it redesigning you. This time he focuses on experience (science and empiricism) and the gentle lull through its pragmatism which may impact our foundational truths rather than the other way ‘round. […]