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. […]

In our second of the new series, From the Producer’s Desk, Barry ponders what it means to step out into the world of ideas and disciplines that weren’t formed explicitly from Scripture—and still remain grounded. Depending on how we address that, we either open ourselves up to learning that deepens our understanding… or we quietly […]

In moments where things seem to be falling apart and our faith is challenged, we could learn a thing or two from the believers in Acts 4. Barry examines how their prayer uses beginning, ending, height, depth, birth, and death to demonstrate who is not in charge, and who is. Scripture: Acts 4    

We begin a new series, From the Producer’s Desk, and Barry discusses why religion persists. While the expectation seemed to be that as we became more “enlightened,” religion would slowly disappear, that clearly hasn’t happened. In fact, even when societies or groups reject formal belief, they don’t stop doing the things religion does. Where does […]