Barry speaks about the Israel-Hamas conflict with Dr. Scott Bridger, Dr. Sarah Spring, and Jenna Coombs, who spent time in Israel and Palestine recently as part of Criswell College’s Global Learning and Service Experience. The conversation hinges on how meeting human beings changes our engagement with the affairs affecting them. Article: Hamas-Israel Conflict: Here’s What […]

Barry relieves our discomfort by finishing up the dinner table discussion of religion and politics. However, he invites us to keep the tension going by acknowledging the inherent contrast between multiple values Christians hold: personal liberty, benevolence, and submission to authorities. Believe it or not, holding that tension in humble hands can bring about peace. […]

We have all heard there are three things one should never bring up at the dinner table, and Barry is beginning a series about two of them. How should Christians think through politics and religion, and should e’er the twain meet? Join us after a potentially uncomfortable meal for some Coffee with Creamer. Books: Songs […]

Imprecision may be the bane of our existence, but it is also the reason we have hope. Thank the Lord we have someone who can reach into our imperfect world and lives. So, what then is our job? Our job is to pursue the righteousness (justice) we know only He can achieve. Article: “For 25 […]

Although it may not always be at the forefront of our minds, imprecision surrounds us—mostly because of the “us” in this equation, rather than everything else. The good news is that our certainty is not necessary for truth to prevail, nor should we give up the pursuit of truth because we are finite.     […]

Barry walks us through Psalm 62 and Luke’s account of a harrowing experience Jesus endures once in Nazareth and again and again everywhere else.  However, the truly shocking part is his response to the threat and how it affects us. Scriptures: Psalm 62 Luke 4:16-30 Phil 2:5-9  

Christianity is no less susceptible to Pharisaism than Judaism was. The second of two episodes on incarnation highlights Christ’s teaching that we are not better than others, just better together.       Scriptures: Gal 6:1-3, 14, 20, 6:9-10 Eph 3:17-19, 4:1-4, 11-13 James 5:14-20 Luke 23:24 Acts 7:58-60 John 3:17 Referenced Episode: Meek and […]

Barry lays the groundwork for a conversation about the strengths and weaknesses of representational and incarnational Christianity. One is more familiar than the other, perhaps, but both have something to teach us about what we have been given and what we have to give away.       Scriptures: Matt 28:16-20 Acts 17:29-32, 7:2-60 1 […]

A broken world has a lot of problems. Our goal then, is to find solutions to those problems, right? Wrong. Our goal should be finding our Deliverer before we find our solution. In doing that through prayer we will deal with a problem we sometimes neglect—us.     Scriptures: Psalm 59 Mark 1:35, 3: 1-6, […]

Barry finishes up the conversation about Affirmative Action, covering the topics of quotas, tokens, and barriers to a level playing field. When it comes down to it, as we’ve learned before, our problem is clinging to our shallow arguments, not the difficulty of finding a solution.