It should come as no surprise to anyone who knows the McFarland family that a lot of talking takes place in our home.  I used to try to simply push all the blame off on my wife and our girls, but the reality is that I “talk” for a living, so I too must take some responsibility.  One of the most common phrases uttered in our house is, “You have 2 ears and only 1 mouth, so talk less and listen more.”  While I am usually the one saying these words, I have had them directed at me numerous times. Recently, I have begun to feel that while that phrase is adequate, it...

OK… so you’re having your kid’s musical practice at your church when a naked man in handcuffs runs through your church’s sanctuary. Just another day in America, I guess. Watch this news story on how this criminal made his naked kids musical debut. QUESTION:  What’s the weirdest thing that’s ever happened in your church?

1. Let God restore your soul daily. Psalm 23.  Matthew 11:28. Worship.  Prayer.  Solitude.  Listening.  Bible reading. Averill quote: I pray for you to know the REST of Jesus in all things.  The enemy will deceitfully persuade you that you have many things to accomplish in order to keep things running.  I am all too aware of this temptation.  Simplicity in Christ leads us to only one thing to do- let Christ do it. 2.  Give your marriage priority attention. A bad marriage ruins the rest of life.  (Remember the Proverbs.) A good marriage fortifies you for the...

Jonathan Dudley writes, Growing up in the evangelical community, I learned the Bible’s stance on homosexuality is clear-cut. God condemns it, I was taught, and those who disagree just haven’t read their Bibles closely enough. Having recently graduated from Yale Divinity School, I can say that my childhood community’s approach to gay rights—though well intentioned—is riddled with self-serving double standards. I don’t doubt that the one New Testament author who wrote on the subject of male-male intercourse thought it a sin. In Romans 1, the only passage in the...

Many adults and teens would like to receive guidance from their churches on media and technology, a Barna Group study revealed. The problem is, most of them aren’t getting any. The study shows that most parents and tweens/teens (children ages 11 to 17) expect churches to address technology, but “most families are not getting any coaching or assistance when it comes to integrating technology into their family life.” “Technology is shaping family interactions in unprecedented ways, but we seem to lack a strategic commitment to the stewardship of technology,” Barna Group...