Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
In the advent story there are probably no more mysterious characters than the wise men. We don’t know exactly who they were or where they came from. About the only thing we do know is what they came to do—they came to worship a child as King. As enigmatic as these characters are, they have a lot to tell us about faith and spiritual endurance.
They displayed faith in that they had the evidence of the star to guide them, but no teachings or special signs from Jesus himself, yet they worshiped him. Their endurance was great in that they traveled a long way taking a long time and overcoming many hardships to reach the child. It was not easy to travel across the desert and national borders in their day. Yet none of that turned them away. I have far more evidence for faith than the wise men—what am I willing to endure to worship my King?
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Advent: Herod Reacts
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
As we approach another Christmas, one very helpful way of interacting with the biblical story is to watch the different reactions to the birth of Jesus. The local ruler, Herod, is a fascinating person for several reasons, not the least of which is how he reacts to Jesus. When he hears the wise men are looking for the Messiah, he sends them to Bethlehem and concocts a scheme to find the child himself. And when that fails he orders all the babies in the region to be killed.
Herod knows what it means for the Messiah to be born—in fact, he knows it better than many Christians do. When Jesus was born, it meant the Lord himself had entered our time and space. And if Jesus is Lord, Herod no longer can be. Knowing Jesus means we encounter our Savior and a friend who sticks closer than a brother, but it also means we encounter our Lord.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org
As we approach another Christmas, one very helpful way of interacting with the biblical story is to watch the different reactions to the birth of Jesus. The local ruler, Herod, is a fascinating person for several reasons, not the least of which is how he reacts to Jesus. When he hears the wise men are looking for the Messiah, he sends them to Bethlehem and concocts a scheme to find the child himself. And when that fails he orders all the babies in the region to be killed.
Herod knows what it means for the Messiah to be born—in fact, he knows it better than many Christians do. When Jesus was born, it meant the Lord himself had entered our time and space. And if Jesus is Lord, Herod no longer can be. Knowing Jesus means we encounter our Savior and a friend who sticks closer than a brother, but it also means we encounter our Lord.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org
Advent: Priests and Scribes React
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
As we enter another advent season and make our way to Christmas, it is good for us to remind ourselves of the characters surrounding the birth of Jesus. One particular reaction to the birth of Jesus typically goes unnoticed in large part because it comes and goes so quickly. When Herod hears of the birth of Jesus, he consults the chief priests and scribes of his day. What is fascinating to me is that they know exactly where to send the wise men to find the Messiah.
Then what do they do? Well, they do nothing. Their response to the birth of the Messiah might be classified as distracted apathy. They know what is happening but do not take the time out of their busy religious schedules to make their way to Bethlehem to worship their king. Often I find myself in the same position. Am I too busy or distracted to stop and worship my king?
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org
As we enter another advent season and make our way to Christmas, it is good for us to remind ourselves of the characters surrounding the birth of Jesus. One particular reaction to the birth of Jesus typically goes unnoticed in large part because it comes and goes so quickly. When Herod hears of the birth of Jesus, he consults the chief priests and scribes of his day. What is fascinating to me is that they know exactly where to send the wise men to find the Messiah.
Then what do they do? Well, they do nothing. Their response to the birth of the Messiah might be classified as distracted apathy. They know what is happening but do not take the time out of their busy religious schedules to make their way to Bethlehem to worship their king. Often I find myself in the same position. Am I too busy or distracted to stop and worship my king?
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org
Is The Bible Intolerant? 3
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
I think we have all heard people attack the Christian faith by saying we can’t trust the Bible because it has been changed so often over the centuries. This slogan finds a great deal of popular support in books and movies like “The Da Vinci Code.” The only problem with it is that there is no evidence for these alleged changes.
In her very readable book, “Is the Bible Intolerant?” Amy Orr-Ewing details the history of the Bible and what archeology knows about the ancient manuscripts. As it turns out, we have a large number of ancient texts of the Bible, and this means we can scrutinize the historical development of Scripture. There are changes through time, but they are almost all spelling and grammar changes. The truth about the Bible is that there is literally no evidence of any real change over time. The Bible you buy and read today is the same book that was read by Paul and Peter.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org
I think we have all heard people attack the Christian faith by saying we can’t trust the Bible because it has been changed so often over the centuries. This slogan finds a great deal of popular support in books and movies like “The Da Vinci Code.” The only problem with it is that there is no evidence for these alleged changes.
In her very readable book, “Is the Bible Intolerant?” Amy Orr-Ewing details the history of the Bible and what archeology knows about the ancient manuscripts. As it turns out, we have a large number of ancient texts of the Bible, and this means we can scrutinize the historical development of Scripture. There are changes through time, but they are almost all spelling and grammar changes. The truth about the Bible is that there is literally no evidence of any real change over time. The Bible you buy and read today is the same book that was read by Paul and Peter.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org
Is The Bible Intolerant? 2
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
Oftentimes people will argue against the truth of Christianity or Scripture by using well-worn slogans. These slogans are designed to dismiss an argument even before something important is said and give the skeptic a way out of believing. One such slogan is that more people have been killed as a result of religious wars than anything else. And of course, this means that religion is evil.
As one philosopher noted, people who say this need a history lesson. It is true, and very sad, that many people have died because of religious wars, but more people have died in the twentieth century alone because of Nazism and atheistic communism than in the previous nineteen centuries combined. It is simply false that Christianity has killed more people throughout history than any other ideology. In her great little book, “Is the Bible Intolerant?” Amy Orr-Ewing debunks this and many other slogans used by people as an excuse to not believe.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org
Oftentimes people will argue against the truth of Christianity or Scripture by using well-worn slogans. These slogans are designed to dismiss an argument even before something important is said and give the skeptic a way out of believing. One such slogan is that more people have been killed as a result of religious wars than anything else. And of course, this means that religion is evil.
As one philosopher noted, people who say this need a history lesson. It is true, and very sad, that many people have died because of religious wars, but more people have died in the twentieth century alone because of Nazism and atheistic communism than in the previous nineteen centuries combined. It is simply false that Christianity has killed more people throughout history than any other ideology. In her great little book, “Is the Bible Intolerant?” Amy Orr-Ewing debunks this and many other slogans used by people as an excuse to not believe.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org
Is The Bible Intolerant? 1
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
Have you ever heard a skeptic dismiss Christianity or the Bible with a slogan like, “the Bible has been changed thousands of times over the years,” or, “more people have been killed in wars over religion than anything else”? If you have, then join the club. I have actually encountered these kinds of slogans in just the last few weeks from people who are desperate to dismiss the truth claims of Christianity.
So what is a good way to counter these kinds of slogans? A new book titled, “Is The Bible Intolerant?” is a wonderful and very readable new tool for the Christian and for the skeptic. In 130 easy to understand pages, the author, Amy Orr-Ewing, tackles these and many other popular slogans head-on. The reader will learn how the books of the Bible were compiled, how reliable they are, and much more. If you want to increase your ability to answer the skeptic, this is a great place to begin.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org.
Have you ever heard a skeptic dismiss Christianity or the Bible with a slogan like, “the Bible has been changed thousands of times over the years,” or, “more people have been killed in wars over religion than anything else”? If you have, then join the club. I have actually encountered these kinds of slogans in just the last few weeks from people who are desperate to dismiss the truth claims of Christianity.
So what is a good way to counter these kinds of slogans? A new book titled, “Is The Bible Intolerant?” is a wonderful and very readable new tool for the Christian and for the skeptic. In 130 easy to understand pages, the author, Amy Orr-Ewing, tackles these and many other popular slogans head-on. The reader will learn how the books of the Bible were compiled, how reliable they are, and much more. If you want to increase your ability to answer the skeptic, this is a great place to begin.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Catholic Bishops and Sexuality
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
In a recent conference, our nation’s Roman Catholic Bishops addressed concerns about receiving communion and sexuality. The immediate concern for them was that many believers think they can live sexually immoral lives and still believe they are in harmony with their church and their faith. The conclusion the Bishop’s drew is the biblical conclusion—a marriage between one man and one woman is the only appropriate place for sexual expression.
Their ultimate concern is that their people learn to live lives of holiness. One Bishop noted, “All of us are damaged by original sin, and all of us have desires disordered in various ways.” He is absolutely right. We are all tainted and twisted by original sin, but God calls us to lead holy lives and he provides the presence of his Spirit to help us. We should all follow the call of the Bishops and lead lives of holiness.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
In a recent conference, our nation’s Roman Catholic Bishops addressed concerns about receiving communion and sexuality. The immediate concern for them was that many believers think they can live sexually immoral lives and still believe they are in harmony with their church and their faith. The conclusion the Bishop’s drew is the biblical conclusion—a marriage between one man and one woman is the only appropriate place for sexual expression.
Their ultimate concern is that their people learn to live lives of holiness. One Bishop noted, “All of us are damaged by original sin, and all of us have desires disordered in various ways.” He is absolutely right. We are all tainted and twisted by original sin, but God calls us to lead holy lives and he provides the presence of his Spirit to help us. We should all follow the call of the Bishops and lead lives of holiness.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
Missouri and Cloning
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
A ballot measure that recently passed in Missouri allows research to move forward on human embryos. The measure allows for the cloning and destruction of embryos for research, and, in an Orwellian twist of language, was supported by a group called the Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures. A writer at Slate.com notes that if these technologies are allowed to progress, “you’re seriously messing with the foundations of human life. You’re creating artificial human entities. You’re turning eggs and embryos into medical supplies.”
He is absolutely right. These kinds of technologies are not going away, and they are only going to expand in their power and potency. Christians cannot ignore the brave new world we live in. We should be the vanguard of ethical and spiritual reflection and stand up for the value and sanctity of human life in all of its forms. Embryonic research destroys human lives and should be opposed whenever possible.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
A ballot measure that recently passed in Missouri allows research to move forward on human embryos. The measure allows for the cloning and destruction of embryos for research, and, in an Orwellian twist of language, was supported by a group called the Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures. A writer at Slate.com notes that if these technologies are allowed to progress, “you’re seriously messing with the foundations of human life. You’re creating artificial human entities. You’re turning eggs and embryos into medical supplies.”
He is absolutely right. These kinds of technologies are not going away, and they are only going to expand in their power and potency. Christians cannot ignore the brave new world we live in. We should be the vanguard of ethical and spiritual reflection and stand up for the value and sanctity of human life in all of its forms. Embryonic research destroys human lives and should be opposed whenever possible.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Happiness-In a Biblical Sense: Redux
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, Pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
In their wonderful book, The Lost Virtue of Happiness, J.P. Moreland and Klaus Issler want to reengage Christians with a biblical and classical notion of happiness and provide practical ways of attaining it. Early in the book they clarify the difference between what we typically take for happiness from how Scripture views happiness.
It is typical today to see happiness as a sense of pleasurable satisfaction. In that case it is all about us and our own needs. In an ironic reality, the more turned inward we are, the more empty our lives become.
On the other hand, happiness as described in Scripture is more about a life well-lived; a full life of character and virtue, one that displays wisdom, kindness and goodness. Happiness in this sense is a life-long pursuit that fills us with the life and light of Christ, and as we pursue it and Him, our own lives will become filled with meaning and purpose.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
In their wonderful book, The Lost Virtue of Happiness, J.P. Moreland and Klaus Issler want to reengage Christians with a biblical and classical notion of happiness and provide practical ways of attaining it. Early in the book they clarify the difference between what we typically take for happiness from how Scripture views happiness.
It is typical today to see happiness as a sense of pleasurable satisfaction. In that case it is all about us and our own needs. In an ironic reality, the more turned inward we are, the more empty our lives become.
On the other hand, happiness as described in Scripture is more about a life well-lived; a full life of character and virtue, one that displays wisdom, kindness and goodness. Happiness in this sense is a life-long pursuit that fills us with the life and light of Christ, and as we pursue it and Him, our own lives will become filled with meaning and purpose.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
Peterson and Worship: Redux
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, Pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
In his book, Run With The Horses, Eugene Peterson says this about worship and life, “Worship defines life. If worship is corrupt, life will be corrupt.” This statement is based on example after example of the life of God’s people in the Old Testament. Every time they allowed corruption into their temple and their places of worship, their lives degraded and moved further away from God.
What is it I worship? Not just on the weekends when I sing songs and take communion, but what are the principles that guide my life? Those are the things I worship, and those are the things that have a place of reverence in my heart and mind. If I value leisure, my time, my work, my family will be all about my leisure. If I worship self or money they will all be about me or my money. If I worship God, everything fits into its proper place, and everything becomes about Him.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
In his book, Run With The Horses, Eugene Peterson says this about worship and life, “Worship defines life. If worship is corrupt, life will be corrupt.” This statement is based on example after example of the life of God’s people in the Old Testament. Every time they allowed corruption into their temple and their places of worship, their lives degraded and moved further away from God.
What is it I worship? Not just on the weekends when I sing songs and take communion, but what are the principles that guide my life? Those are the things I worship, and those are the things that have a place of reverence in my heart and mind. If I value leisure, my time, my work, my family will be all about my leisure. If I worship self or money they will all be about me or my money. If I worship God, everything fits into its proper place, and everything becomes about Him.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
Christians and Biology
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, Pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
Is Christianity incompatible with modern biology? The columnist John Derbyshire thinks so. In a recent column detailing why he lost his Christian faith, he notes, “Creationists are absolutely correct to hate and fear modern biology. Learning this stuff works against your faith.” In an ironic twist, Derbyshire cites an organization full of Christian biologists and scientists who would disagree.
These Christian biologists work with a basic assumption that has guided the Church for two centuries: all truth is God’s truth. This is the idea that wherever we find truth, we can be sure that it is compatible with the Christian faith. Christians who are biologists can then be assured that the truths in modern biology are a result of God’s creative power. It is sad that Derbyshire has lost his faith, but maybe a little more work on his part might have solved this problem.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
Is Christianity incompatible with modern biology? The columnist John Derbyshire thinks so. In a recent column detailing why he lost his Christian faith, he notes, “Creationists are absolutely correct to hate and fear modern biology. Learning this stuff works against your faith.” In an ironic twist, Derbyshire cites an organization full of Christian biologists and scientists who would disagree.
These Christian biologists work with a basic assumption that has guided the Church for two centuries: all truth is God’s truth. This is the idea that wherever we find truth, we can be sure that it is compatible with the Christian faith. Christians who are biologists can then be assured that the truths in modern biology are a result of God’s creative power. It is sad that Derbyshire has lost his faith, but maybe a little more work on his part might have solved this problem.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
Youth and Doctrine 2
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, Pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
Should teenagers be taught doctrine and theology in church? According to Time magazine, the latest trend among youth pastors is to return to Bible-centered youth groups. In the light of a large number of teens that have left the faith in the last couple of decades, many youth leaders have reacted by educating their teens in the essentials of the faith. One researcher recently quoted in Time said, “The vast majority of teens who call themselves Christians haven't been well educated in religious doctrine and therefore don't really know what they believe.”
Knowing God intimately is the best way to secure a relationship with Him. Many young people have grown up without being taught the fundamental truths about Christ—who He is and why He is unique—and have faded from the faith as a result. It is not hard to give up something that you were never sure of in the first place.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
Should teenagers be taught doctrine and theology in church? According to Time magazine, the latest trend among youth pastors is to return to Bible-centered youth groups. In the light of a large number of teens that have left the faith in the last couple of decades, many youth leaders have reacted by educating their teens in the essentials of the faith. One researcher recently quoted in Time said, “The vast majority of teens who call themselves Christians haven't been well educated in religious doctrine and therefore don't really know what they believe.”
Knowing God intimately is the best way to secure a relationship with Him. Many young people have grown up without being taught the fundamental truths about Christ—who He is and why He is unique—and have faded from the faith as a result. It is not hard to give up something that you were never sure of in the first place.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
Youth and Doctrine 1
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, Pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
Is the best way to attract and keep teenagers for Christ to entertain them into the Kingdom? Time Magazine recently ran an article titled, “In Touch With Jesus.” The article notes that youth pastors are growing weary of sugarcoating the Gospel with MTV-style services. Statistics show that over the past couple of decades over two-thirds of teenagers walked away from church and from practicing Christianity. The alternative? The author writes, “in recent years churches have begun offering their young people a style of religious instruction grounded in Bible study and teachings about the doctrines of their denomination.”
This is a piece of wisdom know for centuries in the Church, and that was only recently laid aside. C.S. Lewis, for instance, noted that the most practical thing a believer could do is learn theology—and he was right. Theology is knowledge of God, and the more we know about Him, the closer we can be to Him.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
Is the best way to attract and keep teenagers for Christ to entertain them into the Kingdom? Time Magazine recently ran an article titled, “In Touch With Jesus.” The article notes that youth pastors are growing weary of sugarcoating the Gospel with MTV-style services. Statistics show that over the past couple of decades over two-thirds of teenagers walked away from church and from practicing Christianity. The alternative? The author writes, “in recent years churches have begun offering their young people a style of religious instruction grounded in Bible study and teachings about the doctrines of their denomination.”
This is a piece of wisdom know for centuries in the Church, and that was only recently laid aside. C.S. Lewis, for instance, noted that the most practical thing a believer could do is learn theology—and he was right. Theology is knowledge of God, and the more we know about Him, the closer we can be to Him.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
Mind and Body 1
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, Pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
Recently, US News and World Report ran a large article on human consciousness called, “Is There Room for the Soul.” The author recognized what is at stake right off the bat when he struggled with the idea that the human mind is nothing but a biological add-on. He notes, “There is, indeed, something troubling, if not downright offensive, about the effort to reduce human consciousness to the operations of a 3-pound chunk of wrinkled brain tissue.”
The general trend in science has been to argue that humans are nothing but physical matter, and that we do not have things like souls or minds. The Christian position, on the other hand, has always been that we are body and soul. Part of what it means to be created in the image of God is that our souls and minds are not identical with our bodies and brains. The author is right; it is troubling if we are nothing more than bags of chemicals.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
Recently, US News and World Report ran a large article on human consciousness called, “Is There Room for the Soul.” The author recognized what is at stake right off the bat when he struggled with the idea that the human mind is nothing but a biological add-on. He notes, “There is, indeed, something troubling, if not downright offensive, about the effort to reduce human consciousness to the operations of a 3-pound chunk of wrinkled brain tissue.”
The general trend in science has been to argue that humans are nothing but physical matter, and that we do not have things like souls or minds. The Christian position, on the other hand, has always been that we are body and soul. Part of what it means to be created in the image of God is that our souls and minds are not identical with our bodies and brains. The author is right; it is troubling if we are nothing more than bags of chemicals.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
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