Counseling, Identity, Relationships
John Beeson
The Healing Horror of the Apocalypse (Copy)

Our counselor sat behind his oak desk, a wide smile peeking out from under his white mustache. “Where do I know him from?” I asked myself. His gentle eyes reassured me. Angel and I slid into the love seat facing him. It was my first counseling session. Angel’s, too. We were here for pre-marital counseling.

My anxiety grew as I placed where I knew him from. I had taken his daughter to winter formal a few years back. My heart rate rose a bit. Any chance of genuine transparency went out the window with that connection.

The Healing Horror of the Apocalypse (Copy)
Christian Living, Evangelism, Identity, Leadership
John Beeson
The Millstone of Leadership

As a young man, I dreamed of being called to lead a revival for God. I was inspired by my pastor, who had led a church that had multiplied from a medium-sized congregation to a congregation of over 6,000. I read stories of heroes of the faith who had led revivals: Jonathan Edwards, Charles Spurgeon, DL Moody, and Billy Graham.

I prayed God would use me to lead. I dreamed of preaching to crowds and seeing many come to faith. I had the opportunity to lead Bible studies on my high school campus and was excited to try to figure out how to lead others in studying the Bible.

The Millstone of Leadership
Recommendations
John Beeson
This Week's Recommendations

  1. 8 experiences people don’t have anymore because of cell phones: Eden Gordon begins her list, “Boredom used to be a defining aspect of daily life. Whether you were waiting in a doctor’s office, standing in a checkout line, or simply spacing out, there was a lot more time spent simply doing nothing before there were phones waiting and ready to fill every spare moment.”

  2. For now, for today: Andrea Sanborn asks, “What was different about Jesus’s prayer? The words were familiar, but on his lips, they lingered. Tasted sweet.”

This Week's Recommendations
Biblical Studies, Death, Fear, Hell
John Beeson
The Healing Horror of the Apocalypse

I really dislike horror movies. I’ve only seen a handful in my life, and I’ve never enjoyed the experience. But the American public gobbles them up. I remember a time when horror movies only came out around Halloween; now it seems there isn’t a time of year when at least one horror movie isn't playing in theaters.

Experts have researched what the draw of horror movies is. They call the experience “recreational fear”: the ability to navigate fear in a safe environment. The audience experiences an adrenaline rush of danger, and then the sweet relief of escape. Horror movies can provide an emotional release for anxiety, stress, or grief.

The Healing Horror of the Apocalypse
Biblical Studies, Church, Wisdom
John Beeson
The Mystery of the White Stone

In the book of Revelation, Jesus addresses seven first-century churches, commending what is faithful, confronting what is sinful, and calling each church to hear what the Spirit says. Each message closes with a promise “to the one who conquers,” that is, to the one who perseveres in faithful allegiance to Christ.

Pergamum, a church struggling with the enticement of the flesh, receives one of the most intriguing promises.  In this stronghold of Satan, they still “hold fast” to Jesus’ name, but they are being lured by the doctrine of cheap grace: trust in Jesus and do as you please!

The Mystery of the White Stone

Stacy MacLaren

This Week's Recommendations

This Week's Recommendations

  1. 8 experiences people don’t have anymore because of cell phones: Eden Gordon begins her list, “Boredom used to be a defining aspect of daily life. Whether you were waiting in a doctor’s office, standing in a checkout line, or simply spacing out, there was a lot more time spent simply doing nothing before there were phones waiting and ready to fill every spare moment.”

  2. For now, for today: Andrea Sanborn asks, “What was different about Jesus’s prayer? The words were familiar, but on his lips, they lingered. Tasted sweet.”

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This Week's Recommendations

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This Week's Recommendations

  1. The grief we learn to carry: Stacy MacLaren says, “Grief research has given us language for something grieving people have known in their bones forever: losing someone you deeply love isn't like sustaining an injury that eventually disappears once you've healed correctly. Grief is, in part, a massive act of learning.”

  2. Some of the strangest Old Testament laws and what they mean: Christine Palmer explains, ““You shall not eat any flesh with the blood in it. You shall not interpret omens or tell fortunes” (Lev. 19:26). To remain in right standing with the Lord, under no circumstances may the cove­nant people eat meat with its blood,

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This Week's Recommendations

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This Week's Recommendations

  1. Why the internet is making men and women hate each other: Samuel James writes, “We’re on the threshold of a vicious cycle. Men and women are declining relationships with each other, which means they are more likely to be suckered in by the algorithmic gender silo. But the more they take in a biased, imbalanced view of the other, the less interested they are in relationship.”

  2. Mutant virtues: Jacob Crouch says, “These mutant virtues parade themselves out in the public square as though they are the real thing. So-called justice, instead of being the righteousness of God on display,

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This Week's Recommendations

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This Week's Recommendations

  1. You called it wisdom. Jesus called it wicked: Christopher Cook says, “I want you to understand that the third servant we’re talking about (from the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25) isn’t some distant villain; he’s a person who received a genuine gift, accurately calculated the cost of full investment, and decided the risk wasn’t worth the exposure…

  2. The holy work of hello: Stacy MacLaren says, “It may not look particularly spiritual, but I believe that some of the holiest work happening on a Sunday morning begins long before anyone opens a Bible app or sings the first note of a worship song….”

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This Week's Recommendations

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This Week's Recommendations

  1. When fear dresses up like help: Loads of parenting wisdom packed into this post from Stacy MacLaren, “He was not only trying to become his own person. He was also trying to do that without hurting me. And at some point, I think he realized that in order to do the next right thing, he was going to hurt me no matter what.”

  2. Stop keeping score: Andrew Noble says, “Envy is at the root of modern comparison games. When someone does a good moral act toward us, such as paying our bill, driving our kids, or folding our laundry, we should receive and enjoy their good gifts.

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This Week's Recommendations

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This Week's Recommendations

  1. Blessing the voyage: launching them without losing them: My friend and colleague Stacy MacLaren with a timely piece, “We don’t raise our children to keep them. We raise them to release them.”

  2. An unremarkable life: Jonny Pollock says, “The modern mantra appears simple. Be remarkable. Whether through career achievements, our social media feeds, or our personal brands (don’t roll your eyes, we all have them!), the pressure is relentless.”

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This Week's Recommendations

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This Week's Recommendations

  1. What comes after expressive individualism? Trevin Wax says, “More and more people are shaping their sense of self through powerful group affiliations rather than as independent individuals. This isn’t a rejection of expressive individualism so much as its evolution…

  2. The surprising importance of shallow Christian friendships: Danny D’Aquisto with a helpful contrarian perspective,

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This Week's Recommendations

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This Week's Recommendations

  1. Returning, not performing: My friend and colleague Stacy MacLaren says, “And here’s the point: the fast is not the goal. The fast is simply space-making. It’s a way of loosening our grip so God can have more room. And if the practice makes you meaner, prouder, sharper, or more self-righteous…that is not the Spirit of Jesus. A Lent that doesn’t move us toward love is not the Lent God is inviting us into.

  2. How to fast: Cassie Achermann concludes, “Start with just one meal. Use that usual mealtime to pray, and let the hunger teach you about your need for God. Do it on your own, or invite a few friends to join you in praying for a mutual need or concern. Call out to God, asking him to use this practice to bring you to prayer. And see how he works.”

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The Return of Apologetics

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The Return of Apologetics

Approximately 30 million people watched and listened to a recent Joe Rogan podcast with New Testament scholar and apologist Wes Huff (Wes Huff on the Joe Rogan Experience: warning: Rogan curses quite a bit). Huff was invited onto Rogan’s podcast after a debate with agnostic Billy Carson went viral (Wes Huff vs. Billy Carson debate).

Over the past few weeks, I’ve spent a fair chunk of time digesting these two appearances (the Rogan show alone is over three hours) and the reactions to them across the internet. I think Huff’s popularity is a cause for great encouragement and also a challenge to us as Christians.

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