Celebrities for … Jesus?
Over the past few years, we’ve witnessed wave after wave of high-profile Christian scandals—from Mark Driscoll to Ravi Zacharias to Carl Lentz and beyond. Then there are the prospering but all-too-commercialized, slick megachurch hipster pastors with expensive designer outfits (see PreachersNSneakers on Instagram). At a certain point one is justified … Read More
Let’s Not React to (Good) Authority
I’ve been writing and podcasting about authority and how it’s been abused, specifically in the Gothard/IBLP context. For some, I imagine my choice to focus on abuses of authority has seemed a bit edgy, an odd choice in an era where church authority is already under a lot of attack. … Read More
Why I Read Fiction (And You Should, Too)
Over the years, I’ve hesitated to tell people that reading fiction is essential to a well-rounded worldview. I don’t like to push my opinions on anyone, because what works for me might not work for them, and vice versa. I also find it hard to articulate exactly why I find … Read More
Worldliness is Worse than You Think
A few years ago, I would cringe when folks started talking about worldliness. It felt lame to get so concerned over expensive weddings, edgy clothes, and sports cars. Why can’t we focus on things that really matter?, I thought. People are dying who haven’t gotten eternal life, and we’re contentedly … Read More
The Problem with the “Umbrella of Authority”
I recently wrote a post that reviewed Jinger Duggar Vuolo’s process of disentangling truth from error in her upbringing in the Bill Gothard / Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) movement. In this post I’d like to address what I think has been the most harmful and abused of Gothard’s … Read More
Jinger Duggar Vuolo and the Process of “Disentangling”
There have been too many stories of “deconstruction” lately. The pattern is simple: a young, conservative Christian zealously promotes the faith, only to hit a crisis of doubt that leads to an end of faith. The most famous example of this is Joshua Harris, the prominent purity culture figure who … Read More
Remembering Tim Keller
Tim Keller’s passing (May 19, 2023) hit me pretty hard. Though I didn’t know him personally, he was one of the people I most respected. I’m fortunate that I did get to hear him preach in person multiple times—both at conferences and at his church, Redeemer Presbyterian in Manhattan. Back … Read More
Anabaptist Exceptionalism and Sexual Abuse
Two weeks ago, Think Truth published Kristen Yoder’s excellent review of the book In the Name of “Mission Work,” by Doeurldy Cadet. If you haven’t read her review already, you can do so here. And if her review hasn’t convinced you to read the book, I don’t know what I … Read More
To Dads & Their Daughters
I don’t know if dedicating blog posts is a proper thing to do—but I’m dedicating this one to my father, Jason Mohler. Some girls are naturally a “Daddy’s girl.” I’m one of them. But every daughter, apart from her propensities, benefits from a lifelong wholesome relationship with her father. The … Read More