The past several years have been anything but stable. The entrance of COVID into our vocabulary, the political swings, financial pressures, and so much more have seemingly redefined life as we know it. Life appears to be marked by a feeling of anxiety, or of a general sense of unsettlement.

Happily ever after, right? Marriage was supposed to be all rainbows, puppies, and roses. The two of you are going to wake up every morning at the same time, with great smelling breath and stare googly-eyed at each other. But marriage will go through seasons. Marriage is a man and woman who are broken in sin covenanting together to work through all the seasons together.

 Far too many myths exist within the church about what it means to grow spiritually and how a church facilitates that growth. The goal of these articles is to identify those myths and give thought to how to possibly overcome those myths within your organization.

Deals are being struck between countries all around the world. The question now is which ones will last.

The last living American hostage, Edan Alexander, has been released by Hamas. Edan Alexander was just 19 years old when he was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and he spent 583 days as a hostage before being freed in what Hamas described as a “goodwill gesture” in advance of U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to the region.

In the first part of this series, we explored the biblical truth that all believers are called to the priesthood of ministry. But knowing that everyone is a minister is only part of the equation. The next crucial step is equipping the saints for the work of ministry.

A new Pope has been selected, and for the first time in history it is an American. Robert Prevost, originally from Chicago, Illinois, is now Pope Leo XIV, after a conclave of cardinals selected him to succeed Pope Francis as the head of the Catholic Church. Pope Leo’s first address was delivered from historic St. Peter’s Basilica.

In church matters, for example, like the matter of church discipline, churches can “discriminate” in how they apply their internal rules to addressing sin, behavioral issues, etc. They can for example determine that certain individuals are not qualified for ministry, or eligible to work with children, or eligible to serve in leadership roles. 

“Brace yourself like a man.” It is a stern directive that sounds as though it is coming from a commanding officer or an overbearing father. In reality, it is the voice of the loving and compassionate God in Job 40:7.

In many churches, the work of ministry is often associated with pastors and professional ministers. The common mindset is that the congregation’s role is to sit, listen, and support the ministry of those called to lead.

Left to its own devices, any organization whether for profit or non-profit, will drift off its center line of mission. There are instances where that drift is ultimately positive because of advancements in the industry, or changes in the market.

At Gideon Law Group, we believe in true diversity—the kind that honors thought, not just appearance. It’s not enough to preach coexistence while engaging in destruction when others choose a different path.

What—or who—is your first love? It is a question that was jogged in my mind recently as I joined my friend Carmen LaBerge on her daily radio show. Carmen made reference to the late great Keith Green’s song, Oh Lord, You’re Beautiful, which is now nearly 50 years old (I personally find that almost impossible to believe). There is a lyric in the song that says, “Oh Lord, please light the fire that once burned bright and clear.”

We have become a compartmentalized people. We have lost in many the classical educational truth of the interconnectedness of things. We separate the parts of our lives into different areas. Perhaps it is rooted in the Greco-Roman Hellenistic grounding of our society, or the lightning rod belief of separating church and state.

Far too many myths exist within the church about what it means to grow spiritually and how a church facilitates that growth. The goal of these articles is to identify those myths and give thought to how to possibly overcome those myths within your organization.

Elon Musk is stepping back—though apparently not fully away—from his leadership role at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk said his job at DOGE is “mostly done” and plans to focus most of his time going forward on his private companies. The White House says DOGE will continue to function without Musk’s round-the-clock guidance.

A county circuit judge in Milwaukee, WI was arrested and charged with “concealing an individual to prevent his discovery and arrest.” The judge, Hannah Dugan, after being alerted to the presence of immigration law enforcement officials outside the courtroom, allegedly escorted a criminal defendant out a non-public jury door in an attempt to help the defendant evade arrest.

Your email inbox is out to get you. I mean that quite literally—the intent of much of the correspondence sent to you is to grip you with fear. If you don’t believe me, scroll through the recent subject lines from your trusted news and information sources, and you will undoubtedly find all manner of alarmist and fear-based subject lines like…

The death toll is rising after an intense explosion and subsequent fire at the Shahid Rajaei port in Iran. At least 70 people are reported dead and more than 1,200 injured as a result of the blast, which is believed to have been caused by improper handling of fuel used for Iran’s ballistic missile program. While the Iranian government is notoriously close-lipped about its weapons programs, the consensus among world authorities is that the fuel was sourced from China and being used to restock Iran’s missile supply after it launched attacks on Israel in support of Hamas.

There is a curious phenomenon in Washington politics that reappears with clockwork precision—always when Republicans suggest tax cuts. Suddenly, we hear the familiar chorus: “But how will we pay for it?” The talking heads emerge, budget charts in hand, warning of deficits, doom, and destitution.

If you’ve been in church long enough, you’ve probably seen it happen—a pastor burns out, quits ministry, or worse, has a moral failure that shakes the entire congregation. It’s heartbreaking every time.

Pastors aren’t just spiritual leaders—they’re people. And like anyone else, they face stress, anxiety, discouragement, and even depression. But unlike most people, they often carry these burdens alone.

For decades, our society has accepted the premise that discrimination is wrong. However, we need to qualify this.

Two people are dead and six injured after a shooting on the campus of Florida State University. The gunman is believed to be a 20-year-old student. Law enforcement officers shot and detained the suspect just a few minutes into the shooting, likely saving lives. While the gunman is hospitalized, his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

On June 19, 2011, my brother Isaac and I scrambled around a small pond in order to secure a view across it for the moment a 22-year-old kid named Rory McIlroy sealed his first win in a major golf tournament.

As the sun rose over the Lincoln Memorial on Easter Sunday, several thousand of us gathered to celebrate the central figure of all history—Jesus of Nazareth. It was our family’s first time to attend this particular sunrise service. But of course, we rose early and gathered to celebrate not because Jesus, like each of us, lived and then died. We gathered because Jesus, unlike each of us, rose to life again and forever defeated the undefeated grave!

A legal dispute over deportations of alleged gang members continues to brew, as the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the Trump administration to temporarily pause the deportations while a challenge to the President’s authority to remove the detainees without full due process continues.

Pope Francis, leader of the Catholic Church, has died at the age of 88. Francis’s death comes after more than 12 years at the helm of the church, and a few weeks after being diagnosed with double pneumonia. He made a public appearance on Easter Sunday and also met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, and died Monday morning. There will be several days of mourning, after which a new pope will be selected.