Welcome to my blog. I spend half my life in coffee shops having honest conversations about how following Jesus works in real life. So, let’s learn together, grab a cup and – join the conversation.
How this site works:
I’ll post every Monday and invite you to weigh in.
Quick Bio
I’m a businessman, elder in one of the more conservative mega churches in Grand Rapids, Michigan and for over 25 years a full time spiritual mentor of men. I love introducing people to Jesus and truth from God’s perspective. I’m also an NPR listener and student of our culture because I want to understand how the world and a younger generation think, so I’m prepared to engage in conversations which are true to the Bible, intellectually honest and gracious.
Following Jesus is the only hope I have of living this life with purpose, energy and expectation. I hope to end my days on earth still meeting young men at Starbucks who have no interest in God, being the patriarch of my family, cheering them on to godliness, making sad people smile and the lonely – laugh, giving the poor hope, pointing wayward men back to their families, teaching the whole counsel of God and keeping myself unstained – God’s reputation and mine intact.
I spend half my life in coffee shops having honest conversations about how following Jesus works in real life. So, let’s learn together, grab a cup and join the conversation.
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In last week’s blog, I described the sin Jesus said could not be pardoned or forgiven in this life or the next. The unpardonable sin is attributing to Satan, a work of the Holy Spirit like the miracle Jesus did. But if what it means to be saved is that all past and future sins are forgiven by God, because of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, is it even possible for Christians to commit an unpardonable sin?
I grew up believing the “unforgivable sin” was denying Christ. I thought there were two kinds of people who could do that – non-Christians who rejected the gospel and people who once said they were Christians, but now deny being one.
Almost everything God ever commanded or Jesus ever taught is counter-intuitive, even to born-again Christians. “Pass through the Red Sea, do not covet, trust my promises to bring you into the Promised Land, love your enemies, forgive 70×7, love others as much as you love yourself, no one comes to the Father but through me, today you will be with me in paradise.” I’ve read the beatitudes and thought to myself, “I cannot imagine doing all the things Jesus commanded consistently, and on occasions, I’ve have just plain given up and given in to some unspiritual impulse.” Obedience is hard!
Why? Why is it so hard to believe and obey God? What does my failure to obey God tell him about me?
A boy is given a horse on his 14th birthday. Everyone in the village says, “Oh how wonderful.” But a Zen master who lives in the village says, “We’ll see.” The boy falls off the horse and breaks his foot. Everyone in the village says, “Oh how awful.” The Zen master says, “We’ll see.” The village is thrown into war and all the young men have to go to war. But, because of the broken foot, the boy stays behind. Everyone says, “Oh, how wonderful.” The Zen master says, “We’ll see.”
I was reminded of that proverb a few weeks back when I met with a Christian man who sold his business four years ago. He had come to me because I sold my business 35 years ago. He wanted to know what challenges he might face with his newfound wealth and time. At the time of the sale he was praising God for his good fortune to cash in, and use that time and money to invest in his family and the kingdom. “I’m so grateful to God for this blessing,” I remember him saying. And remembering this Afghan proverb, I said, “We’ll see.” My comment surprised him so he asked what I meant by that.
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