by John Ellis I speak from experience. As a pastor, I elevated unity above honesty, courage, and integrity. Because therein lies the path of least resistance. For a brief time, I was a pastor in a reformed-ish Southern Baptist affiliated church. And I’ve observed in other pastors what I’m about to write. What’s more, pastor … Continue reading The Idol of Unity Is Undermining the Evangelical Witness
Tag: Gospel
A Tribute to My Mom
My mom with her her precious grandkids a few weeks before she met Jesus face-to-face. by John Ellis Years before the most recent financial crisis turned “staycation” into a buzzword, my mom was planning our family’s staycations. As a Christian schoolteacher married to an independent, fundamentalist Baptist pastor, she turned resourcefulness into a finely honed … Continue reading A Tribute to My Mom
Amillennialism and the Binding of Satan
by John Ellis After moving to the Orlando area, one of my family’s first priorities was finding a church family with whom to worship and serve our Creator and King in the power of the Holy Spirit. During our search we visited a few local churches that, on paper (their statement of faith), seemed to … Continue reading Amillennialism and the Binding of Satan
Systemic Racism Is Exhausting, But Not for Me
by John Ellis With the very first sentence of her powerful book I’m Still Here: Black Dignity In A World Made For Whiteness Austin Channing Brown confesses, “White people can be exhausting.” No doubt, the responses from many white people to that short sentence only serve to underscore Brown’s admission. I must admit, I’m not … Continue reading Systemic Racism Is Exhausting, But Not for Me
Guest Post: I Have Moses’ Fear, Not His Faith
by Pastor Jack Hush A Twitter user recently posed the question, “If you could only have three books of the Bible, which three would you choose?” Among the many responses, one semi-famous evangelical thought leader replied, “Genesis, Revelation, and Hebrews. I want to know where the Story began, where the Story ends, and whom the … Continue reading Guest Post: I Have Moses’ Fear, Not His Faith
The Purity Culture’s Sins: Holiness Is Not Self-Serving
by John Ellis Without any trace of shame, my friend turned on his barstool, looked me in the eyes, and said, “I regret not having had sex before I got married. I only know what it’s like to have sex with one woman and feel like I’m missing out.” In the aftermath of his confession, … Continue reading The Purity Culture’s Sins: Holiness Is Not Self-Serving
Valentine’s Day Played a Role in My Salvation
by John Ellis As a general rule, my wife and I do not celebrate Valentine’s Day. By no means are we opposed to the holiday. But as newlyweds, attempting to live on my theatre artist’s “salary,” we decided that instead of being locked into certain days – Valentine’s Day, our anniversary, birthdays, etc. – we … Continue reading Valentine’s Day Played a Role in My Salvation
Why Sex Outside of Marriage Is a Sin
by John Ellis Below in italics is my attempted re-creation of a story I haven’t read in at least three decades. No doubt, my blatant plagiarism contains some errors. My apologies to the author, whomever that might be. I’ve also attempted to remain true to the original story’s thematic tone and objective – a tone … Continue reading Why Sex Outside of Marriage Is a Sin
Theatre + Theology = Apologetics
by John Ellis When many Christians think of Apologetics, they think of a formal debate. On one side of the stage, in their mind’s eye, sits a sartorial atheist who, no doubt, is a professor at the local state university. Maybe a philosophy professor. Maybe a sociology professor. Whatever he probably teaches, the whiff of … Continue reading Theatre + Theology = Apologetics
The Gospel’s Relation to Social Justice and Mercy Ministries
by John Ellis I wrote and posted this article on my previous blog a few months ago (October 2019). It’s a topic that continues to concern me. And it’s a topic that exists within a larger cultural framework that prioritizes this earthly kingdom’s concerns over that of the Eternal Kingdom’s concerns. During a long phone … Continue reading The Gospel’s Relation to Social Justice and Mercy Ministries
