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
Tag: Gospel
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
The Necessity of Christ's Active Obedience in Salvation
by John Ellis During membership interviews at my previous church, the elders ask the prospective member to briefly share the gospel. It’s not asked as a membership test; if you forget to include Jesus’ Resurrection, you don’t fail and aren’t prevented from joining the church. The question is asked because the gospel is central to … Continue reading The Necessity of Christ's Active Obedience in Salvation
Death's Unnatural Intrusion Into Childhood
(I wrote this in early 2016, and it remains one of my favorite articles that I've written.) by John Ellis Assuming normal physiology, humans don’t begin to taste deeply of physical death until sometime in their twenties. The day to day existence of children is punctuated by life. The brain is awakening – new sounds, … Continue reading Death's Unnatural Intrusion Into Childhood
