Don Veinot's Blog, page 7

They Gave the Meaning…

Years ago, we attended a Willow Creek-type church for a while. We had been hurt by a church split and needed a place to attend while we sorted out what exactly had happened and where to go from there. It was a “seeker-sensitive” church, and following the lead of Willow Creek, it was not biblically […]

You Do Err …

In Matthew 22:23 — 33, we read of a group of Jewish religious leaders, the Sadducees, whose theology informed their understanding of Scripture rather than allowing Scripture to shed real light on their faulty theology. John D. Barry comments, “This Jewish group apparently based its doctrine on the Pentateuch [the first five books of the […]

What is Spiritual A.I.D.S.?

Nehemiah is one of my favorite Old Testament books, and while reading it this week, I came across a familiar favorite passage of mine. Though I am familiar with the passage, I was struck anew with its importance. Nehemiah had overseen the rebuilding of the Jerusalem wall after Israel’s return to her land after exile. […]

Do Humans Have Rights That Can Be Violated?

(Editor’s Note: We first published this in 2010 but the issues are still up to date. The current Supreme Court has reversed Roe v. Wade and placed the issue into the hands of the states. But is the question one of personal choice and bodily autonomy or human rights? Should all humans have human rights, […]

“Women Don’t Care About Doctrine …”

In August 2000, we began receiving phone calls and emails from people looking for information on a popular “Bible-based” weight loss program, Weigh Down Workshop, and its leader, Gwen Shamblin. Shamblin’s Weigh Down Workshop was in over 30,000 churches across 60 denominations, with over a million Christians enrolled. In addition, she had a bestseller published […]

The Dangers of False Bible Attribution

All of us have heard claims about things the “Bible says” that we do not find in the Bible. Some of these claims are just plain false, while others are likewise untrue but have the advantage of being humorous. The character of Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof was constantly spouting things that supposedly “the […]

Isn’t the Biblical Account “Good” Enough?

A favorite pastime for some popular teachers today is to find new and exciting biblical “insights” to share with others. These “new discoveries” can quickly take on a life of their own and grow unchecked and unchallenged. We think if something has been unknown or especially “secret” down through the ages, that would be a […]

Fathers

How does one learn to be a father? There really isn’t a “father training school” per se. Like so many things in life, it mostly happens by observation and imitation. Some people are blessed with great fathers, uncles, or other male role models, while others do not have this advantage.  And for good or for […]

Deconstructing – But From What?

In the late 1990s, I was asked by a professor at a local community college to teach a class on Christianity in their Religion 101 course. I agreed and spent nearly an hour explaining the reliability of the Bible, the claims and some of the evidences regarding Jesus, His life, death, and physical resurrection. Of […]

Fear No Evil

(Editors Note: This was originally printed in the July/August 1995 MCOI Journal and is offered with minor updates.) Fear not! How many times can that phrase be found in the pages of Scripture? Your guess is as good as mine, but it’s somewhere between a lot and a very lot. That is why you and […]