Randy Alcorn's Blog, page 121

Luis Palau and Sons Sharing His Stage 4 Cancer Diagnosis and Continued Trust in Jesus

Luis Palau is an international Christian evangelist and the founder of the Luis Palau Evangelical Association, a wonderful ministry that EPM has supported. He’s husband to Pat and dad to four sons. (The Palau family are also fellow Oregonians!) God has used Luis powerfully over the last several decades to share the good news of great happiness about Jesus across the world.

Joined by his sons Andrew and Kevin, Luis made a video announcing that he’s been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. I listened to it and was struck with the honesty, faith, and warm family feel of this video. Knowing Luis and his sons, I found it very touching.

As Luis shared so honestly, the reality of death can be difficult, even as a Christian. In this video, excerpted from Eternity 101, I talk about how there’s both sorrow and joy in a believer’s death.

Luis’s perspectives remind me of a conversation that Edward Judson, son of missionary Adoniram Judson (1788 –1850), related that he had with his father (which I quote in Eternal Perspectives):

“Lying here on my bed, when I [missionary Adoniram Judson] could not talk, I have had such views of the loving condescension of Christ, and the glories of heaven, as I believe are seldom granted to mortal man. It is not because I shrink from death that I wish to live, neither is it because the ties that bind me here, though some of them are very sweet, bear any comparison with the drawings I at times feel toward heaven; but a few years would not be missed from my eternity of bliss, and I can well afford to spare them, both for your sake and for the sake of the poor Burmans [people he served].

“I am not tired of my work, neither am I tired of the world; yet when Christ calls me home, I shall go with the gladness of a boy bounding away from his school. Perhaps I feel something like the young bride, when she contemplates resigning the pleasant association of her childhood for a yet dearer home—though only a very little like her, for there is no doubt resting on my future.”

“Then death would not take you by surprise,” I [Edward Judson, Adoniram’s son] remarked, “if it should come even before you could get on board ship?”

“O, no,” he said, “death will never take me by surprise—do not be afraid of that—I feel so strong in Christ. He has not led me so tenderly thus far, to forsake me at the very gate of heaven. No, no; I am willing to live a few years longer, if it should be so ordered; and if otherwise, I am willing and glad to die now. I leave myself entirely in the hands of God, to be disposed of according to His will.” [1]

You might also like to check out these past blogs I’ve written related to death:

Why We Don’t Need to Fear the Moment of Our Death

Death: The Last Enemy, and Our Deliverer

Francis Chan on Thinking About Your Death

Why Talking about Mortality with Your Loved Ones Isn’t Morbid, But a Gift

Going to the Party

I’ll close with the verse that Luis finished his video with, one that all of us facing difficult situations can meditate on: “As for God, his way is perfect: The LORD’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him” (2 Samuel 22:31, NIV).

For more on death, eternity, and Heaven, see Randy’s book Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Heaven as well as his comprehensive book Heaven and devotional 50 Days of Heaven.  

[1] Edward Judson, The Life of Adoniram Judson (Philadelphia: American Baptist Publication Society, 1883), 539–540.

The Beauty of Choosing Life After a Difficult Prenatal Diagnosis

A couple attending a Sunday school class I was teaching years ago at my church had discovered that the child she was carrying was anencephalic. Devastated, they requested prayer of the class because “we’re meeting with the doctor tomorrow to discuss our options.”

Knowing the primary option discussed would be abortion, I waited to see if any of the believers present would offer counsel. A number of sincerely sympathetic people approached them. Yet no one warned them not to follow their physician’s counsel if it was to abort. After everyone else had left, I talked with them and they told me they felt hopeless. Based on what the doctor had advised them already, they had decided it would be better to “end it” by an abortion as soon as possible.

I explained the difference between God being allowed to take their child's life, and them choosing to take the child’s life. I asked them gently, if they were told one of their three older children would die within the next year, would they love that child as long as he lived, or would they “end it” by taking his life? They looked at me with horror. “Of course not!”

They decided to let their baby live. What happened next was not easy, but it became a beautiful experience for their family. The child was born, they named her, and each of their children held her. They prayed over her and loved her, and took family pictures together. After a few weeks, she died.

They had a memorial service and brought their photos to church, and told me how healing it was for them to go through this together. There was no way to make things easy, but to have taken their child’s life would have robbed their family of great richness. The other children will always remember their precious sister, and the parents will always cherish their sweet daughter.

How tragically different it nearly was, and would have been, if they had followed others’ advice, including their physician’s. (And how often do Christians, even in pro-life churches, fail to step forward to help people make the right decisions in light of the sanctity of human life?)

For more, see Randy’s books Why ProLife? and ProLife Answers to ProChoice Arguments. 

Photo by Janko Ferlič on Unsplash

Nick Foles and Case Keenum, NFL Brothers Who Love Jesus and Are Starting Quarterbacks in Sunday’s NFC Championship

There are many Christ-followers in the NFL, more than most people are aware. Through the ministry of Pro Athletes Outreach (PAO), in the past few years I’ve been able to speak to and meet hundreds of them, and develop personal relationships with several dozen, so we’ve had lots of interactions between PAO conferences.  

Of the many fine young men I’ve gotten to know, quarterbacks Nick Foles and Case Keenum stand out as two of those most serious in their Christian faith, and most diligent in their personal Bible study. Among other things, both use Logos Bible Study software to help them study God’s Word. (I also use Logos, and there’s no better resource for serious Bible students. I highly recommend it!)

I’ve spent personal time with Nick and Case in a small group, where we talked and prayed together, and exchanged verses with them in texts and emails. I’ve had enough personal, phone, and email dialogue with both of them to say with certainty that they love Jesus and are true students of God’s Word.

These brothers are the real deal, and they are personal friends who played together on the same team, one where life wasn’t easy for either of them. (In the picture, that’s Case Keenum on the left and Nick Foles on the right, when they played together for the Rams.) They are true competitors in the right sense, yet in the end they are brothers in Christ who love and respect each other. Please pray for both of them as they are the starting quarterbacks for this Sunday’s NFC championship game. The winner and his team will go to the Super Bowl…needless to say, the other won’t. But regardless of the outcome of this big game, in the ways that matter in God’s sight, both Case and Nick are winners.

I’ve heard a lot this season from people who say the NFL is full of arrogant, overpaid young men who are anti-American. Why? Because a tiny percentage of the players chose to kneel instead of stand for the national anthem before some of the games. My point is not to address this issue and the racial concerns related to it, but simply to say there are many Christ-followers in the NFL, and they should be evaluated on the basis of their own integrity and behavior, not that of their teammates. People are making sweeping judgments against professional football players that are, in my opinion, unfounded.   

Honestly, I wish both Nick Foles and Case Keenum could go to the Super Bowl and win it! But of course, that’s not how it works.  Fortunately, both of them believe in God’s sovereignty as much as I do. Barring injury, one or the other will be a starting quarterback in the Super Bowl. And the other who isn’t will be every bit as important to God and to his wife and family as if he had won. Winning a Super Bowl is an understandable desire, but for the Christ-follower, hearing his Lord say “Well done” is far more important—just as it should be for the rest of us. (That’s Case with his wife Kimberly in the picture.)

Certainly there are far more important things in the world, including many done by people whose names are unknown to the vast majority of us. But both of these young men are Christ-followers who seek to honor Jesus through the platform He’s given them. Please pray for them and celebrate the fact that five months ago no one was predicting the Eagles versus the Vikings for the NFC championship. And even if they were, they weren’t expecting Nick Foles and Case Keenum to be the starting quarterbacks.  Of course, everyone who was expecting them not to be there was wrong.

(I should add that QB Carson Wentz, who started 13 games for the Eagles before being injured, is also one of the finest and most Christ-centered young men I know in the NFL. See his Audience of One Foundation. The same is true of Eagles special teams captain Chris Maragos, a great brother also out with an injury. Chris never fails to encourage me whenever we connect. Read his great testimony here.)

In case you missed it last Sunday, here’s that “Minnesota miracle,” Keenum’s pass to Stefon Diggs, who scored the winning touchdown with no time left on the clock. It was truly one of the most amazing game endings in NFL history.

Here’s Case Keenum giving honor to Christ, in an interview after the game.

And here’s Nick Foles talking about Scripture and how he almost walked away from football, before God made clear He wanted Nick to keep playing.

Here’s Carson Wentz, just after his season-ending injury, talking to fans and saying he was trusting Jesus and His plan.

Finally, check out this article about Trey Burton, Philadelphia Eagles Tight End, who has a heart to share the love of Christ with the city of Philadelphia. (Don’t miss the link in the article to the podcast interview, too.) Trey is another great brother I met through PAO and chatted with after leading a pre-game Bible study in December with fifteen Eagles players and coaches. 

If you want to read about what God’s been doing in the Eagles locker room, check out this great feature article from Bible Study Magazine. Of course I’m not suggesting that the team with the most Christians will always win! I’m just saying that when people in any vocation honor Jesus, it’s something to celebrate. (My apologies for talking more about the Eagles than the Vikings. No doubt, there are a number of Christians on the Vikings, and many avid Vikings fans who will read this; I just don’t know them like I know the Eagles or I would link to them too!)

You might like to check out more articles from Sports Spectrum, a national publication that has been featuring Christian athletes for 15 years. I love their website! In a time where people are increasingly skeptical of young athletes, I’d encourage you to better understand and appreciate the many who are genuine followers of Jesus. Since your kids and grandkids, especially your boys, are likely to admire and listen to famous athletes, why not introduce them to those who know Jesus, giving them good role models instead of bad ones?

I’ll conclude with a story about Nick Foles (pictured here with his wife Tori and daughter Lily). In December, when we were in Seattle to watch the Eagles play the Seahawks, Nick went out of his way to meet with Nanci and me, our daughter Angela, son-in-law Dan Stump, and our grandsons Jake and Ty. As we sat in a coffee shop, Nick, who had met the boys before, warmly challenged them to say no to temptations and follow Jesus with all their hearts. They will never forget it—nor will we. Anybody who speaks into the lives of my grandsons like that has my lasting gratitude.

In a world where athletes have such influence on young people, let’s celebrate and pray for those who follow Christ and seek to be God-honoring role models. No matter who wins and who loses in Sunday’s NFC championship game, I’m confident Nick Foles and Case Keenum will be among those players and coaches who honor Jesus.

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do [including playing and watching football and other sports], do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

How Pastors Can Model and Teach What God’s Word Says About Financial Stewardship

How we manage God’s money is a central biblical subject of extreme importance. Hence, financial stewardship should be unapologetically addressed by Christian leaders—we who are called upon to declare “the whole counsel of God” to the people He entrusts to our care (Acts 20:27, ESV).

The sheer enormity of the Bible’s teaching on this subject screams for our attention. Why did Jesus say more about how we are to view and handle money and possessions than about any other topic—including both Heaven and Hell, and prayer and faith? Because God wants us to recognize the powerful relationship between our true spiritual condition and our attitude and actions concerning money and possessions.

In churches, stewardship should not be viewed as just one among many competing “special interests,” occasionally offered as an elective. We need much more than teaching on budgeting and financial planning. We need a Bible-based, Christ-centered theology of money and possessions that tackles critical stewardship issues pertaining to all Christians.

Despite the availability of excellent stewardship study materials, only 10 percent of churches have active programs to teach biblical financial and stewardship principles. Only 15 percent of pastors say they’ve been equipped by their denomination or seminary to teach biblical financial principles. (I encourage pastors to avail themselves of the many excellent resources, such as those available from Crown Financial Ministries, as aids to study what God’s Word says about this vital subject.)

In a society preoccupied with money and possessions, Christians will continually be exposed to wrong thinking and living. Certainly, we cannot expect the Christian community to take Scripture seriously in this vital area of stewardship unless pastors clearly teach and apply it.

Addressing Some of the Hindrances

Believers are often more open even about their sexual struggles than about battling materialism. Some churches do talk about getting out of debt. I applaud that. But you can be debt free and still be stingy and greedy. We don’t need to become smarter materialists; we need to repent of materialism and become smart stewards.

When churches address the subjects of stewardship and giving, a fundamental mistake they often make is tying the teaching to a specific project or need. We preach on giving because the offering is down or to kick off a building fund drive. The result is that people view the instruction merely as a fundraising tool, a means to the end of accomplishing our personal or institutional goals. (Indeed, often that’s just what it is.) I recommend scheduling messages on stewardship when there are no special pleas to give.

I was a pastor for 14 years. I understand that most pastors know this subject is important but feel self-conscious addressing it on their own initiative. Some may be hesitant because they aren’t being good stewards themselves so “How can I preach on something I’m not doing?” It’s also true that some in churches who imagine they “love to hear the Word” are offended when taught what the Word actually says, especially when it threatens their comfortable assumptions and lifestyles. Is the solution to avoid a defensive reaction by avoiding the subject of money? No! We are to follow the example of Paul, who told the Ephesian elders that he “did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable” (Acts 20:20). Pastors and teachers must give attention to this subject of financial stewardship to which Scripture devotes so much time.

Passing on the Basics

Back in 1988, while writing the first version of my book Money, Possessions, and Eternity, I was tempted not to use the word stewardship. It seemed an old and dying word that conjured up images of large red thermometers on church platforms, measuring how far the churches were from paying off the mortgage.

Still, I decided that stewardship was just too good a word, both biblically and historically, to abandon. I’m glad I didn’t abandon it, because in recent years the word has gained new traction, even among unbelievers who frequently talk about “stewardship of the earth.” The foundational meaning of Christian stewardship is found in its biblical roots, especially as seen in what Jesus taught in his stewardship parables.

A steward could simply be defined as “someone an owner entrusts with the management of his assets.” God expects us to use all the resources He gives us to best carry out our responsibilities in furthering His Kingdom. This includes caring for our families, our homes and businesses, our planet, and whatever else He entrusts to us.

The parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14–30) shows that we’re each entrusted by God with different financial assets, gifts, and opportunities, and we’ll be held accountable to Him for how we’ve invested them in this life. We’re to prepare for the Master’s return by enhancing the growth of His Kingdom through wisely investing His assets.

A steward’s primary goal is to be “found faithful” by his master. He proves himself faithful by wisely using the master’s resources to accomplish the tasks delegated to him (1 Corinthians 4:2).

Seen from this perspective, stewardship isn’t a narrow subcategory of the Christian life. On the contrary, stewardship is the Christian life. God’s ownership of not only “our” money and possessions but also “our” time and abilities and everything else should be central in our thinking. I believe there’s no more foundational truth for pastors to pass on to their church bodies than the truth that God owns it all, and we are His stewards. If there’s one game-changing paradigm shift, it’s in the realization—not just saying the words—that “my” money and possessions really do belong to God.

Discovering Joyful Giving

Giving is not the entirety of financial stewardship, but it is an essential and revealing part of it. We desperately need prophetic voices in our churches decrying our self-centered affluence and indifference to global needs and calling us to a joyful generosity that exalts Christ, helps the hurting, and fills our souls to overflowing.

In my book The Treasure Principle, I talk about joyful giving. My approach is to focus not on the traditional ways of motivating giving, which usually come at it as a duty. Rather, when Jesus spoke of the man who found the treasure in the field (Matthew 13:44), He emphasized how “in his joy” the man went and sold all that he had to gain the treasure. We're not supposed to feel sorry for him because it cost him everything. Rather, we're supposed to imitate the man. It cost him, yes, but it filled him with joy! The benefits vastly outweighed the costs. That is how we need to approach giving.

I think pastors should emphasize what Jesus did in Matthew 6:19-21 when He gave people the reasons for laying up treasures in heaven, not on earth. When they start reading this passage, many people think, “Jesus is against laying up treasures for ourselves.” Wrong. He commands us to lay up treasures for ourselves. He simply says, “Stop laying them up in the wrong place, and start laying them up in the right place.”

Christ’s primary argument against amassing material wealth on earth isn’t that it’s morally wrong, but simply that it’s stupid. It's a poor investment. Material things just won’t stand the test of time. Even if they escape moths and rust and thieves, they cannot escape the coming fire of God that will consume the material world (2 Peter 3:4). They will be parted from us or we will be parted from them, but the bottom line is, we can't take it with us.

But Jesus adds this incredibly exciting corollary: “No, you can't take it with you, but you can send it on ahead.” That’s the treasure principle. That's what we do when we give.

There are two different ways for pastors to appeal to their people concerning giving: give because it will bring you joy, and give because it will bring you eternal reward. In other words, don’t just do it because it’s right, but because it’s smart, and it will make you happy.

If we store up our treasures on earth, then every day that moves us closer to death moves us further from our treasures. Christ calls us to turn it around—to store up our treasures in Heaven. That way, instead of every day moving away from our treasures, we’re every day moving toward our treasures. Pastors should ask their people: Are you moving toward your treasures or away from them?

Understanding the Power of Example

Pastors should not only teach but also model a biblical pattern of stewardship. Ezra, spiritual leader of his people, “determined to study and obey the Law of the Lord and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people” (Ezra 7:10). Pastors need to be transparent about their own giving journey and what God has taught them along the way. If we fail to teach biblical stewardship and radical generosity in our churches, why should we be surprised that so few Christians appear to be practicing them?

People respond best when they have tangible examples they can follow in their leaders and their peers (Numbers 7:3; 1 Chronicles 29:9; 2 Chronicles 24:10). Fellow Christians ought to disciple each other in financial stewardship. Young believers need to see biblical lifestyle principles embodied. Those who’ve learned about the bondage of debt the hard way need to warn others. Young couples need to hear their elders tell of their joy in giving, and how God has used it in their family. (One step I took as a pastor was to assemble and distribute a booklet of financial testimonies by ten church families.)

To turn the tide of materialism in the Christian community, we desperately need bold models of kingdom-centered living. We should glorify God, not people. But we must see and hear other giving stories or our people will not learn to give. (See Should Giving Always Be Kept Secret?)

We’re to “consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Hebrews10:24). Shouldn’t we be asking, “How can we spur on each other’s giving? How can we help each other excel in giving?”

One way church leaders can inspire giving is by committing the church to give away a higher percentage of its own income. Does 15 percent of the church’s income go to missions? Raise it to 25 percent next year and more the next. Does 5 percent go to helping the poor? Raise it to 15 percent. For the same reason that churches wanting to discourage their people from incurring debt should not incur debt, churches wanting to encourage giving should give. Giving shouldn’t just be something churches talk about, but something they do.

Pastors shouldn’t limit instruction on giving to times when they’re raising funds for building projects. Why not preach on giving for four weeks, and then follow it not with an offering that will benefit the church but with a missions offering that will benefit others? If we want people to stretch themselves in their stewardship of the resources God has entrusted to them, the best way to model this is for the church to stretch itself in its giving.

Imagining a Revival of Strategic Living and Lavish Giving

In the Western Church, affluence has dulled our senses. Although God’s Word calls for our attention, we go right on mindlessly living out of sync with eternity’s musical score.

By God’s grace, pastors can humbly exhort the body of Christ to get serious about learning and living out God’s instructions concerning money and possessions. As they do, Christ’s cause will be furthered and His person exalted. What a joyful and God-honoring call for pastors to answer—both in their personal lifestyle choices and their words.

Paul exhorts the Corinthians to follow the example of the Macedonians: “Excel in this grace of giving” (2 Corinthians 8:1-7). Then he tells the Corinthians that others will be encouraged to follow their example (2 Corinthians 9:12-14).

Individuals, families, and churches can establish beachheads of strategic lifestyle, disciplined spending, and generous, globally-minded giving. By infectious example, and joyful voluntary distribution of God’s wealth, we can claim more territory for Christ than we ever dreamed possible.

For more on money, stewardship, and giving, see Randy’s books The Treasure Principle, Managing God’s Money, and Money, Possessions, and Eternity.

Pastors can also access resources and request free kits on the subject of stewardship (as well as on other topics Randy has written about).

Photo by Koushik C on Unsplash

My Writing Process, Advice for Aspiring Authors, and Answers to Other Questions about Writing

The following are questions about writing I answered a few months ago for an article in Today’s Christian Living magazine.

What motivates you to write?

I believe it’s what God has called me to do. Scripture tells us, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men...It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23-24). Is writing included in the “whatever” I do? Yes. So I do it with all my heart, to the glory of God, as a service to the Lord first and to others second, aware that I must seek to please the Audience of One, my loving Lord. I serve Christ and His people and thank God often for the privilege of being His errand boy, His messenger, His servant. By viewing writing as a ministry first and a vocation only second, I remind myself it’s not about me—it’s about Him.

What are your goals as a writer?

Everything I write is to further an eternal perspective: “We look not at the things which are seen, but the things which are unseen; for the things that are seen are temporary, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). I seek to help readers see the unseen through my writing, both fiction and nonfiction. My prayer is that God would use me as His instrument to represent accurately the truths of His Word and the greatness of His Being.

Where do your ideas come from?

Occasionally a publisher has suggested a specific book idea that I’ve gone with, but usually my books are born out of a passion I feel God has laid on my heart. Often I don’t know where the idea comes from except God developed it within me. I ask Him to direct me toward each project. He has, and I’m grateful to be able to write—everything from detective novels and other-worldly fantasy, to children’s books, to graphic novels, to theological works large and small, on subjects such as money, Heaven, purity, happiness, grace, truth, and suffering.

When and how did you decide to become a writer?

As a student, I really enjoyed writing the term papers lots of people hated, and got encouraging feedback. When I was attending Multnomah Bible College, one of my favorite theology professors, Dr. Joseph Wong, scratched on my term paper: “You should consider being a writer.” I took it to heart, and over 40 years later I’m still grateful.

I wrote my first articles for publication in the late 70s. That’s when I started thinking of myself as a writer. Then in 1983 I started work on my first book, a history of the sexual revolution and its effects on the Christian church. Since then I’ve written over 50 more, the royalties of which are all given away to worthy ministries (nearly $8 million to date). No one is more amazed than I am that there are now over 200 different translations of my books in over 70 languages worldwide.

Did you have any mentors when you started writing?

C. S. Lewis, A. W. Tozer, and Francis Schaeffer were spiritual mentors to me. Tozer didn’t just speak the truth; he spoke it in penetrating ways. He was an editor and a wordsmith. Lewis showed me how the same mind could produce piercing nonfiction and imaginative fiction.

What’s your writing process?

I am a researcher and a perfectionist because I want my books to be just right. I do a ton of initial research; and when I write, I do draft after draft after draft. (I do a lot of my writing at night. I’m usually up until 2 a.m., sometimes 3, when friends and co-workers and readers are asleep, so there are no interruptions.)

I “finish a book” about five or six times. After editing and revising it multiple times on my own, I turn it into a manuscript, usually chapter by chapter, to editors at our ministry. They point out what they don’t understand, and suggest many corrections. I go along with most of them. After all the feedback I finish the chapters another time, and finally finish the whole book a second time and send it to the publisher. And then editing begins on that end. By choice I am highly edited and though I reject some edits and tweak others to my voice, embracing editing makes the book better.

Do you have any unusual writing techniques or strategies?

That’s a tough question to answer because writing is something very private. I have many writer friends, but I don’t sit down with them and watch what they do. We discuss our craft, and certainly people have different writing habits and techniques. I would say I am most distinguished by thorough, nearly exhaustive (and often exhausting) research. I love research, and I immerse myself in it so that as I write nonfiction, and fiction also, I am always drawing from a deep reservoir of prior thought. This makes writing more difficult because I can only use a tiny fraction of what I’ve researched and put into early drafts. But I believe, as a result, what stays in the book is therefore better.

What’s the biggest challenge for you in writing?

For me, the toughest part about being a writer is working on the big books, the ones that take a couple of years. In my research for Heaven I read over 150 books, most of them long out of print. I did this over a three-year period, and of course, the more you research, the more you have to handle, and the more you have to cut. If you do multiple revisions, as I do, it’s easy to lose sight of the end. I had some very discouraging times—with the Heaven book in particular—where I stayed up half the night and asked, “Lord, is this going to make a difference? Is it worth it?”

It’s really something you have to accept by faith, trusting that a measurable result will come, even if the book isn’t read by people for another two years. Perseverance is essential in writing. I sometimes get stretched to the brink. (That’s good, because it takes me to my knees—and apart from Christ we can do nothing.)

What’s your favorite and least favorite part of the writing process?

Writing is both energizing and draining. Sometimes it’s a joy. Sometimes, under deadlines and multiple fourteen-hour work days, it feels like a long battle: you just want to be done. And though a book never feels done, eventually you must turn it in.

Honestly, the hardest part of writing for me is fighting to make the time to actually do it. I have had entire weeks set aside for writing where one thing after another happens to keep me from it. Email is, honestly, the very worst, because it never ends. Even though I have great staff who help me with it, I could easily spend my life doing nothing besides answering email. I must ruthlessly walk away from appointments, emails, texts, and even drop-by visits in order to have time to write.

I think God called me to write and to develop the skill, so I do the hard work with a sense of purpose and calling and joy. And isn’t that what He’s called all of us to do, with the particular skills and opportunities He’s entrusted to us?

How long does it typically take for you to write a book?

It varies widely with the kind of book I’m writing. My comprehensive books, such as Happiness, take a great deal of time to research and write. But in many cases, they have resulted in several spin-off books that take much less to write, not just because those books are smaller, but because I can utilize the research I’ve already done. (For example, in the case of Happiness, I also wrote the shorter book God’s Promise of Happiness and the devotional 60 Days of Happiness.)

Do you ever get writer’s block? If so, how do you work through it?

Actually, I don’t get writer’s block, though certainly sometimes the words flow better than others. I learned long ago that I should never wait for inspiration or a good beginning. I just jump right in. I’ll either cut it out or clean it up later. Years ago I heard someone say, “Never edit at the point of conception.” I think a lot of writer’s block happens when people wait for the right words. I just write. Later, I labor to choose the right words, and there’s no block because I’m already looking at something on the screen.

As you look back over your writing career, is there anything you would change or do differently?

Actually, not much. There were a few projects I didn’t allow myself time to finish, so I had to miss and extend deadlines. I hate doing that. There are times where I’ve felt I’ve painted myself into a corner by over-researching, yet in the end I still feel the research made a better book. There have been a few books where I got behind and became so preoccupied with trying to finish that I feel like I wasn’t being a great husband to Nanci. I would take her out to dinner and watch movies with her, but we both knew the book was hanging over us. I think that’s gotten a lot better over the years. (You should ask her.) That’s something I would change, and I think have changed.

What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Immerse yourself in God’s Word, and study sound doctrine and good theology. (One great book, for reference or to read all the way through, is Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology, or his abridged version, called Bible Doctrine.)

Our worldviews permeate both our fiction and nonfiction, and if all we soak in is popular culture, a few hours a week at church won’t be sufficient to give us depth and durability. We need to read great books by great Christian thinkers, both past and present.

If God’s Word is daily at home in your heart and mind, your writing will take on a perspective, and an air of solidity and permanence it won’t have otherwise. God promises His Word won’t return to Him empty, without accomplishing the purpose for which He sent it (Isaiah 55:11). He does not promise that about our words, but His. If we want our words to have lasting value and impact, they need to be touched and shaped by His words—and that won’t happen without a daily choice to expose our minds to Scripture.

Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash

Meet Orville Rogers, 100-Year-Old Jesus Follower, Generous Giver, and Athlete

One of the great highlights of the illumiNations event I attended last year was talking with Orville Rogers, who serves Jesus with all his heart, and hearing from him as he was interviewed on stage.

On November 28, 2017, Orville turned 100 years old. In WWII he flew the largest military airplane, the B29 bomber. Over his career as a commercial airline pilot he made $1.5 million total wages. But God blessed his savings and investments and allowed him and his wife to give away over $30 million, mostly to missions. Orville also delivered many airplanes to missionaries on the field.

By the way, Orville holds 16 world running/racing records in various brackets. He started running at 90 years old. Here he is at age 99 coming from behind to win a sprint against a young 92 year old in a photo finish. Orville won by .05 seconds. :)

Orville came to Portland last spring to meet with me and it was an incredible blessing to be with him again in Washington, D.C. He was really looking forward to turning 100 as he figures he may set records that will never be broken by anyone!

Orville has a book out now that tells his story: The Running Man: Flying High for the Glory of God.

Working Together, It’s Possible for the Light of God’s Word to Reach Every Language in Our Generation

Several weeks ago, Nanci and I returned from the illumiNations gathering in Washington, DC. Attending and speaking at the event was a wonderful experience. I want to share some things about it, and explain how you too can be a part of impacting eternity by supporting Bible translation.

illumiNations is a collaboration between a number of translation agencies, including American Bible Society, Pioneer Bible Translators, Seed Company, SIL International, Wycliffe Bible Translators, United Bible Societies, Biblica, Deaf Bible Society, The Word for the World, and Lutheran Bible Translators. These groups do about 90% of worldwide translation work, and together, their mission is to translate the Bible into every remaining language—in this generation.

The organizations began working several years ago to create a central digital Bible library, which they launched in 2010. They’ve since compiled over 1,100 portions and versions of Scripture. They named their collaboration illumiNations, as a reference to Isaiah 60:3, which foretells the nations coming to God’s light: “Nations will come to your light, and kings to your shining brightness” (CSB).

YouVersion explains more:

In the past, getting the Bible into another language—accessing sources, translating, proofing, printing, and finally, distributing it—often took decades. But today, the world’s leading Bible translation ministries collaborate as illumiNations, an alliance created to help them easily exchange ideas, share systems, improve practices, and recruit givers. Working together, they have leveraged advancements in technology, communication, and travel to shorten the translation process, in many cases to just a few years.

Another benefit of their collaboration is that illumiNations now believes that they can have at least the New Testament translated for 99.9% of the world’s population by the year 2033.

It’s estimated that 1.5 billion people from 6,000 language groups are still waiting for a full Bible in their heart language. And with 1,723 languages where Bible translation has not yet begun, more than 165 million people do not have a single verse of Scripture. But Bob Creson, president of Wycliffe USA, shares that it’s about more than just checking off languages: “The goal really isn’t just to produce a recording or some written materials. The goal is transformation because the Scriptures do transform lives.”

At illumiNations events, donors are “exposed to the global need for translation and matched with the most appropriate translation agency based on their passions for particular regions or people groups,” Christianity Today explains.

Nanci and I were also part of the groundbreaking 2015 gathering, where $20 million was given to further translation efforts. It was unforgettable, as was this year’s. I loved seeing the unity between the translation groups, which was an encouraging model of the cause being greater than the individual organizations.

This year, $49 million was committed by those attending to translate God’s Word into the final 1,600 languages that remain with no Bible. It was, I presume, the largest fundraiser for Bible translation in history. Check out this video recap from the event, which will give you a taste for how powerful it was.

Nanci and I so enjoyed connecting with many wonderful people who attended. Here’s a picture someone took on an escalator. On the left is Hall of Famer Steve Largent (who needs no introduction to Seattle Seahawks fans) and on the right is Randy Phillips of the music group Phillips, Craig and Dean (who’ve written and performed many familiar songs, including “You Are God Alone,” “Here I Am to Worship,” and “Revelation Song”). Steve and Randy were part of the program too, and we were on a bus together coming back from the National Cathedral.

We also visited the fantastic Museum of the Bible, where illumiNations has a display. I took this picture in a special Bible translation room which shows in yellow, with each blank book named by its eventual language, the remaining languages that still have no Scripture.

This picture shows an African brother holding up a Bible with blank pages, representing the remaining languages until there are no Bibleless people groups left on earth. Impacting eternity by supporting Bible translation is something we can all be a part of through prayer and giving. I encourage you to check out the illumiNations site, where you can sign up for prayer updates and donate towards translation efforts.

“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’” (Romans 10:14–15).

They sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll
    and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
    and with your blood you purchased for God
    persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
    and they will reign on the earth.”  (Revelation 5:9-10)

Lessons from the Book of Job

Through Job's story, God offers paradigm-shifting insights to face suffering. In the first chapter, the drama’s Director tells us what the characters don’t know—what’s really going on. Job knew nothing about God commending Job to Satan and calling him blameless. God let Job face terrible trials with no explanation.

We share this in common with Job—God doesn’t specifically explain why He permits evil and suffering to fall upon us. He wants us to trust Him. In one sense, Job is everyman.

Bruce Waltke gives a helpful summary of Job:

In the prologue we observe Job as an idealist in elementary school (chaps. 1–2); in the dialogue, Job is a sophomore in college on the way to becoming wise (chaps. 3–3 1); finally the I AM speeches address him as a student in graduate school, where he is humbled and accepts that there are suffi­cient reasons to trust I AM without demanding of him rational explanations (37:1–42:6).[1]

God values Job’s faith to the extent that He leaves out what to us seem criti­cal parts of the explanation: God’s wager with Satan, and the fact that God had defended Job as blameless. But the Creator knows what Job needed to know and what he didn’t. He knows the same about us.

My study of Job has taught me many valuable lessons, including these:

Life is not predictable or formulaic.
Most of life’s expectations and suffering’s explanations are simplistic and naive, waiting to be toppled.
When the day of crisis comes, we should pour out our hearts to God, who can handle our grief and even our anger.
We should not turn from God and internalize our anger, allowing it to become bitterness.
We should weigh and measure the words of friends, authors, teachers, and counselors, finding whatever truth they might speak without embracing their errors or getting derailed by their insensitivities.
We should not insist on taking control by demanding a rational explanation for the evils and suffering that befall us.
We should look to God and ask Him to reveal Himself to us; in contemplating His greatness we will come to see Him as the Answer above all answers.
We should trust that God is working behind the scenes and that our suf­fering has hidden purposes that one day, even if not in this life, we will see.
We should cry out to Jesus, the mediator and friend whom Job could only glimpse, but who indwells us by grace.

Finally, check out this powerful rendition of the final chapters of Job, one of my favorite passages of Scripture. Similar to how life sometimes happens, you may or may not like this at first, but keep watching and I think you will.

For more on suffering, see Randy’s book If God Is Good, as well as the devotional 90 Days of God’s Goodness and book The Goodness of God (a specially focused condensation of If God Is Good, which also includes additional material).

[1] Bruce Waltke and Charles Yu, An Old Testament Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2007), 929–30.

Photo by Bryan Minear on Unsplash

The Deadly Life of Ease

Jesus isn’t our gofer who exists to run our errands. Rather, He is our Sovereign who gives us what we need while sometimes denying what we want.

We want deliverance from suffering. We want our loved ones to be protected. We don’t want economic crises, natural disasters, job losses, car accidents, or cancer. Our prayers and often our expectations boil down to this: Jesus should make our lives go smoothly. That’s what we want in a Messiah. But it is not what God wants.

Jesus is not our personal assistant charged with granting our wishes. While He often doesn’t give us what we want, He always gives us what we need.

Ironically, the life of ease we most desire is the very kind of life that would make us the people we least admire. Because, let’s be honest, virtually everyone who has suffered little in life seems shallow, unmotivated, self-absorbed, and lacking in character. And yet we do everything we can to avoid challenges, both to our children and to ourselves.

God’s parenting method doesn’t shield us from adversity and the character it builds. He knows the life of ease is deadly to the development of Christlike character.

Perspectives from God’s Word

“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18, NIV).

“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters” (Romans 8:29, NIV).

Perspectives from God’s People

“Jesus, you are righteousness, not my moral coach; my Lord, not my co-pilot; my life, not my concierge.” —Scotty Ward Smith

“If your hope is anchored in Jesus, the worst case future scenario for you is resurrection and everlasting life.” —Scott Sauls

This article is one day’s meditation in the new edition of Randy's book Seeing the Unseen, a 90-day devotional which equips and inspires readers to live today with a right view of eternity. This edition is expanded from the original to include 30 additional daily readings. Each day’s entry includes Bible verses and inspirational quotes. 

Photo by Ty Carlson on Unsplash

Tim Keller on a Biblical View of Friendship

Some of us are facing difficult times right now. (And any who aren’t will at some point—that’s the nature of life in a world under the Curse.) In hard times, God is absolutely sovereign and loving, but more than ever we need the right kind of friends to visibly live out God’s heart and wisdom for our encouragement, and to help us keep our eyes on our King.

An absolutely true proverb: “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24).

C. S. Lewis said, “The next best thing to being wise oneself is to live in a circle of those who are.”

He also asked, “Is any pleasure on earth as great as a circle of Christian friends by a good fire?”

I appreciated the below sermon from Tim Keller, on a biblical view of friendship. He has some great insights on the kind of friend to be and the kind of friend to look for.

While Nanci is my closest friend, I have a number of good friends, including one who’s been my closest brother now for 45 years, from when we were teenagers, shortly after coming to Christ. Both of us grew up in unbelieving homes. He and I love this message of Keller’s. I think you might, too.

Photo by Joseph Pearson on Unsplash