rebelling against low expectations
Christians tend to have two extremes when thinking about heresy. Some see heresy everywhere. If heresy simply means “whatever contradicts scripture”, we’ll see heresy in any biblical interpretation or doctrinal belief that disagrees with our own. We’ll see heresy in our friends, in our pastors, and—of course—anywhere in social media. (Conveniently enough, we’ll...
We don’t get to choose the world we’re born into. Society doesn’t pause to offer us our choice of the cultural values, global issues, or historical events that will characterize the version of Planet Earth we’ll be a part of. We inherit the world as it is. It’s a lot like a family heirloom. Each generation passes down a world–sometimes dusty, sometimes broken...
It’s a new year, and among other resolutions and goals, you’re probably hoping to read the Bible more. Maybe you’re planning to do an in-depth study, or memorize a verse every week, or join a Bible study at your church. But one question we rarely ask is, “Which Bible translation am I going to use?” Maybe you grew up, like me, using just one translation. Or maybe you’ve hopped around between...
I love the old hymns. There is something about the deep spiritual and theological truths, and the way the lyrics and the harmonies flow, that compel me to stop whatever I’m doing at the moment and just listen. These are the old-school hymns like Amazing Grace, It Is Well with My Soul, and Great Is Thy Faithfulness. I was raised on these songs and have known them by heart since I was a young girl...
It seems as if there is a disconnect in Christianity today. Very frequently, Bible reading is something prescribed as what I do for me–something directed inward. Evangelism is what I do for others–something directed outward. What if there was a beautiful, God-given fusion between the two? What if we have gotten it wrong and, instead of being opposed, they are actually connected...
It’s that time of year again, time for the low-grade heresies. They appear everywhere: in your mailbox, in your inbox, and even underneath that Instagram picture box. They’re unavoidable. If you are a teen, have a friend who has teens, or even are on the internet, you’ve seen them. Now perhaps I’m not quite being fair, perhaps heresy is too strong a word, but nonetheless, these things still don’t...
Editor’s Note: Throughout the years, TheReb has published thousands of articles, each challenging and encouraging Rebelutionaries to do hard things and seek God. But among these posts, some have especially resonated with you, our readers. So over the next few weeks and months, we’re bringing back these classics, reposting our most popular and well-read articles every Thursday. May they encourage...
You are far too content! Yes. You read that right. You are too content. You need to become dis-content. You need to become hungry for more. Until you do so, you will be virtually useless to the kingdom of God. Don’t Be Content With Simple Scales As a child, I took piano lessons. I learned to play scales and simple songs and hated it all. I hated it because none of it sounded good. I heard...
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” (Colossians 1:15) For a season this past year, I had been going through a bit of a dry season in my relationship with God. Though in my head I knew that God never has and never will abandon me, my flawed and corrupted emotions often try to tell me otherwise–that when I sin, God turns His face away; or when I...
Some time ago, I wrote for TheReb about whether fiction is less important for Christians. As Christians we seem to have a problem with thinking fiction—fantasy, realistic fiction, ancient epic—is somehow subpar; that really spiritual Christians don’t bother with it. In fact the opposite is true. Fiction is food for our souls. It broadens the scope of our imagination, lets us see good and evil in...
rebelling against low expectations
