There was once a gardener who planted two young trees at the edge of his house. One was a slender tree with silver leaves, beautiful but easily bent. The other was a young oak, smaller then, with a plain, sturdy trunk and roots that seemed determined to take hold wherever they were planted. The gardenerContinue reading “The Two Trees”
Author Archives: rcevans005
Everyone’s an Expert
I have a bee in my bonnet, as the old saying goes. Every now and then I have a conversation, or overhear one, that my brain simply refuses to let go of. I keep replaying it, formulating responses long after the conversation has ended. Something like that happened recently, and now I have to writeContinue reading “Everyone’s an Expert”
The Old Covenant Made Obsolete: What Hebrews 8 Means for How We Read the Bible
There is an important question that often sits in the background of how we read the Bible, even if we have never put it into words. How do the Old Testament and the New Testament fit together, and what happened to the old covenant once Christ came? Some teaching, especially what is often called dispensationalism,Continue reading “The Old Covenant Made Obsolete: What Hebrews 8 Means for How We Read the Bible”
One People of God: From Promise to Fulfillment in Christ
“YouTube millennial here,” or so I suppose I might be labeled. And while I can appreciate the concern behind that kind of comment, I think it actually points us toward something more important than personalities, platforms, or generational differences. The real question is not who is speaking, but whether what is being said faithfully followsContinue reading “One People of God: From Promise to Fulfillment in Christ”
When They Answer Back: The Joy of Training Children in Truth
There is no such thing as a neutral childhood. Every home is a classroom. Every conversation is shaping belief. Every story, every show, every friendship, every passing comment is doing the work of formation. The only real question is who is doing the teaching and what they are being taught to love, trust, and believe.Continue reading “When They Answer Back: The Joy of Training Children in Truth”
Jesus the True Temple and the True Israel
The story of the Bible is, in many ways, the story of where God dwells. From the opening chapters of Genesis to the final vision in Revelation, Scripture traces a long journey in which God draws near to His people, withdraws because of sin, and then comes near again through redemption. Along the way weContinue reading “Jesus the True Temple and the True Israel”
Raising Readers in a World of Stories
I have been rereading one of my favorite fiction series of all time, The Lord of the Rings, with my two boys, and there are moments when the boundary between our routines and Tolkien’s world feels surprisingly thin. We begin a chapter in the middle of an ordinary day, yet within a few pages weContinue reading “Raising Readers in a World of Stories”
Wit Without Warrant: A Biblical Critique of a Baptismal System That Cannot Sustain Its Own Claims
In recent years, a particular strand of Reformed ecclesiology, most visibly embodied in certain confessionally Reformed but sacramentally maximalist church networks, has advanced a distinctive account of baptism and covenant membership that warrants careful scrutiny. The arguments are often delivered with sharp wit, confident assertions, and a dismissive posture toward Baptist theology. On the surface,Continue reading “Wit Without Warrant: A Biblical Critique of a Baptismal System That Cannot Sustain Its Own Claims”
“Not Less, Not Second: A Biblical Response to ‘Biological Privilege’”
As Christmastime approaches, I find myself thinking more deeply about family, belonging, and the stories we tell about what makes someone truly “ours.” Much of this reflection comes from conversations with my boys and from stories they have shared with me, stories shaped by their own experiences of being fostered before they were adopted byContinue reading ““Not Less, Not Second: A Biblical Response to ‘Biological Privilege’””
The Detriments of Constant Entertainment: Why Boredom Is Good for Our Kids
“I’m bored.” Few words spark more parental guilt or frustration. We hear them and rush to fill the silence with screens, activities, toys, or endless stimulation. We assume boredom is a problem to fix, when in reality, it’s one of the best teachers our children will ever have. The Myth of Constant Engagement Modern parentingContinue reading “The Detriments of Constant Entertainment: Why Boredom Is Good for Our Kids”
