Posts by Kevin Schaal

School is starting around the country again, and the Christian School movement is growing again significantly.  I wanted to take a moment to remind all that literacy education, even from Bible times, has been seen by godly people as an essential aspect of reaching people and truly discipling people for the Kingdom of God.  General…

As a young pastor, I watched my mother walk a path that many dread but most will eventually face — the journey of caring for aging parents. First, it was my grandfather, whose health declined rapidly and who passed away in my parents’ home — in the very room that had once been mine. A…

As parents age, the dynamics of family life shift in profound ways. One of the most important—and often overlooked—conversations aging parents must have is about their end-of-life care. This isn’t a topic to delay until crisis strikes. It’s a conversation that should happen while minds are clear, hearts are open, and options are available. The…

“In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise.” — Proverbs 10:19 There are people in my life whom I cannot ever remember hearing sin with their words. It’s remarkable, I know. My father was one of them. He was the kindest person I’ve known—very careful with…

One of the most insightful chapters in Roy Hession’s classic, Calvary Road,1 is titled “Revival in the Home.” In it, Hession identifies two primary forces that erode family unity: a lack of openness and a misunderstanding of biblical love. At first glance, I questioned the emphasis on openness. “Really? That’s the first problem?” I thought.…

John MacArthur entered heaven on Monday at the age of 86. It’s difficult to know exactly what to say about him, as members of our fellowship hold widely differing views regarding him. In many aspects of his ministry, MacArthur was a fundamentalist—though he resisted that label. A fifth-generation preacher, his family’s gospel ministry traces back…

We plan our worship services several months in advance. We choose themes for each service and discuss how to introduce them. Last Sunday, our chosen theme was “Our Good God.” In the canon of worship themes we use, the goodness of God is not as difficult to explain as something like transcendence or immanence. But…

As we celebrate the 249th birthday of the United States of America, we ought to give thanks to God for this nation as an extension of His grace—both upon its citizens and upon many around the world. We do not deserve it. When Benjamin Franklin left the Constitutional Convention in 1787, a woman asked him…

Nearly everyone in the world holds a strong opinion—often a deep, visceral attitude—about Jews and the state of Israel. These attitudes are largely rooted in religious thinking. What Is Antisemitism? According to Antisemitism.org: “Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are…

An article in The Christian Post revealed that nearly half of churchgoers attend multiple congregations regularly—not in person, but virtually through online worship services. Some attend several services online, and many attend one church physically while supplementing with others online. In the latter case, this isn’t much different from what has been happening for decades.…