When God Makes No Sense
When you can't feel God, believe He's there anyway. When you can't see God's hand, believe it's there anyway. When you can't understand God's plan, trust it anyway. That's faith, friends. It's easy to see a person of faith and assume they just walk on a bed of roses, perhaps blissfully unaware of the issues around them. It's easy to look at someone else's life and say, "Yeah, good for them, but they have no idea what real suffering is.
Things My Kids Say: No. 018
Watching TV with your kids is a learning opportunity. No, not for them. For you. Virgil: Mommy, look at that rocketship! Me: That's not a rocketship, thats a zeppelin. Virgil: No, that's a rocketship. Me: It's called a zeppelin. It looks like a rocketship, doesn't it? Virgil: No, that's a rocketship. I know about rocketships... and puppets. Touché son, touché.
Atheism is Impossible (A New Year’s Revelation)
It's a new year, and while most of us are probably wrestling with our resolutions and how we are going to finally execute them this year, I have a challenge for you. Instead of a resolution, how about you have a revelation? Scientifically, you can't be an atheist. My pastor told a story once about sitting on a plane next to an atheist. He challenged the man by telling him that he thought atheism was scientifically impossible. You can hear
Things My Kids Say: No. 017
It would seem we have had yet another miracle in our house, for as I was doing a little work this morning, Virgil was quietly playing in the living room. I look over to see him eating a cookie (which I did not give him). So I asked him, Me: Where did you get that? Virgil: Jesus. A miracle, indeed.
Dangerous Bible Games
It has been fascinating reading the comments you are writing on the posts I've made about Phil Robertson and the Duck Dynasty debacle. I love reading all the different perspectives, yes, even the ones I don't agree with. But I have seen a recurring theme among many of the comments as well as other articles I am reading, whether they are from Christians or non-Christians - and it's a problem that needs to be addressed. We play dangerous games when
Things My Kids Say: No. 016
Of course, the moment I stick my hands in cookie dough to mix it up, my son yells, "I need to tinkle!" So I decide to brave it and tell him he can go by himself (normally I help make sure he pulls his pants down far enough, aims properly, etc.). When I'm done mixing the dough, I head to the bathroom to check on progress. I hear him flush on my way there and arrive to see that he
I Blame God for Phil Robertson
I fear we need to gain a little perspective on the subject of Phil Robertson vs. the entire homosexual community. I've heard a lot of people clarify their stance on the subject with phrases along the lines of, "it's not what he said, it's how he said it." Perhaps we need to have a little reality check. Phil Robertson is an uncouth, backwoods redneck (self-proclaimed). His beard is longer than my hair. His idea of comfortable clothes includes camouflage pants
Things My Kids Say: No. 015
As with most children, there has been a learning curve teaching my son the importance of modesty. He tends to be an exhibitionist around the house. Thus I have taken to telling him that nobody wants to see his business. Perhaps, in light of the following conversation, I should be a little more specific... Virgil: (After using a toy screwdriver on the wall) Mommy! The house is fixed! Me: Thank you! Great job! You must be a handyman! Do you
The Bible is For Bigots (and Other Christmas Stories)
Wow, the web seems to have blown up in the last 24 hours over the whole A&E Networks vs. Phil Robertson debacle! It seems everyone has a distinct and polarizing opinion on the subject. In case you're unaware entirely, Phil Robertson, the father of the family starring in the A&E show Duck Dynasty, said (in a nutshell) in an interview with GQ magazine that he believes homosexuality is wrong because the Bible teaches that it's wrong. And what a hullabaloo
Things My Kids Say: No. 014
Me: Virgil, it's time to go to bed. Virgil: Mommy, I'm too little! Me: Virgil, come on buddy. It's bedtime now. Virgil: I'm too young!
To Santa or Not to Santa: That is the Question
It's that time of year. When elves are being mischievous on shelves. When reindeer are flying around shopping center rooftops. When an old man can somehow see when I'm sleeping. He knows when I'm awake. He knows if I've been bad or good, so be good for goodness' sake. (That's the only reason to be good, after all.) I don't ever want my kids to grow up thinking Christmas is all about Santa, or Santa's birthday (thank you, Bart Simpson).
Things My Kids Say: No. 013
There is no lack of humor whilst watching your children gain a grasp of the nuances of the English language... My Husband: Son, don't give me attitude! Virgil: I am attituding you!
Short Reads
God Told Me: An Immediate Red Flag
I have come to hear “God told me” as an immediate red flag.
There is an innate arrogance in assuming that you are hearing the voice of God and not your own. It’s exceptionally important to filter even your own “gut feelings” through scripture and wise counsel every time, no matter what. Because what you’re convinced is God Himself might very well be nothing more than your own ambition, selfish heart, or even a demonic influence.
Self-Evaluation is Key
Let me just say: if you go to a church where questions are either prohibited, ignored, or stonewalled, find another church. A healthy person — leader or otherwise — is always willing to self-examine. Questions asked for the right reasons are not threats, they are an opportunity to evaluate. If a leader can’t or won’t do that, it should tell you everything you need to know.
The Fall of the Evangelical Industrial Complex is Looming…
Unlike 15 years ago with the Hawkins lawsuit…
…Daystar cannot control the narrative and get out ahead of stories with a spin of “extortion” and “blackmail” anymore. In the age of social media, podcasters, YouTube, and even armchair observers, there is no more tight control of the narrative.
The same is true for legacy media, and we are watching their demise in real time.
We’re watching the fall of the Evangelical Industrial Complex, too.
It is good that tightly-knit organizations that protect each other at the expense of truth, justice, and morality should fall publicly and painfully.
In the same way that they’re retaliating against Elon Musk by keying Tesla owners’ cars, the Christian media is organizing “anonymous” accounts for smear campaigns, doxxing, and intimidation. It’s the same tactic — and it’s a tactic that only proves one thing: they’re losing.
Unlike 15 years ago with the Hawkins lawsuit, Daystar cannot control the narrative and get out ahead of stories with a spin of “extortion” and “blackmail” anymore. In the age of social media, podcasters, YouTube, and even armchair observers, there is no more tight control of the…
— Morgan G Farris, Loquacious Curmudgeon (@MorganGFarris) April 1, 2025
A Tale of Two Responses
I know there are many who are still very angry with Gateway after the fall of Robert Morris…
…but when I look at that situation versus what’s happening at Daystar, I cannot help but notice some important differences.
Once Cindy made her story public, people within the Gateway organization instigated an independent, thirty-party investigation into her claims and found that not only was Robert guilty, but he had people help him hide the truth. All of those people were forced to leave Gateway, including Robert Morris.
In contrast, when Jonathan and Suzy Lamb made their story public, Daystar refused to allow an independent, third-party investigation and continued to double down by ignoring the outcry of a child and insisting on the innocence of a man who has not been properly investigated or exonerated. To top it off, they have now gone on an internet witch hunt, blackmailing people and harassing anyone who speaks out.
Color me naive, but I’ll take Gateway’s response all day long over what Daystar is doing.
It’s Not a Worship Song
This is going to ruffle feathers, but the majority of songs touted as worship songs today are not, in fact, worship songs. Most of them are focused on us, what we get out of God, and how God makes us feel.
That isn’t worship. That’s hedonism. I’m looking at you, Brandon Lake.
The Erosion of Worship Lyrics
We went from singing lyrics like:
Then sings my soul my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
To:
You didn’t want heaven without us
So Jesus, you brought heaven down
Or:
I’ll bring my hard-fought, heartfelt
Been through hell hallelujah
Or:
I want to sit at your feet, drink from the cup in your hands
Lay back against you and breathe, feel your heartbeat
We’ve taken our sacred spaces where we praise the Creator of the universe for His glory and goodness and turned them into places where we tell God what we want from Him next. Church, we must return to true praise in Spirit and in Truth and abandon the hedonism that has infiltrated the holy place.
You’re Not Following Christ
If you’re following Christ because a TV preacher told you you’d be blessed, you’re not following Christ, you’re following your desires.
Biblical Prosperity
Perhaps the prosperity that the Prosperity Gospel Peddlers tout is rooted in a capitalist view of what is good for us. Perhaps the prosperity God promises throughout the Bible is one for our souls, not simply our means. Perhaps when God says he will provide all that we need, it might be manna, not a steak dinner.
