Fighting the Culture of Loneliness

September 22, 2023 By Phillip Snyder

Fighting the Culture The Church has historically stood at odds with the trends of culture. Sometimes this manifests as an intentional “culture war” posture, in which Christians identify an issue they’re opposed to and then focus their time, attention, and money towards the goal of fighting that one thing – think fighting evolution being taught in schools, the legalization of gay marriage, or the legalization of abortion. But there are other times in which the Church’s cultural opposition has looked…... Read more

Why You Should Stop Avoiding Conflict

September 8, 2023 By Sarah Osborn

I was a few months away from getting married, and I was in one of the darkest seasons of my life. It sounds like a paradox, I know, but it was my reality. The thrill of the engagement and the wedding to come was quickly overshadowed by pain, confusion, and loneliness. What was the cause? A bitter conflict with a close friend. After a sharp disagreement and a phone conversation that went awry, my matron of honor dropped out of... Read more

Quick Thoughts on Minimalism and Discipleship

August 18, 2023 By Phillip Snyder

For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you. 2 Corinthians 1:12 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21 Just a Tad Distracted I really like technology, which may come as a shock to those who know me. Often, plopping down on the couch and... Read more

A Father’s Reflection on The Wingfeather Saga

July 28, 2023 By Phillip Snyder

“He means to make his subjects merciful and wise; sorrow and struggle bringeth both. We will, he tells me, grow by grieving, live by dying, love by losing. The heart itself is the field of battle and the garden green.” – Andrew Peterson, The Monster in the Hollows More Than That It took me too long, perhaps, to start reading every night to my children. My oldest was seven when we finally began the tradition, but now our nightly... Read more

A Disloyal Church

July 7, 2023 By Phillip Snyder

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” – Matthew 6: 24 NIV “Loyalty isn’t even a Fruit of the Spirit.” – Andy Stanley A Sour Taste in My Mouth Few words give me as sour a taste in my mouth as the word “loyal”. Every time I hear it images... Read more

In the Image of God

June 22, 2023 By Nick O'Brien

What Are We Here For? When you flip through the pages of the Bible, it may feel like any other book off your shelf. I assure you – it is not. The Bible changed the world, and not just the modern one. In the ancient world, during the time of the Bible’s writing, empires ruled: Egypt, Assyria, Persia, Rome. Throughout the Bible, the writers use “Babylon” as an archetype of these empires, from the Tower of Babel in Genesis through... Read more

Treasures In Heaven

June 9, 2023 By Phillip Snyder

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6: 19-21 NIV Lately, I’ve found myself often teaching through the sixth chapter of the Gospel according to Matthew. I’m unsure... Read more

A Taming of the Mind – Sanctified Imagination P. 2

May 26, 2023 By Phillip Snyder

“To bring the mind to dwell intelligently upon God as he is presented in his Word will have the effect of causing us to love God passionately, and this love will in turn bring us to think of God steadily.” – Dallas Willard, Renovation of the Heart Prior to Jesus, I listened to rock music non-stop. If I was in the car, the local rock station was blasting whatever was the flavor of the day (don’t judge, it was... Read more

A Journey of the Mind – Sanctified Imagination P. 1

May 12, 2023 By Phillip Snyder

“That night my imagination was, in a certain sense, baptized; the rest of me, not unnaturally, took longer.” – C.S. Lewis, Surprised By Joy Growing up, I lived in my imagination. Although few people knew it, I would spend hours in my mind imagining stories that were fully equipped with characters, plotlines (and plot twists!), action sequences, vivid settings, and more. Sometimes I would be aided by action figures and Legos, but more often I was simply staring... Read more

When Music Forms Our Soul

April 28, 2023 By Nick O'Brien

Christians are formed by everything we encounter, so The Living Room Disciple recently had a podcast discussion on the way we are formed by music, both inside and outside of the church. As a worship pastor myself, I’ve been thinking a lot about that discussion. If you missed the podcast episode, you can find it here! In our conversation, we thought about the way we are formed by the lyrics of the songs we listen to and sing. While a... Read more