June 23, 2026
HARD CORE CHRISTIANS
As language changes and cultural meanings shift, Christians are called to be influenced by the Spirit and shaped by strong convictions, courage, self-control, and love.
June 23, 2026
As language changes and cultural meanings shift, Christians are called to be influenced by the Spirit and shaped by strong convictions, courage, self-control, and love.
Tyler McKenzie reacts to Philip Yancey’s moral failure with grief, anger, and sobriety—then points to confession, repentance, and grace. He argues God’s power is often clearest in the humbled and desperate.
June 23, 2025
“Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control” (Proverbs 25:28), for self-control provides protective boundaries and moral defenses.
August 26, 2015
By Jim Tune I wasn”t intending to eavesdrop. It just sort of happened. I had left the company of two close friends, but realized minutes later I had left a personal item behind. My friends were still talking when I returned, and they were talking about me. I wasn”t trying to eavesdrop, but I couldn”t keep from listening as they discussed a very personal decision I had shared with them earlier. There was nothing mean-spirited in anything they said. I made my presence known almost immediately. I had heard enough to feel a flash of betrayal and embarrassment. When I
November 12, 2014
By Jim Tune Author Lettie Cowman wrote about a traveler visiting Africa who hired a group of guides. Determined to make her journey a swift one, she pushed her team to cover many miles the first day. On the second day, though, the attendants she had hired remained seated and refused to move. Frustrated, she asked the leader of her hired hands why they would not continue the journey. He replied that on the first day they had gone too far, too fast, and now they were waiting for their souls to catch up with their bodies. Cowman reflected, “This
September 12, 2011
This week”s treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson (for September 18) is written by Bruce Stoker, education minister with Memorial Church of Christ in Livonia, Michigan. ____________ Teaching Values (Proverbs 10:1–15:33) By Bruce Stoker As a Boy Scout, I learned orienteering skills for traveling through the wilderness safely and efficiently using a map and compass. We practiced our skills during many meetings and throughout our hometown, and eventually we decided we could handle a cross-country backpacking trip. So we plotted our destination, grabbed a topographical map and our compasses, and headed out for a weekend of hiking without trails.
Walter Mischel’s marshmallow experiment shows how self-control shapes long-term outcomes. Discover why self-discipline matters and explore practical ways to strengthen self-control through crisis, learning, and everyday decisions.