CrossExamined Blog
Tackling today’s toughest questions, these posts explore topics on God, morality, science, and culture.
Whether you’re a skeptic or believer, each article challenges your worldview and sharpens your thinking. Engaging, thought-provoking, and unapologetic, this is a place to dig deeper and follow the truth wherever it leads.
The Pulpit Apologist, Pt. 1
Theology and Christian ApologeticsIf apologetics has ever met its moment in our culture that moment is now. And it’s especially urgent for some good old-fashioned pulpit apologetics. We need preachers to rise to the occasion and equip their flocks with the apologetic know-how to reach this confused and collapsing culture. As the great wordsmith Carl Trueman put it: […]
Escaping Twin Flames – A Netflix Docuseries
Theology and Christian ApologeticsWhile searching for some light entertainment one Saturday evening, I stumbled upon the exact opposite by way of a new 3-part docuseries on Netflix titled ‘Escaping Twin Flames’. With only a brief description to go by and a short preview that showed former members describing the abuse and manipulation they encountered during their time at […]
Making Sense of Christmas
3. Are Miracles Possible?, Jesus Christ, Theology and Christian ApologeticsThe Christmas season has a way of quickening the senses, doesn’t it? The taste of a kiss under a mistletoe tree, the flavor of nursing steamed Ghirardelli hot chocolate, or the sheer ecstasy of biting into that freshly made batch of flaky peanut brittle. Then there are the smells. Oh, the smells. The smell of […]
Is Christmas Pagan?
3. Are Miracles Possible?, Jesus Christ, Theology and Christian ApologeticsTree decorating. Repetitive Christmas music on the radio. Sleigh bells ringing. Chestnuts burning. (Like, what does this even mean? Do people actually do this?) And the incessant cyber throat-punching over Christians who celebrate Christmas are actually celebrating an evil pagan holiday. Ah… it’s the most wonderful time of the year. Christmas is that magical time […]
Is Your Church A Personality Cult, Part 2
Theology and Christian ApologeticsIn part one, we looked at how “cult” can refer to a group’s heretical theology (“theological cult”) or to its dangerous practices (“sociological cult). A personality cult is the second type, with personality-driven problems centering on central leader. To discuss the signs of a personality cult, we used the name named Al, as he sees […]
What Babylon Teaches The Church About Discipleship
Apologetics for Parents, Israel, Theology and Christian ApologeticsWhen you hear the word “disciple” does your mind go back to the first century where a group of twelve men followed Jesus and helped him pass out baskets full of loaves and fish? The word “disciple” is often associated with Christianity, and for good reason. The Great Commission in Matthew 28:19 commands every Christian […]
Soon vs Suddenly: An Important Distinction on Jesus’ Return
4. Is the NT True?, Jesus ChristThe word “soon” can be quite ambiguous, if not misleading. When asked about homework, a teenager might reply that they expect to finish sometime soon. In my family, that word could equal 30 seconds for one child or 30 minutes for another. But despite these variations, the word “soon” still conjures up an idea of […]
Only God is Above the Law
Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics“No one is above the law.” So the popular saying goes, and no truer thing was ever said in a mere six words. This thought, and our Western system of justice which sprang from it, stands as a testament, and a tribute, to the philosophy that gives humanity its best chance for self-government and ordered […]
Is it Biblical to Be a Gay Christian?
Culture CrossExaminedImagine a porcupine. He’s waddling around with his long pointy quills. He’s harmless, even cute until he gets scared or offended. Then he becomes an angry pincushion. Now image this porcupine is giant-sized, like a dinosaur. He’s bumping into things, knocking things over, leaving huge piercing quills behind him as if marking his territory. People […]
Is Your Church a Personality Cult? Part 1
Culture CrossExaminedSometimes cults are easy to spot. Most everyone knows about the Jim Jones cult (People’s Temple), or David Koresh’s group in Waco, Texas (Branch Davidians). Those cults are easy to spot because doomsday theology and mass killing tend to make headlines. But some cults aren’t so easy to see. Personality cults can be hard to […]
Why Did God Put That Tree in the Garden of Eden?
Theology and Christian ApologeticsGod created humans in a state of sinless perfection, but all of that changed when Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord […]
The Surprising Way Tinkerbell Shows the Flaw in the Transgender Identity Crisis
Culture CrossExamined, Legislating Morality, Culture & PoliticsI know what you might be thinking. “Tinkerbell, Melissa? Seriously?” But stay with me here. The pre-woke movie era had some good stuff in it that’s surprisingly relevant and counter-cultural by 2023 standards. Tinkerbell (2008) So first, here is a brief movie synopsis for those who may not have seen the movie: The first Tinkerbell […]
Where Rebellion Against God Leads
Theology and Christian ApologeticsImagine a time in the not-too-distant future. Trying to compensate for a declining population, scientists use advanced technology to build a “race” of robots, giving them not only human appearance and abilities, but also increasing amounts of AI. Things work smoothly in the short run, as the robots’ nearly limitless energy for work transforms Earth […]
The Danger of Promising Universal Salvation
4. Is the NT True?, Theology and Christian ApologeticsIf you’re going to contend that universalism is true, i.e., the belief that everyone will eventually end up in heaven, then you best beware of the consequences of doing so. Evacuating a Dying Planet To illustrate. Imagine you live on a planet called Elpis (in Greek this means “hope” or “expectation”). You have been tasked […]
The Shocking Effects of Grace
Jesus ChristIn his book Rumors of Another World, Philip Yancey shares how Nelson Mandela, after coming into power as president of South Africa, took drastic measures to heal his apartheid-torn nation. Mandela appointed Archbishop Desmond Tutu to head the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The commission’s hearings were designed to bring together accusers with those who had […]
Dangerous Homefront, part 3: Correcting Prooftexts
1. Does Truth Exist?, 4. Is the NT True?In part 1 of this series we looked at prooftexts from the Old Testament. In part 2 we looked at prooftexts from the New Testament. At this point you may be wondering, “So what’s the big deal?” People will misinterpret things, so what? What’s the Big Deal? Clearly, misinterpretation occurs often within the Church. Does […]
Meet Robot Jesus
Culture CrossExaminedHave you talked with Jesus yet today? No, I’m not talking about your morning prayers. I’m talking about the new Text-With-Jesus app. This is a downloadable smartphone app that will put you in a text-message conversation with an AI simulation of Jesus, and other biblical characters. You’re basically talking to a robot programmed to say […]
Is teaching kids about God child abuse?
Apologetics for ParentsPeople always tell me not to look at the comment section of a social media post. I didn’t listen. We just promoted the new kid’s curriculum Let’s Get Real: Examining the Evidence for God, based on Turek and Geisler’s best seller: I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist. I anticipated backlash. I know […]
Dangerous Homefront, part 2: NT Prooftexts we Know and Love
1. Does Truth Exist?, 4. Is the NT True?In part 1 of this series, we looked at a few Old Testament passages that people often misinterpret. In part 2 we shift to the New Testament. It’s worth noting that sometimes the error is just an innocent mistake. It’s not always from bad intentions, or false teachers, or heretical theology. Sometimes there are malicious […]
Why God Can’t Be the Universe
2. Does God Exist?, Theology and Christian ApologeticsMost people believe in God. The question is, which God? Who is this God? Is He personal? Impersonal? An “it”? A vague source or amorphous energy? It’s important to think this through because if God exists, then there are spiritual ramifications for this. Christians understand God to be personal. They’re not pantheists or panentheists where […]
Dangerous Homefront, part 1: OT Prooftexts we Know and Love
1. Does Truth Exist?, 4. Is the NT True?Years ago, on a trip to Washington DC I found myself going through a few different airports and learning a life lesson along the way. The flights led me through several security checks. I had no problem with the baggage scans and the metal detectors till I got to LaGuardia airport in New York. I […]