SKOPOS Blog Posts

Ahhhh, kids these days. I still like to think I’m one of them. But, language sure does change through the generations. One phrase that I remember being used a lot was when someone was all uptight, they

I’m really angry and I’m right in being angry. For clarification’s sake, being angry and sinning not, as the Bible instructs, is less about the level of anger and more about the what we are angry about.

My son asked me the other day “Dad, if you could meet one famous person, who would it be?” Not wanting to give the typical answer, I thought long and hard…and I answered as honestly as I

My wonderful, sweet, wife loves ‘those’ Hallmark movies, especially the ones that come on around Christmas time. I try, I mean I really try to watch them with her (to be a good husband), but my goodness,

Have you ever heard the story of the old, wise, owl?  I’m sure we all know of the story, but have you ever heard it? Well, it’s so valuable in today’s climate, give it a listen: There

Wow, have you ever taken a NY minute to pause and think of the accomplishments of modern man?  We travel at 30,000 feet across continents at 600 mph and think nothing of it. We beam signals off

As I continue to cover topics about leadership, I can’t help but ignore one of the most popular subjects in Christian leadership circles, the idea of Servant Leadership. I suppose before any analysis, we should define that

  In this episode, I will primarily be speaking about men, but ladies, listen in, because it will give you good insight into the guys you love in your life. Navigating through the waters of life in

Whether you lead a church small group or large corporation, no leader can exist without the dreaded, inevitable, usually horribly mismanaged, moment of confrontation. Do you hate confrontation?… Or, are you one of “those” types who thrive

Have you ever experienced the value of an advocate? I don’t mean a lawyer that gets a speeding ticket reversed, what I mean is when a person really goes to bat for you to help you advance

For several decades Christians have debated whether or not activities rooted in Eastern religion, such as Yoga, Tai Chi, and Meditation are permissible or beneficial to practice. As with most debates within church circles, the lines are

Ask anyone who’s been around the church community for a few decades and they’ll tell you, “it ain’t like it used to be.”  They’re right, church has changed. It hasn’t just changed its programs, service, styles and

One of the most powerful ad campaign themes ever was developed by the United Negro College Fund in the 1970’s. You might remember the phrase “your mind is a terrible thing to waste.” In fact, it became

Our society loves to compete. From a young age, kids jump into sports and begin learning the values of good ole’ competition. Of course, participation trophies and the “everyone wins” trend has impacted that competitive drive, but

In Acts chapter four, Peter and John were preaching the gospel in Jerusalem and many thousands of people believed and came to saving faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Well, those pesky religious leaders certainly took

The pluralism of post-modernity has developed into a popular belief that God is arbitrary and that there are multiple paths to God and ways to define him. In very obvious examples, we experience celebrities such as Oprah

Every New Year and then again in the Spring, health clubs experience a surge of people with new commitments to take care of their bodies. Those who are regulars, are annoyed that they now have to wait

President Franklin Roosevelt famously said, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” He was referring to the run on US banks and how fear was exacerbating the economic crisis. While we understand the context

The single greatest asset to Christian living is that we have a direct revelation from God himself, called the Bible. Our doctrine and our spiritual formation should flow out of what God has revealed in His Word.

Each Christmas I grow increasingly perplexed at the irony of the way in which the whole world celebrates Christmas. As I drive down streets and see lights everywhere and go to Christmas plays, I can’t help but

One of the most horrible consequences of a wealthy and materialistic society is the sin of envy. There is no greater stealer of joy and no greater spiritually-immobilizing force than when we compare ourselves to someone else.

The world seems to be getting more and more chaotic. Yet, in many ways, since mankind invited sin into the world we were to steward, evil has caused great heartache. Ancient religions would throw babies into furnaces

If you grew up in church, or even attended Sunday School when you were young, you were probably taught the concept that God doesn’t change. It stems from the theological principles that God cannot increase or decrease

As we study God’s characteristics, the most difficult to wrap our minds around just might be God’s infinity. As a finite creation, we try to think of ways to comprehend infinity, like the depths of the oceans,

There are many characteristics that make the one, true, God far above any other idea of god. Beyond God’s person and spirit, Scripture affirms that God is characterized by life. God is beyond an idea or perception,

So many other religions sound good at surface level…they seem nice, kind, maybe even help to better people, and they really are like Christianity, right? Well, not so much. So many religions, especially Eastern based, like Hinduism,

Part of our knowing God better, is studying about what God is like and attempting to grasp His greatness. A very good place to start is an understanding that God is spirit, meaning that He is not

My favorite line from any book or movie comes from C.S. Lewis’ “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.” Susan has just finished a great dialogue with Mrs. Beaver about the majesty, awe, and nervousness about meeting

The Third Person in the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, is an often overlooked part of our Triune God. Because the Holy Spirit is the point at which our relationship with God connects personally, it is interesting that

Not many people know that the phrase “and you can take that to the bank.” was made popular by Robert Blake in “Baretta.” And, if you did already know that, well, then you’re old. That phrase is

In the Bible, the book of Jeremiah is largely written as a warning to Judah of the coming exile from their land, because of their turning from God. In Chapter 13, verse 23, God writes through Jeremiah

Modern Christianity seems to place a great emphasis on God’s love. There is teaching everywhere and it is reinforced in the midst of an increasingly hostile culture toward Christianity. It is likely a natural response or defense

For God’s Glory alone. To begin with this final Sola, it is important to know that God’s glory can be defined as His holiness on display. It is the showing forth of His holiness. All of the

There’s no shortage of Christian hymns referring back to Grace. We can start with the most famous “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.” Or, “Wonderful grace of Jesus, greater than all

Sola Fide, by Faith Alone, is Part 3 in our series on the Five Solas. So far we have learned that Sola Scriptura-Scripture Alone, provides the truth of our salvation, that Sola Christus-Christ Alone, has the power

If you listened to Part 1 of our Solas series, you know that Scripture is God’s Revealed Word and it is completely true and reliable. The Bible begins with a big letdown as Adam and Eve curse

The first of our five-part series on the five Solas of Christianity is Sola Scriptura. In the Bible, Hebrews 4:12 records that “the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of

In Judges chapter 7, the Lord made it clear to Gideon that lest Israel boast and say it was their own hand, God made the odds insurmountable. Yet, somehow we’ve confused God’s strength with our own strength.

“Twenty miles onward is easier than to go one mile back for the lost evidence. Take care, then, when you find your Master, to cling close to Him.” If you’re a reader, you might recognize that quote

I love my waffle house hash-browns “smothered and covered.” There’s just something about that cheese covering that makes just about any food better. My wife loves to cover people in a blanket, if you’re lying around the

Sometimes I’m so engrossed in a situation or an upcoming event, that I can’t even sleep or think about anything else. Have you had a significant situation or thoughts about a life event totally consume you? Then

Is it just me, or does seems like there’s an entertainment award show every Sunday night! There’s movies, TV, music genre’s, kids, sports, and multiple awards banquets for each one. If you’ve ever watched one of those

The last thing anyone wants to hear is someone else talking about how to deal with all the turmoil in the culture wars. But, hear me out. The current political and sociological climates in North America have

By: Brett Larson We are left scratching our heads. How did our political system get so crazy, so embarrassing, so…well, morally bankrupt? Consistent with my Christian worldview, I’m sure you’re expecting a typical response from me, so

What is your greatest fear? Go ahead and think of it for a minute. A few of my friends think it should be clowns. More seriously, for some it might be loss of family, terrorism, or something

What is truth? In our postmodern world, that sentiment seems to be the prevailing question. The idea of absolute truth, exclusive and solitary, is almost offensive to so many. That there is a right and a wrong,

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4 can be so misunderstood if we read it through the lens of our self-advancing culture. Often, we see these words

“I wish someone would spank that kid.” That was probably said at one or more church picnics that I was running around at when I was a kid. How about you? Everyone has their war stories about

Recently I was, yet again, reminded of the value of those men and women who have walked the long, humble, road and walked it well. There is just something special about those who have given their life

Our world seems to be spinning out of control. From ISIS and their brutal murders, to our political divisiveness, to now, another police shooting of a young man bringing chaos to our city streets. It sure seems

Where oh where has our joy gone? I mean Facebook used to be for connecting with people you care about who might live far away… and for watching funny videos. Twitter, it should be a place where

Speak Up Brett Larson The more I study God’s word, whether personally or academically, the more I’m awestruck at the levels of complexity and layers of magnificence the Bible contains. This collection of 66 books, that are

Good Legalism? ~ Brett Larson Just mention the word “legalism” in your church small group and you’ll see Christians in today’s church scatter like cockroaches when the lights go on. Nobody today wants to be accused of

I grew up listening to and singing Southern Gospel music. One song that most people probably remember is “Just a little talk with Jesus”…makes it right. So many of those old Southern Gospel songs were uplifting and

You don’t have to dig very deep to discover that our culture is not what it once was. Issues that seemed fringe and culturally impossible, now stare us in the face. It goes beyond transgender bathrooms to

Christ’s church is beautiful. We are family…and well, families have issues. We have weird uncles and we have rogue cousins, we have a few that don’t get along, and a couple of real screw-ups too. Yet, we

An old movie series call “Walking Tall” is the story of a retired pro-wrestler turned vigilante against corruption in his home town. The idea is that he “walks tall” with pride and is unwilling to bend to

As you read this, I want you to know something, I care about you. In fact, I respect and care about you enough to tell you the truth. See, a whole bunch of us are really hurting

Jesus loves the little children! The gospels record Jesus’ ministry as being surrounded by kids. He used the fish and bread of a young boy to feed thousands and He gave priority to children when kids ran

The resurrection of Jesus Christ from his death on the cross is as essential to Christianity as an engine is to a car. Without it, the whole endeavor is pointless. The resurrection finishes the work that Jesus

Every year it happens, a sports team rises out of nowhere to success and all of the sudden their logos are everywhere! The Cubs finally start winning and all of the sudden people I’ve never seen with

Are you stuck in the mistakes of your past? So many of us are deflated, worn out, caught in the vortex of sins that haunt us…yet we want to do more for God. We feel inadequate or

What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. – Matthew 10:27 Athletes grow in endurance and strength through strenuous training. How many times have we

With all of the recent political opinions within the church, issues and disagreements (especially on social media) seem to be rampant. Of course, this is nothing new with Christians (or people in general) and is just a

Do you ever check out social media, or maybe you’re engaged in a conversation with someone and you just know the person is just making stuff up that fits their agenda? Or, maybe you know they don’t

In Nehemiah 2, we see that Nehemiah was a leader; he worked for the King of Persia in the capital. He was an administrator and was well respected. Persia controlled Jerusalem and much of Judea as about

Christmas is a crazy time of year. There are people to buy for, kid’s programs, church events, and all sorts of activities. The streets are busy with determined (and distracted) shoppers…which makes the traffic a bit scary.

Every year, Christmas decorations go up earlier and earlier, often before the Thanksgiving holiday. My wife, Kim, really dislikes this practice and rightfully so. Of course, for secular businesses, Thanksgiving is of little value, but Christmas can

Psalm 27:14 tells us to “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord.” It is so easy to jump in front of God, even if we are following what

Ephesians 4:15 tells us that “we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.” Boy, as Christians, we love to play it safe, don’t we? It comes as no surprise,

There’s a lot to learn from the oldest book of the Bible. As tragedy and uncertainty seem to increase all around us in the modern world we can, ironically, learn a whole lot from the oldest biblical

Recently on Lifeline (3-6pm on WDCX) we stirred up a whole bunch of controversy about Genesis 1-2 and creation…and it was good. I know, you’re probably thinking how could controversy be good, we need answers, we need

If we, the Church or Christ followers, could master how to say things, how to treat others, how to live out our Christian worldview, our impact on the world around us would increase exponentially. I’ve often said,

  In 1947, Senate Chaplain Peter Marshall famously prayed: “Give to us clear vision that we may know where to stand and what to stand for—because unless we stand for something, we shall fall for anything.” As discussed

In 1947, Senate Chaplain Peter Marshall famously prayed: “Give to us clear vision that we may know where to stand and what to stand for—because unless we stand for something, we shall fall for anything.” Of course, we

How often do we hear the phrase “it’s not about you?” While definitely well intended, that comment when applied categorically to our whole life, could be very dangerous. See, sometimes it is all about YOU (or ME).

Have you ever heard the argument that the war on drugs is pointless, that we spend too much money on it; that we should just give it up because we’ll never win? Personally, I think that’s a

The Bible tells us that when we are born again, all things are made new. Have you ever wondered what that really means? Does it mean that we get new clothes, a new car, new stuff…what does

Proverbs 16:3 tells us to commit our work to the Lord and our plans will be established. Hard work is underrated in our tech savvy and entitlement-driven society.  The late Dr. Jerry Falwell, whom I loved like

  I recently heard some fantastic advice as I watched a video from Liberty University Seminary. Dr. Dave Hirschman was speaking and his reference was Exodus 4 when Moses was called by God and felt inadequate, saying

  As Christ followers become more and more of a target within our current culture, several inner-church discussions are being wrestled with that were at one time, not even considered. One recent discussion that I was a

  In John 14:8-9, Philip asked Jesus to show him the “Father” and that it would be enough to comfort and give him strength.  Then Jesus said: “Don’t you know me…anyone who has seen me, has seen

  Galatians 2:20 says that we are “crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,

  My son cracks me up when he plays Madden (NFL Video Game for those who don’t know).  He pretty much goes for a touchdown every play, and he’s usually successful.  But, that strategy rarely works in

  If you’ve ever experienced a symphony playing at its finest, then you know the unmatched beauty and sound that no electronic system can match. Within that beauty, there is a surprising complexity of movements and individual

  “The Monuments Men” is a recent movie that tells the story of a special military unit of art experts who were commissioned with recovering the many masterpieces that Hitler had pillaged and had stolen from across

  Oh, how I love to have the reins. I’m a control freak. There, I admit it and I really am trying to release that issue and give it over to God. But, man, is it difficult!

  I turn 40 this June; yup, it’s the big one. To be transparent, I’ve always been a very easy-going guy. I rest in my current situations, I’m pretty simple, and I don’t need much to be

  Yes, this is another “blog” about New Year’s resolutions…but, stay with me, I’ve got a different take. I like new beginnings, new goals, and restarts as much as anyone else. However, I’m not a big fan

  As we watch scenes from the largest snowfall amounts ever to fall over the Buffalo snow-belt areas in such a short time period, it is easy to mistake the beauty of the big picture for the

  I’ve been holding my tongue (keyboard) lately. I have seen several bloggers and so-called internet-theologians (save that for another day) write about the recent happenings regarding ISIS in Syria and Iraq. Quite frankly, some of what

  Have you ever been worn out? I’m not talking about the kind of tired that comes after a good workout. And, I’m not talking about when work or school has you tired from a crazy a

  The news has spread far and wide that little Ben Sauer is “petting Lions” in heaven, as his little brother, Jack, puts it. This morning, I told our boys that little Ben, whom we prayed for

  It’s funny how trends work. They are temporary, but in the moment they seem like eternal necessities. Mom, I HAVE to have those certain sneakers…or clothing. To keep this short, recently I’ve noticed a huge trend

  First, I need to apologize as I have neglected SKOPOS for awhile now. It’s not that it isn’t on my mind, it’s just that we’ve experienced a very busy season at WDCX and when I did