Tag: 2016

Do You Agree with Every Book You Read?

By Asher Witmer Motivation & Inspiration
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Is it okay to learn from a book if the author has beliefs we’re not sure are Biblical?

I often refer books to my friends even though I have yet to read a book where I fully agree with the author. There is nothing worse the someone condemning a book who has not actually read it, or is not familiar with what the author teaches. Unless the author or speaker makes a significant theological or doctrinal error in his teaching, I think we benefit from hearing what they have to say.

I can’t promise that they won’t need discernment as they read the books I suggest, but there are a few thoughts I try to keep in mind that I believe can help all of us test authors in a healthy way.

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Thailand Summer Life Described in 20 Pictures

By Asher Witmer Miscellaneous
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I have been busy wrapping up the manuscript for my book, Live Free: conquer lust, discover the power of male sexuality.

The problem is, however, the manuscript has consumed so much of my time this last week that I haven’t been able to put together any blog posts. So, today I decided to share with you the latest family update we sent to our supporters.

I plan to wrap up the manuscript for editing the next couple of days and then will hopefully be able to prepare regular blog posts again, but until then, if you’d like to see what we’ve been up to, check out our latest family update to see our Thailand summer life described in 20 pictures.

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Making Sure Your Marriage Ends Well

By Asher Witmer Romance & Family
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I found it easy to invest in our relationship when Teresa and I were dating, but once we got married, it became more difficult. Add a couple busy boys to our life and investing in marriage feels as difficult as rowing upstream with dogs lapping at our faces. Today, we get into ruts: Danisa’s for dates, short quick prayers before sleep, flowers on birthday’s and special events, approaching sex the same way every time—you get the point.

So what are we to do? Just settle into a mundane, predictable marriage from here on forward?

I personally refuse to accept that. Marriage that way doesn’t end well. In fact, they often end early. So in an attempt to do today what it takes to end tomorrow thriving in our marriage, I’ve discovered these five ways of investing in my marriage that rekindle and deepen our relationship.

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20 Questions I Have about Church

By Asher Witmer Church Issues
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Do you understand the purpose of the church? Or do you just kind of go with what others have told you?

Even though I grew up in church I still have questions about it. And even though I would say I have an understanding of what the purpose of church is, I tend to go off of what others have told me. Not that it’s entirely wrong to do that, but I’d like to study what Scripture has to say about church by doing what I can to take the Bible at face value without reading through the lenses of what others have said.

That’s why I am embarking on a Biblical study of the church and its purpose, how it should function, and the relationships therein.

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Young Families in Danger

By Asher Witmer Personal Wholeness
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Are you scared to take your young family into missions? People usually go into missions as singles or young couples. When the kids start coming and grow older, they move back to the States and “settle down.” But what if that is actually one of the most dangerous things you could do?

They don’t learn to serve others automatically as soon as they become adults. If they have been raised pursuing sports, hanging out with people they think are cool, and taking luxurious family vacations, that’s how they will live when they have their own family.

In this post I give three reasons why I think it’s better for young families to get involved in ministry than to “settle down.”

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7 Modesty Issues That Don’t Matter

By Asher Witmer Personal Wholeness, Popular Posts
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In conservative Anabaptist circles, we often get hung-up on issues of modesty that don’t really matter.

What is modesty, anyway? If I’m going to be a modest man does it mean I wear long-sleeve shirts and long pants? Or is that completely beside the point and I just need make sure I have a humble, self-deprecating spirit?

I believe a good definition of modesty is an attitude of heart that causes us to live in such a way that does not bring attention to ourselves, but to the glory of God. For purpose this post, I want to point out seven things Anabaptists often consider “modesty issues,” but don’t really matter.

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What to Do When You Don’t Know What’s Next in Life

By Asher Witmer Personal Wholeness
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Three years ago my wife and I were asked to teach school in Thailand. The opportunity excited us. We had met in Asia and both of us left a bit of our hearts there. But the question we wrestled with was whether it is actually God’s will for us to move back to Thailand, or whether it’s just our own selfish desire?

On one hand, it seemed ridiculous because we lived in Los Angeles and were heavily involved in ministry. Why would we leave? On the other hand, what if this request was God introducing a better opportunity for us? Or what if we were just infatuated with Asia?

In this post I reflect on five truths I’ve discovered about finding God’s direction for our future.

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12 Symptoms of Religious Politics

By Asher Witmer Church Issues
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The biggest turnoff to people about the Christian church is the politics that take place when it becomes institutionalized.

My generation is especially exhausted by inauthenticity in spiritual leaders and those who are too spineless to stand for what’s right when doing so means losing constituents. But religious politics isn’t played only at the leadership level. In fact, it begins as young people in the youth group. It deepens through cliques at Bible school and culminates in the jealous battle for favor and attention over “ordinations weekend.”

In today’s post we look at twelve symptoms of religious politics and how you and I can rise above such cowardly games.

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When Children Become Well-Behaved Jerks

By Asher Witmer Romance & Family
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Children raised without the grace of God become well-behaved jerks.

When I was still at home and people would visit and compliment my parents on raising good kids, they would always say, “But for the grace of God! It’s nothing we did.” That never made sense to me. Dad and Mom were extremely intentional with how they raised us kids. What do they mean, “It’s nothing they did?”

Growing up in Christian culture, the burden of our parenting isn’t so much that our kids come to know Christ—although we would all verbalize that’s what we want. But in actuality it isn’t. What we really want is well-behaved, sensible kids with a passion for Christ that make us look like perfect parents. We want to raise our kids without needing to lean into the grace of God.

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How to Know She’ll Say “Yes!”

By Asher Witmer Romance & Family
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“You just know when it’s right.” That’s what everyone says when asked how to know when you’ve met the right person to marry. Sometimes, it feels like a cheesy cop-out.

Dating relationships are risky. You get to know each other and see if it’s a fit. The time span of that differs. The depth of relationship may differ, but when the time is right for marriage, you have a mutual sense of agreement. You really do “just know,” and engagement is simply a formal declaration of what is already felt.

However, sometimes we can oversimplify complex questions we face in life. I believe the four questions posed in the following article can help any guy identify whether or not he’s ready to propose and whether or not she may be ready to say yes.

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20 Things Men Don’t Talk about, but Should

By Asher Witmer Romance & Family, Spiritual Formation
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Women like to talk. Men, on the other hand, not so much. I don’t know why God created men and women so differently in this regard.

What I do know, however, is that there a few things men don’t talk about, but really should. At least, if we’re going to experience fulfilling and meaningful relationships with those we lead.

I’ve discovered at least twenty things I tend to avoid talking about but should. Compare your list with mine, then leave a comment adding what else you think we should start talking about.

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“I’m sick and I’d like to feel better. Do I worship my health?”

By Asher Witmer Christian Spirituality
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Prayer meetings across our nation are deteriorating, while health campaigns are increasing. Something is out of order. There is no doubt that we value our health and wealth, and the emotions that surface when they are threatened expose the fact that we value it more than we should.

But what about those who do struggle with chronic illness? If you are living in constant pain, is it wrong to seek relief? What does it mean to seek first the Kingdom of God when you are faced with chronic pain?

It seems to me that those who have struggled at length with health issues understand something about God that the rest of us don’t. What is it? What do they know that we don’t? What do they have that we don’t have?

 

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