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50 fictional fathers

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For many people around the world, but not me, this Sunday is Fathers’ Day. This gives me an opportunity to do something I enjoy: make a list. Below is a list of 50 fictional fathers. It wasn’t an easy list to make. Initially I wanted to list 50 great dads, men like Atticus Finch and John Walton. But I couldn’t find 50 awesome fathers. To pad out my list of 50 I had to include a few dodgy fathers (eg: Darth Vader, Homer Simpson). And this has given me something to think about. If art mirrors society, where are all the good fathers? Hollywood makes 600 movies a year and a million books are published every year. Finding good fictional fathers should be easy. But it’s not. A few years ago I wrote an article entitled “Fatherless fiction.” In it I shared my observation that many great characters in literature, from Oliver Twist to Batman, grew up without knowing the love of a father. In many children’s stories the moms and dads are either absent or negligent. Parental abandonment is a common trope in children’s literature, and the absence of dads prompted me to write my own children’s story, The [...]

“The Blessing” – 2020’s unofficial anthem

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The Blessing Phenomenon may be the best thing that’s happened in a bad year. It has brought comfort to millions and unity to the church – just when we needed it. What is “The Blessing”? It’s a worship song with lyrics straight out of the Bible. You may have seen versions of this song on social media. It’s everywhere. Like a spark from heaven, this song has ignited a spiritual fire that is sweeping across the world. A fire is lit On March 6, 2020, “The Blessing” was first released as a live music video on YouTube by Elevation Music. The song was an instant hit among Christians everywhere. Within weeks, numerous cover versions had been uploaded by groups in New Zealand, South Africa, Zimbabwe, South Korea, the United States and elsewhere. Church choirs and children’s choirs did covers. At the same time, many foreign language versions of “The Blessing” began to appear. As far as I can tell, a Hebrew version was first. This was quickly followed by versions in French, Spanish, German, Mongolian, Dutch, Haitian Creole, Italian, Mandarin, Tamil, and Swedish. (You can find the links below.) Several versions of “The Blessing” have also been released in American [...]

URGENT: Last chance to get “The Good Shepherd”

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Hi friends,

Just a gentle reminder that you have one day remaining to take advantage of our special offer.

“What special offer?”

Sign up as a patron before this weekend and you will receive my latest ebook, “Henry Moorhouse’s ‘The Good Shepherd’.” My book introduces the Victorian boy preacher, Henry Moorhouse, and his great sermon in easy-to-read language for modern readers.

What is a patron? Patrons are readers like you who contribute a small amount each month to become partners in this message.

Patrons are changing the way the gospel is preached, and patronage is not without benefits. Sign up on Patreon and you can get instant access to a suite of goodies, such as bonus articles, my personal study notes and draft chapters from forthcoming books.

Not only that, but I will match your gift by giving away a corresponding number of books. Sign up at $5/month and I’ll give away 5 books. Sign up at $100 and I’ll give away 100 books! The more you give, the more we give away. It’s that simple.

Don’t like Patreon? Sign up as a monthly supporter on Donorbox at any level and I’ll send you the free book.

Being a patron is easy and you can cancel at any time. But the Moorhouse special offer is only good until tomorrow. His “Good Shepherd” sermon is an absolute gem, and a powerful word of comfort for these unsettled times. Don’t miss out.

Grace and peace,

Paul

How to be holy

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Jesus is the only one of us who lived undamaged by sin. He walked among the wreckage of fallen humanity as a beacon of wholeness and health. Jesus knew no sin yet the writer of Hebrews tells us he “learned obedience” and was “made perfect” (Heb. 5:8–9). That sounds like a contradiction, as though Jesus started out as a disobedient sinner but came good in the end. Perhaps he signed up for one of those sanctification courses and sweated his way to sinlessness. No, that didn’t happen. What the writer of Hebrews is saying is that the full beauty and purpose of Jesus’ ministry was not realized until the cross. Before he died, Christ’s ministry was incomplete or imperfect. But on the cross everything that needed to be done to save and sanctify you was accomplished: Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” … When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:28,30) Look at the words used in that passage to describe the climax of Jesus’ ministry; completed, fulfilled, finished. If [...]

The greatest grace preacher you’ve never heard of

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D. L. Moody, the great American evangelist, told millions of people about the love of God. But who told him? It was this guy…

Henry Moorhouse may be the most prolific grace preacher you’ve never heard of.

Born in Manchester in the UK in 1840, the teenaged Moorhouse was a gang leader who battled depression. He carried a loaded pistol in his pocket not intending to shoot people, but for the purpose of blowing out his brains should he be struck with utter despair.

On a cold December night in 1861, while passing the Alhambra Circus in Manchester, Moorhouse heard noises coming from within. Thinking a fight was in progress, he charged in ready to enter the fray. However, it was a gospel meeting and the preacher was telling the story of the prodigal son. Moorhouse realized the story was about him and, when he heard the name of Jesus, it pierced his heart.

Long story short, Moorhouse became known as England’s boy preacher, on account of his youthful looks. He preached to millions in the UK and the US, and he gave away countless books and tracts.

Moorhouse met the great D. L. Moody at a crusade and invited himself to preach at Moody’s church in Chicago. At first, Moody gave him the brush off. But Moorhouse sent telegram after telegram until Moody acquiesced. “I’ll be out of town on Thursday night,” Moody told his staff. “Let him preach in my absence.”

When Moody returned home on Saturday morning, he asked his wife about the English preacher

“How do the people like him?” said Moody.

“They like him very much,” said his wife.

“Did you like him?”

“Yes, I liked him very much. He preached two sermons from that verse of John: ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him shall never perish, but have everlasting life.’ I think you will like him, although he preaches a little differently from you.”

“How is that?”

“Well, he tells the worst sinners that God loves them.”

“Then he is wrong.”

“I think you will agree with him when you hear him, because he backs up everything he says with the Bible.”

Thank God for Moody’s wife! She convinced her husband to hear Moorhouse, and on Sunday morning he heard a message that changed his life. Again the young Englishman preached on John 3:16. He went from Genesis to Revelation showing how God loves the whole world. “Up to that time,” said Moody,

I never knew that God loved us so much. This heart of mine began to thaw out; I could not keep back the tears. It was like news from a far country. I just drank it in.

Moody asked Moorhouse to preach again and the young Englishman stayed a week. Every night he preached on John 3:16 until that gospel message took root in D. L. Moody’s soul. “He just beat that truth down into my heart, and I have never doubted it.”

Supernatural power is released when we tell people that God loves them. Moody experienced this power first hand and it made him a new man. After Moorhouse’s visit, Moody began to preach a different gospel:

I used to preach that God was behind the sinner with a double-edged sword ready to hew him down. I have got done with that. I preach now that God is behind him with love, and he is running away from love.

Millions of people heard about the love of God through D. L. Moody, but he heard about it from the boy preacher from England. For this reason, Henry Moorhouse is known as the man who moved the man who moved millions.

If you’d like to learn more about the boy preacher who swapped a pistol for a Bible, check out my latest Classic Sermon on Patreon. It’s Moorhouse’s 1875 sermon, “The Good Shepherd,” which I have modified to make it more readable for a 21st century audience.

If you have been anxious or are looking for a word of comfort in these troubled times, find out what Moorhouse has to say about the Keeper of the sheep. Jesus is the Good Shepherd, the Great Shepherd, and the Chief Shepherd besides.

For the next few days, anyone who signs up as a supporter on Patreon will get the ebook. Being a patron is easy and cheap, and you can cancel at any time. Don’t like Patreon? Sign up as a monthly supporter on Donorbox at any level and I’ll send you the free book too. But this special offer ends next week.

Not interested in 145 year old sermons? How about this: For every new patron who signs up in the next few days, I will give away a corresponding number of grace books. Sign up as a monthly patron at the $5 level, and I will give away 5 books. Sign up at the $100 level, and I will give away 100 books, and so on.

Your investment will help others hear about the good news of grace! Who knows? You may even be a Moorhouse to the next Moody.

Don’t delay. Become a patron today!

Why are there no great Christian movies?

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I recently turned 50, and to mark the occasion I ranked my all time top 50 movies. Every guy has a list of his favorite five or ten movies. I wanted to go all the way to 50 baby! It turned out to be a worthy challenge because there are so many great movies. In the end, I listed 100 movies (my top 50 + 50 honorable mentions). You can check out the list on Facebook. My list has an eclectic mix of genres and languages. There’s something for everyone and a whole lot for me. I could watch all 100 films again and again. But when I reviewed my list I realized it included no great Christian movies. How could I have missed this fast-growing genre? But then I googled “great Christian movies” and discovered that there aren’t any. Sure, there are good Christian movies, but no great ones. And by great, I mean good enough to make my top 100 list of all time movies. The only movie that comes close is Prince of Egypt (#48 on my list), but that’s as much a Jewish story as a Christian one. You could say the same for The Ten [...]

What does it mean to have an ear to hear?

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At the end of the Bible we find letters from Jesus to seven churches. At the end of each letter, he says this: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (see Rev. 2:7a). We like to think that we have heard Jesus. But how do we know we have? How can we be sure? What does it mean to have an ear to hear? It means spiritual truth comes by revelation. “He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit is saying” is one of Jesus’ favorite expressions. It’s the punch line to each of the Revelation letters as well as several of his parables. He’s saying, “Don’t just hear my words; receive the Spirit of revelation.” Did you know it’s possible to hear the words of Jesus and not hear what the Holy Spirit is saying? Think of it as a choice between earthly and heavenly wisdom. The former originates in our minds, while the latter comes from the Spirit. An example may help: If you read the Bible and come away with a list of things you must do to earn God’s favor, then you have received earthly [...]

The sky is falling! Darkened suns and falling stars

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Pamdemics. Economic collapse. Locust plagues. Murder hornets. Whenever the world goes through a crisis, it’s natural to wonder if we have reached the end of days. “This is it! We’re all going to die!” We turn to social media and YouTube for answers and encounter wacky end time predictions. Some involve spectacular astronomical events, such as blood moons, mysterious constellations, and, most dramatic of all, a darkening sun. But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. (Matt. 24:29) Was Jesus talking about the end of the world? Most pastors would say he was. A 2020 survey by LifeWay Research revealed that 9 out of 10 pastors say current events match those that Jesus said would occur shortly before he returns to Earth. Many think this way because they have bought into doom and gloom predictions about the end of the world that are more informed by Newsweek than Scripture. The Son of God said no one knows the day or hour of his return, but certain preachers know more than [...]

Did Jesus say adultery is the only grounds for divorce?

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In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said this about divorce and remarriage: It has been said, “Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.” But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (Matthew 5:31-32) The words of Jesus are meant to impart life, but a misreading of this passage can bring condemnation and despair. Women have even been beaten and killed on account of this passage. They’ve been told, “You cannot leave your violent and abusive husband unless he’s been unfaithful.” If your spouse is intimate with another person, you can walk away. But if they beat you, you have to stay there and take it. Really? Was Jesus saying that infidelity is the only legitimate grounds for divorce? Was he deaf to the cries of those suffering domestic violence? Something doesn’t add up. Jesus came to defend women against all forms of violence and abuse. In the first century, Jewish women were suffered abuse in the form of quickie divorces and abandonment. This is the issue Jesus was addressing in the Sermon on [...]

Is the Bible sexist?

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Some people reject the Bible because they believe it promotes a male-dominated worldview. “The Bible is oppressive to women. It reinforces patriarchal stereotypes that view women as inferior.” There is a measure of truth to this claim. Consider the laws of ancient Israel. Israel had laws that permitted the kidnapping of foreign women, and prescribed conditions under which a rape victim could be compelled to marry her rapist. Under the law a man could overrule his wife or daughter’s vow, and an impoverished father could sell his daughter as a concubine. By law, only men could work as priests and serve in the temple. (See Ex. 21:7, Num. 8:24, 30:3–15, Deu. 21:11–14, 22:28–29.) But to reject the Bible because it provides an accurate portrayal of patriarchal cultures is to throw out the baby with the bathwater. The Bible also champions the role of women. It honors female pioneers and leaders. The Bible empowers and elevates women many different ways. Since we’re talking about ancient laws, how about these ancient laws… The Ten Commandments given to Israel are among the world’s oldest known laws. They were utterly radical for their time because they promoted gender equality in a world of inequality. [...]

Seven zeroes

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On its first day, Escape to Reality was viewed 20 times and I was stoked. Three years later it reached a million page views, and I was astonished. A few days ago, we passed 10 million page views and I don’t know what to say. Except, thank you. And wow. 10,000,000. There is nothing particularly significant about a number with seven zeroes, but it does give me the opportunity to thank every one who has read and shared my writing. As a way of saying thanks for the seven zeroes, I want to share my seven best-selling books with you for a special pandemic pay-whatever-you-want price. Which means for the next seven days you can get all seven books for seven big fat zeroes! ​   Thanks again, Paul PS: Giveaways like these are possible thanks to generous supporters on Patreon or Donorbox. You guys rock!

Why is this an excellent time to get water baptized?

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A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I baptized our two daughters in the sea behind our house. We had an informal service in front of a small group of friends. And by small group, I mean, really small. There were only three other adults plus our two other kids. At the time, our city was not yet in lockdown, but many of our friends were in self isolation on account of COVID-19. For years, people have been asking me to write about baptism. For me, baptism is a simple issue. However, I know that some people can get hung up about it. Not wanting to get sucked into distracting doctrinal debates, I’ve said nothing. Until now. And what I want to say is this: If you’ve never been baptized, now is an excellent time. Do it. You’ll be glad you did. But first, some Q&As. Why get baptized? Jesus did it and he said those who followed him would do it (Matt 28:19). What more reason do you need? If I choose not to get baptized, am I still saved? Salvation is a faith issue. It’s settled in your heart, not in water. If you have called on [...]

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