Dr. Mark Alan Williams and friends answer questions about the Christian faith: questions about the God, Jesus, the Bible, eternity, belief, religion the reasonableness of faith and others.

Dr. Mark Alan Williams and friends answer questions about the Christian faith: questions about the God, Jesus, the Bible, eternity, belief, religion the reasonableness of faith and others.

Recently Carolyn and I went to Tijuana, Mexico for a Christmas Outreach with Reaching the Hungry ministry (led by our good friends Carlos and Lisa Sales). Carlos put me on the Christmas present wrapping team—he’s got a real eye for talent, haha.

Dr. Mark Alan Williams and friends answer questions about the Christian faith: questions about the God, Jesus, the Bible, eternity, belief, religion the reasonableness of faith and others.

One of the big surprises when I started in ministry was the amount of conflict we faced. Right from the get-go in our first church plant, there was intense conflict. Tragically that conflict was never resolved and many people left the church.

Dr. Mark Alan Williams and friends answer questions about the Christian faith: questions about the God, Jesus, the Bible, eternity, belief, religion the reasonableness of faith and others.

What is the worst sin in the world? Is it murder, rape, child molestation…?

Dr. Mark Alan Williams and friends answer questions about the Christian faith: questions about the God, Jesus, the Bible, eternity, belief, religion the reasonableness of faith and others.

Don’t you hate it when Christians take a biblical concept and twist it around so the meaning is lost?

Dr. Mark Alan Williams and friends answer questions about the Christian faith: questions about the God, Jesus, the Bible, eternity, belief, religion the reasonableness of faith and others.

A few years ago our family went to Knott’s Berry Farm amusement park on Thanksgiving Day. It was soon after Carolyn’s dad died and we wanted to just escape a little.

Dr. Mark Alan Williams and friends answer questions about the Christian faith: questions about the God, Jesus, the Bible, eternity, belief, religion the reasonableness of faith and others

In 2010 I was named Alumnus of the Year at Moody Bible Institute. It was a wonderful honor. But one of the thoughts that kept going through my mind was when I failed one of the required courses as a student and almost didn’t graduate!

Dr. Mark Alan Williams and friends answer questions about the Christian faith: questions about the God, Jesus, the Bible, eternity, belief, religion the reasonableness of faith and others.

Have you ever tried to please people who it turned out were impossible to please? What profound frustration!

Dr. Mark Alan Williams and friends answer questions about the Christian faith: questions about the God, Jesus, the Bible, eternity, belief, religion the reasonableness of faith and others.

few weeks ago Carolyn and I were wondering if we should attend a memorial service. A pastor friend’s wife had died. We really didn’t know her very well. We decided to go. It was one of the better decisions we made that week.

The recent gay marriage debate and decisions by the US Supreme Court have triggered reflection on the roots and the purpose of marriage. How do we know the meaning of marriage? In order to know, we have to go to the source—the Creator of marriage, Almighty God.

Someone shared with me his terrible regret over past sins. He said, “I don’t deserve to live.” I felt terrible for him.

This week a man I’ve never met put a comment on Facebook about my give-away eBook saying that I’m just sharing it just for money. I replied that I had not received even one penny from my eBook or from the entire website. He responded that if I ever received any money from any ministry work, that I’m a fraud and a con artist.

The Roe vs. Wade abortion decision of the Supreme Court of the US happened in 1973, just four months before graduation from my senior year of high school. Like many, I didn’t know what to think at the time. It legalized abortion at any time during pregnancy in every state.

When Carolyn and I were first married, we really had fun together for 2 years. Then we had our first child and everything changed overnight. We found out what an immense job it is to raise children. Suddenly life revolved around feeding, changing, supervising, and later transporting, entertaining and disciplining the children.

Carolyn and I just got back from a wonderful vacation to the Caribbean. On Sunday we had the joy of attending St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Kirk in Nassau, Bahamas. Rev. Bryn MacPhail gave a message from Galatians 3 starting with verse 1 which reads, “You stupid people of Galatia! Who put you under an evil spell? Wasn’t Christ Jesus’ crucifixion clearly described to you?” (Galatians 3:1 GW)

Dr. Mark Alan Williams and friends answer questions about the Christian faith: questions about the God, Jesus, the Bible, eternity, belief, religion the reasonableness of faith and others.

Recently on Facebook a man responded to my article What the Bible Says About Homosexuality: Uncut, Uncensored and Unedited saying that we had better adjust our Biblical understanding to accommodate changing cultural norms. It was obvious he is looking for a way out of what the Bible says in the light of the Supreme Court ruling on “gay marriage.”

Dr. Mark Alan Williams and friends answer questions about the Christian faith: questions about the God, Jesus, the Bible, eternity, belief, religion the reasonableness of faith and others.

Carolyn and I were on a walk recently and started talking about theAshley Madison scandal. Our conversation centered around the fact that so many have been caught “red handed” in that website designed to match men and women for an extramarital affair. Pastors, deacons, elders, teachers, civic leaders, even Josh Duggar were found to be among the subscribers when the list was hacked.

As I write this I’m sitting in a Starbucks coffee shop. It’s very windy outside and the wind messed up my hair as I walked in. I had no control; it blew wherever it wanted. Other customers look windblown and nobody can do anything about it. The wind blows wherever it wishes.

Dr. Mark Alan Williams and friends answer questions about the Christian faith: questions about the God, Jesus, the Bible, eternity, belief, religion the reasonableness of faith and others.

Do you sometimes wake up on the wrong side of the bed? Some days I wake with dread, fear and depression. I remember one day in 1998 when I was overcome with anxiety and regret. It was toward the beginning of the Great Recession and I  realized that an investment property I had decreased to about half its purchased value. I broke out in a sweat and had a hard time thinking about anything else. For days and even months after that I struggled with feelings of regret, fear and disillusionment. Sad, huh?

Dr. Mark Alan Williams and friends answer questions about the Christian faith: questions about the God, Jesus, the Bible, eternity, belief, religion the reasonableness of faith and others.

Some time ago I was teaching about why we must plant new churches when a pastor began to challenge my teaching. He wasn’t happy that I was saying that churches should plant churches. He seemed convinced that giving birth to other churches would harm or destroy his church. It was an uncomfortable exchange right in the middle of the meeting.

Our culture in the USA honors bold, confident, even brash leaders. But God doesn’t always work through leaders like that. He often uses the reluctant, quiet, humble people. I for one am glad of that, since I haven’t always fit the cultural ideal for a leader. Perhaps you can relate.

Readmore:

Dr. Mark Alan Williams and friends answer questions about the Christian faith: questions about the God, Jesus, the Bible, eternity, belief, religion the reasonableness of faith and others.

Dr. Mark Alan Williams and friends answer questions about the Christian faith: questions about the God, Jesus, the Bible, eternity, belief, religion the reasonableness of faith and others.

My father Claude A. Williams Jr. was remarkable in his care for his second wife Millie. After my mother died in 1995, dad was very lonely. After a year and a half he married Millie. It was a “senior” wedding—he was 69 years old.

Some time ago I was emotionally overwhelmed by several major trials – a family member’s suicide, a problem child, a parent’s Alzheimer’s disease, major financial disappointments and my wife’s sister’s cancer and death,

My parents lived together in the same house for 33 years. My mother passed away in 1995 and dad lived there until he died in 2011. Of course neither one could take anything with them, as death causes us to part with all our material possessions.

In the days since the Supreme Court decision on “gay marriage” there has been much written on it from a Christian perspective. I have read my fair share. Some has been very insightful and helpful. Others have caused me to be concerned.

Several friends have mentioned how disappointed they are to see others who are supposed to be Christians supporting gay marriages and the recent Supreme Court Ruling. Many are wondering: Can a Christian Support Gay Marriage?

Perhaps you haven’t seen the photo below of the White House draped in the symbolic rainbow colors of the LGBT movement.

One of the strangest experiences I’ve ever had was when a relative was in a Board and Care home in the last months of life. Her body was shutting down, including her mind.

Dr. Mark Alan Williams and friends answer questions about the Christian faith: questions about the God, Jesus, the Bible, eternity, belief, religion the reasonableness of faith and others.

Dr. Mark Alan Williams and friends answer questions about the Christian faith: questions about the God, Jesus, the Bible, eternity, belief, religion the reasonableness of faith and others.

Dr. Mark Alan Williams and friends answer questions about the Christian faith: questions about the God, Jesus, the Bible, eternity, belief, religion the reasonableness of faith and others.

Dr. Mark Alan Williams and friends answer questions about the Christian faith: questions about the God, Jesus, the Bible, eternity, belief, religion the reasonableness of faith and others.

Recently I was asked to make a 150 word contribution for an upcoming book by answering this question: “What has been your biggest failure as a church planter and what did you learn from this failure?”

Dr. Mark Alan Williams and friends answer questions about the Christian faith: questions about the God, Jesus, the Bible, eternity, belief, religion the reasonableness of faith and others.

Dr. Mark Alan Williams and friends answer questions about the Christian faith: questions about the God, Jesus, the Bible, eternity, belief, religion the reasonableness of faith and others.

As a new church planter, I was astounded that we faced serious conflict in the first two months. It wasn’t the heated boiling-over kind of conflict; it was more simmering and hidden, on the back-of-the-stove kind.

A mature leader and I went to the home of the family involved to discuss things, but when we rang the doorbell no one answered. We suspected they were home, but were avoiding us.

Unfortunately, I made lots of mistakes in that unhappy episode, and I have made many more since. But I’ve also learned a few helpful things from my own mistakes, from my training, and from mentoring by others.

Dr. Mark Alan Williams and friends answer questions about the Christian faith: questions about the God, Jesus, the Bible, eternity, belief, religion the reasonableness of faith and others.

One of the kids on our school bus route in middle school was a guy named Kendall Weaks. Kendall was quite slim and looked weak which, unfortunately, made him an easy target for bullies.

Once in a while I tried to defend Kendall when someone was pestering him. But I often regretted not defending him more decisively. I didn’t want to become the new target of the bullies. But Kendall needed protection.

You and I need protection. Spiritual protection. We need protecting prayer.

One of the kids on our school bus route in middle school was a guy named Kendall Weaks. Kendall was quite slim and looked weak which, unfortunately, made him an easy target for bullies.

In 2 years’ time, I have written and published 100 articles on this website. It’s celebration time—woo-hoo!

Developing my website and online ministry has been a major learning experience and a ton of work. But I don’t intend to quit for some very important reasons I’d like to share with you. 

01. Here’s why I am doing this:

01. To glorify God by using my gifts.

Scripture is clear that we must use whatever gifts we are given to serve:  “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Peter 4:10 ESV)

I was a communications and writing major in college. So far I have authored or co-authored 4 books and 2 eBooks. In addition, I have written materials that are being used to train thousands of church planting leaders through Dynamic Church Planting International where I serve as VP of Materials.

These avenues are awesome and I want to continue to increase the stewardship of my gifts through this website.

Read More

In 2 years’ time, I have written and published 100 articles on this website. It’s celebration time—woo-hoo!

Developing my website and online ministry has been a major learning experience and a ton of work. But I don’t intend to quit for some very important reasons I’d like to share with you. 

01. Here’s why I am doing this:

01. To glorify God by using my gifts.

Scripture is clear that we must use whatever gifts we are given to serve:  “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Peter 4:10 ESV)

I was a communications and writing major in college. So far I have authored or co-authored 4 books and 2 eBooks. In addition, I have written materials that are being used to train thousands of church planting leaders through Dynamic Church Planting International where I serve as VP of Materials.

These avenues are awesome and I want to continue to increase the stewardship of my gifts through this website.

Learn More.

Dr. Mark Alan Williams and friends answer questions about the Christian faith: questions about the God, Jesus, the Bible, eternity, belief, religion the reasonableness of faith and others.

If you notice a similarity between this article’s title and the title of so many articles, books, and conversations, “Why is there so much suffering in the world,” then you are on track with my thinking.

Recently Carolyn and I were able to finish a 10 year project of building a house and moving in. This arduous experience got me thinking about how moving is like going to heaven. At least it seems that way in our experience.

Let me explain.

Jesus said, “In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:2-3 ESV)

These are words of immense encouragement. Jesus was talking about our eternal home, our heavenly home.

This world is not our home—we have a place of incredible joy awaiting us if we know Jesus. One day we will make that wonderful move.

Jesus told a story in Mathew 18 about a man who refused to forgive. The punch line is, “Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt. That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.” (Matthew 18:34-35 NLT) Wow!

Sometimes the best way to get what you want is to submit to what others want. When my heart began to have problems with atrial fibrillation (heartbeat out of rhythm), I submitted to a doctor’s care. He told me to do things I didn’t want to do—like take a medication twice a day. But I took the medication anyway and guess what—my heart problem has been relieved.

Many people don’t know the difference between thanking and praising. Ask them to praise God and they will begin to recite all the things they are grateful for. Essentially they are focusing on all God has done for them. The focus is on them, not on God. But praise focuses on God, not us.

It was wrong and I knew it, but I couldn’t seem to stop envying a church planter in my area whose church seemed far more successful. In fact, every Sunday I had to drive past his church to get to my temporary facility, and when I drove by my thoughts were along the lines, “Why does he seem to have so much more success, Lord? It’s not fair. He has a nice facility; I have a temporary facility. He has a big crowd; I have a little huddle.”

One very hot Saturday in August 1997 I went running. I ran hard and when I got to my street, a neighbor lady looked at me and quipped, “You look like you’re having a heart attack.” I thought she was just joking, but she wasn’t too far from the truth.

Carolyn and I are completing the process of building a new home and moving in. We have had to make tons of small, medium and large decisions—decisions about design, costs, contractors, appliances, furnishings, landscaping, what to keep, what to let go of, and on and on.Our decisioning muscles have been maxed out!

Back in the early 1980’s when I was starting a new church, I went to hundreds of houses to invite people to our church. Part of my approach was to first ask people if I could ask a personal spiritual question. If they said “yes” then I would ask, “If you were to die today and stand before the Lord who said ‘Why should I allow you into my heaven?’ How would you respond?”

In college I had a professor for a class who really bugged me. I studied hard (I thought) for the midterm, and did poorly. So I decided to blow-off the final and just take a low grade for the class. The problem was I studied so little, I completely flunked the final and it brought my grade for the class to failing. And it was a required class.

When my mother died suddenly from a heart attack in January of 1995 at just 69 years of age, I was devastated. It was so terribly sudden and unexpected. I had anticipated many more years of family gatherings and togetherness. In a flash she was gone. Our family was never the same again.

After a conversation at lunch this week about the bestselling book The Shack, I was thinking of writing about “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” I wasn’t sure I would write something however until just a few hours later a pastor told me what has happened recently at one of the oldest churches in our area. The senior pastor has been dismissed for adopting a “universalist” position such as that suggested in The Shack. When I heard that, I knew immediately I had to write this article.

What can we do when it gets that way? Thankfully as a Christian, we are not alone. We have help available: the Holy Spirit.

But what can the Holy Spirit do for us? Look what the Bible tells us:

• He teaches John 14:26
• He guides John 16:13
• He comforts John 14:16
• He convicts us of sin John 16:8
• He makes us realize God’s love Romans 5:5
• He reveals God's secrets 1 Corinthians 2:10-16
• He gives us joy and peace Romans 14:17
• He enables us to live the Christian life Romans 8:5-9
• He works His fruit in us Galatians 5:16-25
• He prays for us in times of crisis Romans 8:24
• He encourages Acts 9:31
• He is always with us Psalm 139:7-10
• He will raise us from the dead Romans 8:11

Without the Holy Spirit, we are handicapped and cannot get the help needed to be all that we can be.

[Tweet "Without the Holy Spirit, we are handicapped and cannot get the help needed to be all that we can be."]

The Holy Spirit working in our lives is so important that we are actually commanded to live in His fullness: “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18)

Carolyn and I have made some financial mistakes for sure. Some of our investments have been disastrous. Just last week we got an unexpected bill for $5,000.00 and another for almost $2,000.00. Yikes!

Recently I was listening to a prominent scientist who said he has a hard time believing in God because if there is a God, he can’t understand why He allows pain and suffering. If God is God wouldn’t He just get rid of it? So the scientist figured. Now this got me to thinking.

When I was a kid, porn was coming of age. Our neighbor’s father had a subscription to Playboy magazine. The magazines were available any time at their home. I knew that looking at those pictures wasn’t in line with my faith and Christian living, but I found them very “interesting.” 

Last week two friends shared their stories of failure in anger management to the point of near tragedy. Both were so furious with someone that they thought seriously about shooting them. These were two different experiences on two different continents. Both were workplace related. One is a man and the other a woman. One was a Christian at the time and the other was not. Both were stopped in the process of taking their guns to do the horrible deed. 

How do you prepare for eternity? Recently my friend Gary Poling died quite suddenly. Two days ago I led his memorial service. Carolyn and I have now both lost our parents. More and more we’re feeling old and “next up” for facing death and passing on to the other side.

What will be your life legacy? How can you stay motivated to build a great legacy? One man used a large picture frame. The left side had a picture of the hospital where he was born and on the right side was a picture of the cemetery where he would be buried. In the center was a big question mark.

The bookend photographs indicated his beginning and end. The center question mark was a reminder to fill the time in between with significance.

Are we filling the question mark of our time on earth with significance? I fear that many are not.