I'll be in the shop

As hundreds of you haven't e-mailed me about, it's apparent that I've not posted much on my website this year.

There is a myriad of movement happening in my life and all of it is good. However, one of the difficulties that occurs when life gets busy is the prioritization of tasks. I'm constantly thinking through what is most important for me to do at the present time.

For now, my online articles are taking a backseat to my priorities. It's likely that I won't put together another post until the 2018 Christian Music Review. In the meantime, here's what I'm working on.

• Pastoring at Payson Bible Church in Payson, UT. Teaching, leadership development, evangelism, innovation, vision, and strategy consume much of my thought these days. 
• Writing my next book. I'm co-writing a very useful text on having a right perspective regarding doctrine. What are the hills to die on in our churches? Is it really that big of a deal if someone rejects the doctrine of an eternal hell? Can a Christian smoke? My good friend Kenn Chipchase and I will be answering those questions and more in this book that will hopefully come out next year. You can view the chart upon which the book is based here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jJCsnHtXyC-ZxARP7BqNOweyapuHL-V7/view?usp=sharing
• Being the dad and husband I couldn't be for the last three and a half years. When we moved to Utah in 2014, I immediately had a full-time job: associate pastor at Payson Bible Church. The only problem with this position was that it didn't come with any kind of salary. So I picked up a second full-time job, which eventually led to corporate sales, which eventually led to me being away from home a whole lot. Between ministry and business, I was out of the house too much. Since the start of this year I've been home a lot more and it's been wonderful. We're making up for lost time.

Additionally, I'm figuring out how I want this blog to look going forward and how much emphasis I want to put on my most successful endeavor to-date: Christian music reviews.

So if you're wondering why you haven't seen much from JeremyHoward.net lately, I hope this gives (both of) you a little more insight. 

Thanks for reading and God bless!

30 Questions for Bible Skeptics

You know the type.

People who say things like, "I like Jesus, but I don't trust the Bible."
Or, "Embrace the gospels; cautiously read the rest."

Many of these people claim to be Christians. They like Jesus a lot, but they cannot seem to understand how the Bible as a whole could be the infallible, inspired word of God.

These questions are for those people.

2017: A Christian Music Review

About the Judge

This is my fourth annual end-of-year Christian music recap. Check out my 2014 review, 2015 review, and 2016 review.

I enjoy biblical music. There's a scale I made that shows the difference between music that's entertaining and music that's edifying. You can see that here.

My favorite style of music is indie/alternative. So there's my bias.

Unfortunately, this list could never be comprehensive. I try my best to feature a smattering of serious Christian songwriters, ranging from popular to lesser-known.

The Darkest Place

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?"

Jeremiah 17:9

In the aftermath of the Las Vegas shooting, there have been numerous articles unveiling the details of the massacre, pairing with other articles that attempt to process the depth of depravity Stephen Paddock put on display. You have undoubtedly read or heard multiple sides of this story and, perhaps, struggled with the way you should understand it.

The biggest reason people don't feel close to God

Feelings are a funny thing.

One day, life is as good as it could ever be. Endorphins are running free in your body as you smell fresh air and see sunshine everywhere you look.

The next day, life is awful. You hurt, the air is stale, and all is gloomy.

Whether right or wrong, the feelings you have at any given moment can affect your thinking, relationships, and (unfortunately) your walk with God. So feelings aren't just funny -- they're powerful.