FAITH. By the grace of God, I am a Christian. I don't mean the superficial, thanking-God-after-winning-an-award-type Christian either. This is real to me. I was a mess of an individual (by God's standards) whose only hope was redemption through Jesus Christ. Currently, I am a faithful member in good standing at a local church.
FAMILY. I'm a husband and father by God's grace. I have the greatest wife on the planet and a daughter whom I adore. This doesn't mean we always get along, but I know I've been given far more than I deserve as it relates to them.
EDUCATION. I have an undergraduate degree in business management and a graduate degree in theological studies. Jesus, theology, evangelism, ministry, and apologetics are passions of mine, so the blog generally centers around those topics. Writing is a way for me to formulate my thoughts as not to drive my family insane since I probably border somewhere between an over-thinker and contemplative.
So, there's a little bit about me, a little background that I hope will provide insight into blog posts. Just another flawed individual seeking to be used by God.
-Van Barrett (pseudonym)
AUTHOR’S NOTE: The following a written response to a Jehovah’s Witness (JWs). His name has been changed to preserve his identity, and his written correspondence has been omitted, as I didn’t seek nor obtain permission to use it. Therefore, this will be more like reading a Pauline epistle, and readers must deduce the other end of the conversation. The interaction stemmed from a...
“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper” - Is. 54:17a Like most verses on the “Commonly Misused Bible Verses” posts, today’s verse is a popular and familiar one. There’s even a gospel song with this verse in the title. So, surely Christians have a clear grasp of its meaning, right? Well, not exactly. Before we review the meaning of the text, let’s look at the verse...
A while back, I was led down the infamous YouTube rabbit trail. You know, where the algorithm throws videos in your direction that they think you’ll be interested in? Well, that rabbit trail allowed me to find a brand new world. It started with a video by someone who called himself “Joker” and eventually ended with discovery of one of the more prominent figures in the movement, the...
“And you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. 13 And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail” - Deut. 28:12b-13a Common (Mis)usage: When improperly used, many Christians believe these verses are meant to communicate their more prosperous standing in the earth. That one will “lend not borrow” suggests wealth due to being in the position to lend rather than a...
“God helps those who help themselves.” - Algernon Sydney (c. 1698; later quoted by Benjamin Franklin) This is yet another saying that isn’t really Scripture, but some people think it is. Although it sounds like “Bible” and sounds like something from Proverbs, it isn’t. The Bible actually says something quite different. As we explore this statement more, we’ll look at a Scripture...
On the surface, exegesis and apologetics may seem like two unalike disciplines of Christian studies, but they have more in common than it may appear. After all, exegesis entails the interpretive approach of “ extracting from” the text and apologetics deals with the idea of providing a written or oral defense of the Christian faith. Yet, these two concepts converge in a way that I...
“…And a little child shall lead them.” - Isaiah 11:6d ESV Common (Mis)usage: Whether it’s stated as “a child shall lead them” or “a child shall lead the way,” the phrase that’s taken from this passage of Scripture is usually meant to communicate a child’s capability within a Christian context. The implication is that children have their role in God’s kingdom (and they...