I wish I had a dollar every time someone told me about the dangers of Las Vegas and why they could not raise a family here. I habitually hear, “Oh, ministry in Sin City? Well, just like Corinth they need the Gospel too.” It seems many Christians think Las Vegas the most dangerous place in the world. After all, this IS Sin City! Right? (Or at least that is how we market our city to you). [1] Is Las Vegas the most dangerous place to anyone? Let’s face it, everyone knows the Strip has drugs, gambling, free drinks, and prostitution (even though it is technically illegal in Clark County (LV)).… Continue reading

Every one of us has presuppositions and those presuppositions exist in our thinking all the time. The word presupposition derives from the verb “presuppose,” meaning, “to suppose or assume beforehand; take for granted in advance” (see dictionary.com).

Recently the debate over the “Wall” in America turned to interesting discourse. ***Please note, I am not making any commentary on whether or not there should be a wall *** But, it revealed presuppositions. Some people said, “Trump is holding America hostage over this wall.” This is a reference to him not signing the budget failing to include the “wall” funding. However, note, this is rhetoric that presupposes there should be no wall built and he should “work with Pelosi.” This discourse reveals their presupposition.… Continue reading

I pastor a small church in the Northern Virginia town of Haymarket. It is an insanely financially prosperous area.  The average household income in our zip code is north of $150K a year. Everything around here is shiny, upscale and new (unless of course it’s historical).  Even the side walk in town is new, they tore up the perfectly good (and seemingly not very old) sidewalk along the main street to install a brand new and more aesthetically pleasing red brick walkway.  I grew up on the Northside of Pittsburgh, and even though we moved to a small apartment “out where the rich people lived” when I was in high school, none of this is familiar.… Continue reading