Reliable Truth

I remember watching a movie at around age 19, and laughing more than I'd ever laughed before in my entire life. About 6 months later I became a Christian, finished college and went on to start my career. Some years later I found that same movie in a rental store and excitedly took it home to watch it. I started watching it, and after about 10 or 15 minutes I had to turn it off because it was so cr...

Would you say that you're living a healthy life? And what does a healthy life even look like? Today I'm diving into the life of King David and his fall into adultery–we'll look closely at what happened in his life. When marriages are struggling and there's not much passion going on, that's when you are particularly vulnerable to the temptation to adultery. Proverbs 5 tells us men to, "Drink water...

As many of you may know, pastor and author Tim Keller passed away this past Friday. I am grateful for Tim's life and his witness, and for how the Lord has used him so powerfully in so many people's lives. We are thankful for the wisdom he has given to us through his speaking events at The Center. In honor of Tim, I’d like to share with you his last Bible Study message to us, given live from New Yo...

"You just won your first major. You’ve got a beautiful young wife. You’ve got houses, cars, money, everything a 26 or 27 year-old could ever dream of and more. Well, what is this emptiness about? I had no ideas... " - Bernhard Langer Today Richard's guest is professional golfer Bernhard Langer. Join us to hear Bernhard's fascinating story and his journey of faith. Bernhard is a t...

Jerry Leachman of  Leachman Ministries  joins us today with a message calling us to give our lives away. Jesus said people that give their life away will find their life. You know when you’re giving your life away because it’s impossible to be contentious toward anybody. You have become their servant. You don’t think you’re better than others, and you’re free from the bondage of consumerism. Peopl...

What does it mean to be a human being?   Dr. Mark Gignilliat joins us with a message from the book of Exodus. I believe that we are seeing the erosion of the West, right in front of us. Shifts in our culture are accelerating very quickly. What we are seeing is going to require us to wrestle with the very basic questions of who we are: What does it mean to be a human being?  Do humans have a nature...

Millions have read books and listened to sermons by Timothy Keller. But which people and what events shaped his own thinking and spiritual growth? Today I'm having a conversation with Collin Hansen, as we celebrate his latest book Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation. Timothy Keller  takes readers behind the scenes to meet the people and understand the events that formed Ke...

The prophet Ezekiel in the Bible is a wild ride. I'm not sure how else to describe him. Ezekiel is a remarkable prophet of the Old Testament Exile. Dr. Mark Gignilliat joins us with a message from the first chapter of Ezekiel. Hebrews 7:25 tells us that Jesus, "...is also able to save forever those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." Ezekiel chapter 1...

Think about these words - truth and evidence. How do we know what is true and valid? Is there real evidence for God? I believe that every single one of us should be asking these questions. The healthiest men I know adhere to Socrates' advice to “follow the truth wherever it leads.” So in order to discover what is true and valid we must take time to search it out for ourselves. Faith needs a founda...

Are you looking for hope in your life today? In light of the recent, tragic school shooting in Nashville, I'd like to share this message of hope from a Good Friday talk I gave a few years ago. I believe it is pertinent today. Author and pastor Tim Keller says this, “Hope is the engine that drives your life. And the reason is because how you live your life today is so influenced by how you perceive...

When you think of God, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? In other words, when you think of the attributes of God, what do you think of? Here in the south, many of us might describe God as a loving God, a merciful God, that He is a forgiving God and He is an all-powerful God. You see those descriptions in the Bible of who God is. These are descriptions that make us feel good about Go...

Today's message might possibly be the most important message I could ever share with Christian men. Proverbs 16:5 says, "The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: they will not go unpunished." Think about those words. Then James 4:6 tells us, "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble." The Greek word for opposed there means "to be at war with." Now who in the world wants...

Today Richard joins Jeff Pinkleton on the Pinkleton Pull-Aside Podcast to discuss Biblical manhood, the existence of God, Alabama football and much more. Special thanks to our brother in the Lord, Bob " Coach Schue " Schuemann, for connecting Richard with Jeff and the good folks at The Gathering! Jeff Pinkleton is Executive Director of the Gathering of the Miami Valley, where their mission is to c...

We live in an age of constant distraction. We have to be intentional to find space for reflection, for prayer - to crowd out the noise of existence. Many people are marked by angst, depression and even suicidal thoughts.  Where are you looking for hope in your life? Dr. Mark Gignilliat joins us with a message about Lent and the book of Psalms. Psalm 121:1-2 tells us, "I lift up my eyes to the hill...

Isn't it interesting to think about how we let other people have such an influence on how we live our lives. I think we would all agree that the people in our lives are important to us. In fact, relationships are the substance of life. We were meant to be with other people. But, am I living my life to please others? Or am I living for the approval of God? I can't do both. You cannot truly live to...

Dr. Mark Gignilliat from Beeson Divinity School joins us again, this time with a message from the book of Psalms. If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only take one book of the Bible with you, which one would you choose? For me, I think it would be the Psalms. They are rich. There’s a treasure trove here of insight into what it means to live all of life In God’s presence. Now, let m...

How do we find the true riches of life? In this series of talks we've discussed many fears and pitfalls that men experience - the fear of failure, battling the pressure to perform and 'act like a man.' We compare and compete constantly. This leaves men feeling isolated and alone. If you think about it, a man's greatest fear should never be the fear of failure, but the fear of actually succeeding a...

Fear is a very interesting emotion. It's created by one thing: uncertainty over the future, and it operates in the realm of our imagination. It's amazing how we play things out in our minds, and most people don't know what to do with it. Fears end up running wild in their imaginations, particularly when they wake up at two or three o'clock in the morning and their minds start whirling. That's when...

How do you cope when you experience hardship or failure in your life? Going through difficult times or failure exposes our true selves, which leads to more questions:  How do you define and measure your worth as a person?  What are the motivations that drive you?  Where do you get your worth as an individual?  Our culture tells us that our worth is all about performance and success. We've somehow...

If there were only room for one thing in your life, what would it be?  You know, when we're dead and gone, I can promise you this, people will not remember us for the houses we lived in, the cars we drove or what we accomplished in our business or personal lives. They will primarily remember us for the kind of people we were. Character, wisdom, love, and compassion. And if these qualities are what...

What is the desire of your heart for this new year?  Jerry Leachman of Leachman Ministries joins us today with a message to fuel your passions for 2023. How to cultivate an inner circle of wise people that can strengthen you and give clarity to your life. Most men don't even have an inner circle. They just have acquaintances. You need a wing man. If you don't have one, then pray for one. I...

Happy New Year! What are your goals for 2023? Are there areas in your life that you want to change? Let's say you play golf, and you decide to go take a golf lesson. The first thing they will do is to film your golf swing. And they do it for one primary reason: to determine what are the flaws in your swing . The only way you're going to get better, the only way you're going to transform your golf...

*RE-AIR EPISODE* Merry Christmas! Today’s podcast is taken a Christmas blog that I originally wrote several years ago. I share one of my favorite stories that illustrates the ultimate reason Jesus came into the world. I hope that as we enter this Christmas season, and get caught up in the pageantry and celebration of His birth, that we would not forget that God sent His Son into the world to rescu...

How does wisdom impact our lives? Well, it impacts the decisions and the choices we make in life.  Wisdom changes people. It impacts not only what we see, but what we choose. This is of critical importance because our lives end up being the sum of the choices we make as we walk down the path of life. Your life today is the sum of the choices that you've made over a lifetime. The way of wisdom is a...

Dr. Mark Gignilliat from Beeson Divinity School, joins us today with a special Advent message from the book of Isaiah. Do you feel overwhelmed by the busyness of the Christmas season? And what about all the chaos of the world?   Just like the story of Charlie Brown's Christmas, things don't seem to be right in terms of what this season is all about. But let me just encourage you to find, by God's...