Coffee with Creamer

Barry covers another Psalm of Ascent, a reminder of how and why we worship. Psalm 132 turns the idea of coming to worship on its head as we are not approaching God, hoping to get his attention so he will care about the things we care about. Instead, we find that God has already promised […]

Have you ever wondered why we pray? We say that God knows everything before it happens, and we believe he is always good (to the level of perfection, in fact), so why do we show up asking for things to change at all? In Psalm 130, our third Psalm of Ascent, Barry talks about the […]

The next Psalm we sing to one another, Psalm 126, as we climb up to worship God together encourages us to use our past to find hope in our future. Looking at God’s work in our life can bolster the faith we need to endure our present. Sometimes it can be easier for others to […]

Barry begins our next summer series, for the month of July, back in the Psalms. This time we focus on the Psalms of Ascent. These particular songs were used as the people of God left the land of their various tribes and homes to come to a central place of worship, high up on the […]

Barry conducts our final interview with a Vice President at Criswell College. The life of Luis Juárez, our Vice President of Student Affairs and Communications, has definitely taken a circuitous route through countries, struggles, and joys, keeping with our pattern. God knows right where we are headed, even when we might never know or even […]

Barry conducts the third of his interviews with Vice Presidents at Criswell College. The life and career of Kevin Stilley, our VP of Finance, also took a circuitous route (there seems to be a pattern emerging here). His journey includes a love of reading and learning, “accidental” changes in career and ministry, and some very […]

Barry conducts the second of his interviews with Vice Presidents at Criswell College, this one with Dr. Curtis Woods, our VP of Academic Affairs. A circuitous route, including public, visible ministries and private, painful moments, takes Curtis from his way of doing things to God’s way. Scriptures: Eph 4:17-21; 1 Kings 19  

Barry begins a new series and talks with Lance Ouellette, Vice President of Advancement at Criswell College, to discuss lessons learned and paths taken. Barry and Lance discuss maturing faith, God’s faithfulness, career paths, personality traits and finding oneself in Christ.  

Barry wades into Psalm 93, one of the shortest psalms with 93 words. In this flood we’ve got transience and permanence, power and purpose, and faith and action. You would think the strength of the flood would swallow us, but instead that strength provides a refuge for us to pour our lives out for others, […]

Barry heads back from his mind-bending journey into the land of opposites. He covers a few ironies from opposite perspectives and reminds us that only a radical irruption in the environment can avert the inevitable collapse of our interest into selfishness at one level or another. Thank God, God is into radical irruptions.   Scriptures: […]

Heavy on the science and philosophy, Barry dives into a mind-bending journey to the land of opposites. Opposites can have more in common than we think. Even when we are at odds with someone, that commonness allows us to sit down and share a conversation with them, something that can make us more like Christ. […]

Psalm 92 reminds us that life is short but a Christian’s presence can be enduring. From our perspective, our lives are here today, gone tomorrow, like husks. However, God’s people are the kernel, filling the world with his presence. And we do our best work shouldering the world’s purpose on the day we rest.   […]

There may not be any stupid questions, but there are wrong ones if we want to follow Jesus. Sometimes we have a goal in mind but ask the wrong question to get us there or, worse yet, have the wrong goal to begin with! A little humility might help us start to get both right […]

Looking for shelter? Barry walks us through Psalm 91 and reminds us that God’s pinions are plenty strong and faithful enough to provide the protection we need in the midst of our inevitable troubles. What is confusing is that his plan sometimes looks more like a sacrifice than salvation.     Scriptures: Psalm 91 Ex […]

Barry highlights a character often found in stories that brings help to the world. In Scripture we see angels, donkeys, prophets, church leaders and believers fill this role. Are you ready to recognize these characters in your life and perhaps become one for others?       Scriptures: Gen 21:15-20 Numbers 22:22-30 1 Kings 13:14-19, […]

Throwing out the baby with the bathwater wouldn’t be a “proverb” if it wasn’t such a common practice. This episode focuses on holding onto the painful experiences of others while fighting the circumstances that put them there. Referenced Episode: The Value of Decisions: Part 1 with Rachael Denhollander and Tiffany Thigpen  

Barry walks through Psalm 90, pointing out lesser contrasts like the one between transient humanity and durable mountains, to draw our attention to the greater contrast between Almighty God and each person, each grain of dust. The good news is that the power in that contrast is also God’s to use with the dust. Scripture: […]

Barry revisits his question-and-answer series, this time focusing on the process of change in relationships. This could be a church, a business, or a couple—anywhere there are people. We know the honeymoon phase will pass, but still find it odd that it does.       Book: On Revolution, Hannah Arendt Scriptures: 2 Cor 7:1; […]

Barry walks with us through an imaginary art museum, stopping in front of Psalm 89. This painting’s canvas, background, and complex foreground include most if not all of the colors of the other Psalms, just as the Davidic Covenant echoes the whole of Yahweh’s relationship with His creation.   Scriptures: Psalm 89 1 Kings 4:31 […]

Barry begins a series covering some of the great questions he has encountered through many (and I mean many) years of ministry. Today’s question has to do with what is essential to believe when coming to Christ. The one thing about Jesus that sets him apart from every other human is the resurrection—it declares Jesus […]

Barry continues to think through how to get back to civil discourse, using Robert Frost’s poem, The Gift Outright, to remind us of what we have in common. Simplifying our differences to one or the other side of a political divide does very little for either side and does no justice to our beautiful, complicated […]

Barry once again reminds us what our job is and what our job ain’t. One can determine the outcome they wish before they begin the journey, but God has actually given us the task to complete the journey, no matter where it ends, in a particular way. To lose sight of that way would be […]

Barry talks about a Psalm that hits a minor chord, with a focus on a feeling of loneliness and despair. Sometimes we face situations that cast darkness over days or even years and these moments can feel incredibly difficult to endure. Psalm 88 has both good news and even better news for these moments: not […]

Barry finishes up his discussion of what we are doing and what we should be doing instead. This episode focuses on replacing the Enlightenment’s devotion to comprehend and control the universe with a devotion to understand and live out our purpose within it. Once we know (as we can from scripture) what God expects; all […]

Barry begins the celebration of his upcoming birthday by using your time and mind to focus on a conundrum that has fascinated him since high school: the Tower of Babel. What is the difference between what humans are capable of and what they are responsible for? Let’s help him with his birthday wish.     […]