This is an excerpt from Chapter 6 in Sinner Saint: A Surprising Primer to the Christian Life (1517 Publishing, 2025). Sinner Saint is available today from 1517 Publishing.
On its journey from Byzantium to Constantinople to Istanbul, this special place helps us understand the broader arc of Christian history, which goes on until Christ's return.
We needn’t fear statistics and studies as palm readings into a certain future. God is God, and his Spirit is alive through his Word.

All Articles

The unity we have in the Church is a gift, a gracious creation of the triune God and not a work we accomplish or decide on.
The rainbow is a sign of the covenant God is making with “all flesh which is on the earth” and to the coming generations.
Prayers for the faith of the Church—prayed in love from a place of suffering—not only define much of Paul’s ministry, but are formed by the Christ they imitate.
When the One who created the world comes to you, there is reason for courage and never reason to fear.
God’s love is axiomatic; it just is. It’s a truism without a logical explanation.
The LORD promises He Himself will gather up the remnants and they will prosper under His shepherding.
No matter how divided Jew and Gentile were, they were united in their sin. Christ alone is the answer to this.
Because Jesus turns desolate, dying places into holy landscapes of life.
I would understand if you were a bit offended. This looks more like Game of Thrones than the Kingdom of God.
This opening section of Ephesians is a virtual treasure trove of gospel promises, praising God for who He is and the abundant blessings He pours out upon His saints.
In spite of the many issues of unfaithfulness, the LORD still refers to them as, “My people Israel,” pointing to the Covenantal promise.
We can not give our Heavenly Father anything that will make him love us more or less. He gives and we receive.