It's Good to Be a Man is sweeping through Reformed Christian circles, being used to disciple young men. However, before we throw this book into the hands of our young people, it's imperative we take a critical look at the ideas from the book. When I sat down to read this book by Michael Foster and Dominic Bnonn Tennant, I knew it was a polarizing book, receiving both strong acclaim and heavy criticism. In a culture awash in gender-flattening feminist and "woke" ideals, It's Good to Be a Man offers something different: a sweeping Christian vision of what makes a man a man. And yet... Whatever cultural malaise ...Read More
About Luke Gilkerson
3 Tried-and-True Methods for Family Devotions
The danger of writing a long article about family devotions is that you may be tempted to think this means family devotions are complicated. It really isn't. As a father, I've often asked myself how to best approach doing family devotions from a content perspective. What do my kids really need to know? I know throwing random Bible verses at them isn't the answer. And I know consistency despite hectic schedules is important. Our kids have a lifetime of spending time reading and exploring the Scriptures on their own, so what are the most helpful things I can do to give them a framework for knowing, loving, ...Read More
Should Christians Celebrate Christmas?
There is no command in the Bible to celebrate the birth of Jesus on any particular day. In fact, we don't even know the day or the year Jesus was born. Why then does our family still celebrate Jesus' birth on December 25th? Isn't this some manmade tradition we should avoid? For many in the church, Christmas isn't just a time of year to celebrate the birth of Jesus: it's a time of year packed with nostalgia and sentimental good will. We love the Thomas-Kinkade glow of our decorated homes as we're soothed by the sounds of Bing Crosby and the taste of hot cider. We love the parties and the presents. But it's ...Read More
Family Adventures in Northern Michigan: 7 Places You Don’t Want to Miss
In the fall of 2019, our family took a trip into northern Michigan, spending most of our time in the Upper Peninsula. Northern Michigan is a heavily forested area—lots and lots of nature—so if you plan to take your family there, let us help you chart these waters. It's probably best we show you want northern Michigan is like, not just tell you. Below you'll see 7 really short videos with highlights from our trip. First, a couple things to know about Michigan geography and culture. 1. Michigan is two peninsulas. Ask a Michigander where they're from, and thanks to our state's mitten-like shape, they might hold up ...Read More
Foods 5 Ways Modern Wheat is Different than Biblical Wheat
When we were preparing to write our book, Weeding Out Wheat, we were asked by many people: "I don't get it. Wheat has been cultivated and consumed for centuries. It was a staple of life for men and women living in Biblical times and is part of many ancient cultures. How could wheat be bad for you?" Part of the the answer to that question is looking at how modern wheat is different than biblical wheat. What often drives this question is a natural and good desire to be connected to the past: wanting to live the way our ancestors lived, wanting to pass on our culinary heritage, or wanting to eat a "Biblical ...Read More
Homeschooling How to Include a Bible Class on a High School Transcript
In the homeschooling world, transcripts are a source of constant confusion for parents—how do you make one? what do you put on it? how do you categorize the classes? And how do you include a Bible class on a high school transcript: should "Bible study" be included on a transcript? There are a number of reasons parents think Bible shouldn't be included... Colleges and universities don't care about those classes. Bible classes aren't academically rigorous. Bible classes don't fit neatly into any category. 5 Tips for Including a Bible Course on a High School Transcript So, here are a few questions you ...Read More
Backyard Bugs! Fun, Free Summer Course for the Whole Family
It was a warm evening—and the lightning bugs were out in droves. I told my 9-year-old to run to the basement and grab a few mason jars with lids. And when he returned, we spent the next 30 minutes roaming around our yard and neighborhood catching as many fireflies as we could. This led him to a very natural question while we were outside: "Why do lightning bugs light up?" So I told him: "Their abdomens have luciferin in them. When air comes into their abdomens, this reacts with the luciferin and makes it glow." "But why did God make them do that?" he asked. So we got into a discussion about the birds and ...Read More
Choosing the Right Bible Course for Your Teen: 5 Questions to Ask
Many homeschooling families love the freedom to include Biblical studies as part of their students' academic life. Jesus commanded us to love the Lord our God, not just with all our heart and soul, but with all our mind. Let's chat about choosing the right Bible course for your teen... Including biblical studies means both studying every subject through the lens of a Christian worldview, but also studying theology directly—going to the source of our theology: the Bible. It's not enough to just encourage your student to make Bible reading a habit (though that's an important piece), but you want your student to enter ...Read More
