When Narcissism Comes to Church (DeGroat)

We have all seen and/or heard it happen: a pastor or elder exercises authority in such a terribly ungodly way that the church basically implodes. In these situations, people are severely disillusioned, hurt, slandered, trampled on, and manipulated. There are various sins involved in situations like this, to be sure. But often a pastor's pride, …

Self-Absorbed in Worship? (Boice)

 We've all heard the contemporary praise song that says "I will" more than a few times.   Phrases like "I will celebrate," "I will sing to God," "I will praise God," are sung and repeated many times in the same song.   Here are James Montgomery Boice's comments on such a song: The chorus seems to …

Hollywood, Narcissism, and Sex

Christians [should] disagree with the sexual ethic that Hollywood teaches, whether implicitly or explicitly.  This un-Christian, unnatural, privatized, and anti-social view of sex is, as Jennifer Morse argues well, narcissistic  (all about self).  In reality, sex is a public thing – meaning it affects more than just a single, solitary person.  It affects society.  Here’s …

On Not Raising Narcissistic Children

Last week I mentioned a helpful book for parents on how to “unspoil” their children (HERE).  Along those same lines I found some helpful parenting advice in Keith Campbell and Jean Twenge’s The Narcissism Epidemic.  This is not a Christian resource for parenting, but it should be read alongside Christian parenting books and the biblical …

Seven Obstacles of Spiritual Maturity

 I’ve been making my way through this outstanding book: Love God with All Your Mind by J. P. Moreland (Colorado Springs, NavPress, 1997).  Among other things, I appreciated Moreland’s discussion of the “seven traits of the empty self” that are so prevalent in many Westerners today.  And these seven traits, Moreland argues, undermine and stand …