Just Think Out Loud is an independent Christian teaching ministry whose purpose is to delve deeper into the Bible, Christian doctrines, Church History and related information, in order to better our understanding of God and His ways. I believe this goal is best accomplished within a community of like-minded individuals who share knowledge with each other in an open and honest discussion.

Sometimes Christians will avoid certain questions and issues in the mistaken belief that it will destroy faith. I emphatically disagree. I believe that God is up to the challenge, and there is no question we can ask that is not better understood through faith in God. Only with an honest faith, constantly seeking deeper understanding, can we live up to the statement of Jesus that, "The truth will set you free."

Gaining knowledge, or learning, is not simply a matter of reading an article or a book and soaking up the information into your mind. If that's all you do then all that can be said about you is that you are a good human sponge. True understanding takes more than that.

Research - Don't just read one book or essay on a subject. Dig deep. Every author has a bias, some assumptions, and usually a purpose in writing. Unless you understand the perspective and motive of the author, you may not truly understand what is being said. Unless you read contrasting opinions, you may not see where the author is mistaken.

Reflect - Think about what you read. Don't just soak it up. There are at least four answers to any question: Yes, No, I don't know, and It's not relevant. Consider as many possibilites as you can. Think about how the knowledge should be applied as well.

Report - One of the best ways to organize your thoughts it to write down or tell someone else what you think. If you can explain your knowledge to others, then you have truly come to a new point of understanding.

That's what this website and forum are about. When you find something new and interesting, or something that adds to your understanding, share it with others. But, don't just copy and paste information. Don't just post a link to someone else's thoughts, either. Any dummy can do that. What do YOU think?

• Is the author right or wrong?
• Why is this important?
• How does knowing this help you?
• How do you apply this to your life?
• What do you think?

Ahhh, you may say, I don't know how to write well. I can't speak. Well, when are you going to learn? You will never write or speak well if you don't practice. At first, don't worry about syntax and grammar and sounding professional. Don't worry about if you got every little comma and period in the right place. Those things come in time with practice. To get started, all you need to do is...

Just Think Out Loud.