Author Archives: StriderMTB

About StriderMTB

Hi, I'm Matt. "Strider" from Lord of the Rings is my favorite literary character of all time and for various reasons I write under the pseudonym "StriderMTB. As my blog suggests I seek to live out both the excitement and tension of a Christian walk with Christ in the 3rd world context of Asia. I started my blog as an unmarried man who was blessed to oversee an orphanage of amazing children in South-East Asia. As of 2022, I am a happily married man to an amazing missionary wife serving together on the mission field. I hate lima beans and love to pour milk over my ice-cream. I try to stay active in both reading and writing and this blog is a smattering of my many thoughts. I see the Kingdom of God as Jesus preached it and lived to be the only hope for a broken world and an apathetic church.

Comparing the Hope of World Religions in the Light of Karma Law

Posted on April 1, 2024 by StriderMTB

Easter 2024 has passed. As someone who has been involved in missions in Southeast Asia since 2006, I have studied the beliefs of many in the region and have some thoughts. Does the resurrection of Christ offer a unique hope … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

A Liberal Jesus Misses the True Meaning of Christmas

Posted on December 26, 2023 by StriderMTB

In Matthew 1:21 Joseph is told, “Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit…and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from … Continue reading →

Posted in Church and Culture | Tagged Christianity, christmas, faith, jesus, Jesus for liberals, liberal Jesus vs conservative Jesus, Problem with liberal Christians, Problems with liberal Christianity, salvation, True meaning of Christmas, What's wrong with liberal Christ, What's wrong with liberal Jesus | 2 Comments

Israel Jews vs Palestinian Arabs: A Christian Position

Posted on October 14, 2023 by StriderMTB

With the recent terror attack, the “SS” Hamas – Nazis think they have scored a victory in Israel, but it’s really a shovel for the grave of their own future and sadly for any decent Palestinian that privately disagrees with … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Christian response to Israel and Palestinian conflict, Christian response to Israel vs Hamas, Israel at war, Israel vs Hamas a Christian response | 1 Comment

Penal Substitutionary Atonement: An Internal Dialogue

Posted on August 4, 2021 by StriderMTB

Below is an internal dialogue in my own head over the theory of Penal Substitutionary Atonement (PSA). For what its worth I think the view can be partially valid, but only to the degree that God is not the Punisher. … Continue reading →

Posted in Apologetics and Athiesm, Church and Culture, Critiquing Calvinism | 18 Comments

What is and what is NOT Christian Nationalism

Posted on January 21, 2021 by StriderMTB

Time to ruffle some feathers 😬. I’ve been working on a comprehensive book that deals with spiritual warfare, and recent events have brought back to mind part of chapter I wrote last year about the “leaven of the Pharisees and … Continue reading →

Posted in Church and Culture | Tagged Christian Nationalism, Christians and politics, Trumpism | 7 Comments

Disavowing media bias while not avowing Trump: Part 2

Posted on October 24, 2020 by StriderMTB

*I wrote this for my facebook a couple days ago. At the date of this posting, some press outlets are starting to pick up on the NY Post story—but mostly to dismiss it out of hand. This is Part 2 … Continue reading →

Posted in Thought of the day | Tagged dishonesty of media, dishonesty of press, media bias, press bias, press vs Trump | 4 Comments

Disavowing media bias while not avowing Trump: Part 1

Posted on October 24, 2020 by StriderMTB

Time to get slightly political—because that’s always FUN, right? 😅 As someone who voted 3rd party write-in during the 2016 election and will attempt to do so again with an absentee ballot, I’d like to take a middle-of-the-road approach in … Continue reading →

Posted in Thought of the day | Tagged Christians and Trump, collapse of press, dishonesty of media, dishonesty of press, media bias, media bias exists, press bias, press bias exists, Trump and media, Trump and the press | Leave a comment

Born again prior to faith? John Piper says “Yes.” Scripture says, “No.”

Posted on June 15, 2019 by StriderMTB

Are sinners “born again” as regenerated people before they believe in Christ or even have a single, God-fearing thought? What about Cornelius, the God-fearing Gentile in Acts 10 who had developed a long-standing reputation for being a devout man who … Continue reading →

Posted in Critiquing Calvinism | Tagged Arminian theology, Born again prior to faith, Calvinism, John Piper Calvinism, Regeneration preceded faith debunked, What’s wrong with Calvinism | 15 Comments

Was Paul unconditionally called? Paul did not think so and here is why.

Posted on May 20, 2019 by StriderMTB

Recently I saw something I never noticed before about Paul’s calling. Many Calvinists say Paul is an example of God’s unconditional salvation because he was a persecuting murdering. Moreover they say Paul’s call into ministry was likewise unconditonal and could … Continue reading →

Posted in Critiquing Calvinism | Tagged calvinism vs. arminianism | 38 Comments

Romans 9-11 Part 3: The hardening and blinding of national Israel

Posted on October 30, 2018 by StriderMTB

Romans 9–11 Part 3: The Hardening and Blinding of National Israel By StriderMTB How should we understand the hardening and blinding of Romans 11:7-8? Romans 9-11 Part 1 can be found here. Romans 9-11 Part 2 can be found … Continue reading →

Posted in Critiquing Calvinism | Tagged arminian election and predestination, Arminian free-will defended, Calvinism, Calvinism and evil, Calvinism and sovereignty, Calvinism incoherence, Calvinism Inconsistency, Calvinism ordaining sin, Calvinism refuted, calvinism vs. arminianism, Christianity, Paul and Romans 9, Romans 9 | 8 Comments