In farming, a silo is a tower used to store grain. The business world, however, turned silo into a metaphor, such as information silos or organizational silos, symbolizing assimilation and isolation. These business silos function as a repository of information or power—hoarded and not shared, either by plan or by practice. With silos, there’s an […]
Last week we talked about Moses’ mistake of hitting the rock instead of speaking to it. He did this in disobedience to what God told him to do. The Bible calls this sin. As a result of Moses’ mistake, that is his sin, he was only permitted to see the land God promised to give […]
Last week our daughter came over for the day. Her intent was not so much to see us but to enjoy our air conditioning. Being pregnant and midway through her third trimester, she had added reason to seek relief from the heat. She didn’t come alone, however, bringing with her Zane, an adorable bundle of […]
It’s fun to be in the company of likeminded individuals. It’s comfortable to hang out with people similar to us. But are fun and comfortable, necessarily good things? Do they promote personal growth and advance understanding? Being with people like us?—uniform or at least similar in perspective—is a homogeneous experience. The opposite of homogeneous is […]
For four decades Moses led the people as they wandered in the dessert. Once when they were thirsty, God told Moses to hit a certain rock with his walking stick. He did and water gushed out. Later on, the people again clamored for water. This time God told Moses to speak to a rock, but […]
For some people, Sunday is a day like any other, while for others, their regimented list of dos and don’ts reduces it to boring idleness. I want neither extreme, hoping for a happy middle ground. Yet what that looks like eludes me. From a practical perspective, I need a periodic break from the routine; from […]
Escaping the Cauldron: Exposing occult influences in everyday life By Kristine McGuire (reviewed by Peter DeHaan)In Escaping the Cauldron, Kristine McGuire shares her rollercoaster ride with the occult. What at first seemed like harmless play and entertaining experimentation, eventually progressed into a full-blown embrace of dark spiritual forces. Kristine became a witch. For a time, […]
Reading through the book of Judges, a cycle quickly emerges: the people turn away from God, he sends a leader to rescue them, and then they return to him. This pattern continues, albeit to a lesser extent, in the books of Kings and Chronicles. With endless patience, God offers them second chances. This abruptly changes […]
Last Sunday I only made it halfway through the church service. I completely missed the sermon—and it was the best church experience I’ve had in a long, long time. That’s not to imply I didn’t like the speaker (I do) or that his words lacked substance (my bride gave me a recap, so I know […]
We live in a society of blame. People shun taking responsibility for their mistakes and shortcomings. Instead they blame someone else: “It’s how I was raised,” “He talked me into it,” “It’s her fault not mine,” “If only I had a better education,” “I had no choice,” and so forth. In doing so, they fail […]