Pursuing a holistic expression of Christian faith that is true to the Bible and applicable for today’s world.
The book of Genesis in the Bible gives a concise three-point teaching about sin. This was written about Cain, but equally applies to us so that we can know about sin. 1. Sin Is Crouching at Our Door The word “crouch” reminds me of a cat getting ready to pounce on its prey. The situation […]
I recently went on a prayer retreat. To remove myself from the distractions of the day and my environment, I went to a hermitage. For 48 hours there would be no work, no phones, no Internet, no TV, and minimal talking. It was a bustle of activity to prepare for this extended time away, bringing […]
I grew up attending non-liturgical churches. So when I participate in a liturgical service it is an enigma to me. While there is something that draws me to it, something mystical, almost magical, I am more so repelled by its distance, a cold aloofness that seems foreign for the God I love. Even though things […]
Enjoying God’s Creation In the pre-dawn haze, I perched at the edge of a meadow. From a distance I watched three whitetail deer arise from their slumber, moving with deliberate slowness as though waiting for their circulation to return and their muscles to wake up. I don’t know if they saw me, smelled me, or […]
When we think of the word pharisee, we envision a narrow-minded, hypocritical, self-righteous person. To call someone a pharisee is an insult. So, when we read pharisee in the Bible, we automatically think ill of that person. However, a Pharisee was someone devoted to following a strict moral code aligned with Moses’ instructions, which he received from […]
The Bible encourages us to pray without ceasing, to pray continually. This seems to be an impossible task. If we always prayed, we’d be doing nothing but praying. However, Brother Lawrence did approach this goal, learning over the course of many years to be in a constant attitude of prayer as he went about his daily […]
When people approached Jesus, wanting to connect with him, he would offer a variety of instructions. It seems his response addressed their particular situation and issues. What he said most often was “repent and follow me.” “Repent” simply means to change our ways, to do a U-turn; “follow” means to go after. Sometimes Jesus was […]
I believe God lives outside of the space-time he created. Therefore, he isn’t limited by time—as we are—so our prayers need not be bounded by time, either. This allows me to pray for things after the fact; the timing of when I pray is not as critical as the fact that I did pray, at […]
How often have you heard the phrase “prayer warrior”? Have you ever attributed it to someone who prays a lot or prays with effectiveness? Interestingly, those two words are not used together in the Bible.* I wonder if the warrior metaphor is more a construct of modernity and a colonization mentality and not at all […]
I recently read about someone who is credited with producing over 55 million decisions for Christ. That’s the most impressive number. However, I wonder if it’s the correct focus. He needs to make disciples instead. Jesus didn’t tell us to go and make decisions—or to get people saved, to make converts, or to have people […]