It’s Easter and we’re returning home to our church, the people we love and miss. This marks our first Sunday here since last Easter. It’s great to be back for Holy Week. Consider these four discussion questions about Church #53: 1. There’s nothing special about the building, except that it’s 150 years old. Even with […]
Celebrating Holy Spirit Power In another post we talked about the four main Christian holidays. In succession, they celebrate that Jesus came to earth (Christmas), died so we could live (Good Friday), overcame death to prove his mastery of it (Easter), and having completed his mission, he gave us a gift (Pentecost). Pentecost is the […]
Remember to Celebrate Jesus this Easter According to those who track public thought and opinion, the majority of people don’t realize that Easter is a religious holiday—or at least a holiday with a religious origin. Given this, we must reclaim Easter for what it means. The commercialization of Easter is strange. To start, we have […]
Should Christians Focus on Worshiping Jesus Who Suffered or Jesus Who Rose from the Dead? As we moved through Lent to approach Holy Week we anticipate four significant days: Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter (which some call Resurrection Sunday). The last two, Good Friday and Easter, stand as momentous occasions for all […]
Like other holidays with historical religious meaning, Easter has been significantly skewed by both custom and commercialization. Over time, the risen savior has been superseded by bunnies and eggs (reportedly symbols of fertility). Notwithstanding, Easter egg hunts and chocolate candies of all variations are delightful traditions—as long as the true focus of Easter is retained. […]
My wife and I aren’t romantic types. I’m not sure if I’m just bad at the planning and execution or if it’s not all that important to her. Nevertheless, I do put forth a futile effort from time to time. Years ago, it all started a couple of weeks before that, she asked for a […]
Today we attend our final church service of the year. With it falling between Christmas and New Year’s Day, I expect a light turnout. We are greeted by friendly faces and hearty handshakes. The sanctuary seats about 90, plus a balcony. I count 55 present, but with a few late arrivals, our number eventually surpasses […]
When my daughter was in college, there were all manner of dorm rules and restrictions. Some made sense (such as “no candles or open flames”), while others were quizzically arbitrary (as in “all Christmas decorations must be down before you check out for Christmas break”). I’m not sure if my daughter found a loophole or […]
Traditionally, the new year is a time when many people resolve to make changes in their life. Making New Year’s resolutions, however, is a practice that I tend to avoid. It seems arbitrary and contrived to target January first. After all, if a change is warranted or desired, why wait? Set about it immediately, be […]
Consider How You Ring in the New Year It is hard for me to imagine, but this year, which seems like it just started, has come to an end. Did you stay up late to celebrate and have a happy new year? The practice of staying up late to greet the New Year has always seemed […]