Being Christian Without Losing Your Mind
The Ten Commandments form the foundation for honoring God and relating to fellow humans. After reading The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life by David Brooks, though, I think we could add a couple of others for the era in which we live. Brooks, a journalist and commentator, offers a candid glimpse into …
Light shone down from heaven in a seminary classroom one afternoon. It’s stuck with me all these years. The theology prof provided this moment of clarity when he said that there are basically only two theological orientations. We all fall, in varying degrees, into one of them. He called one “redemptionist.” This is the group …
I’m writing this on Memorial Day, 2019. Soon I’ll be offering an invocation at a community service where we commemorate the sacrifices of those who’ve died for our country. This has caused me to reflect on the relationships I’ve had with veterans and their families through the years. I remember the World War Two veterans. …
Summers in rural Missouri held one fun diversion: lookout towers. These are now relics of a past, pre-satellite, era. It was when rangers would sit 150 feet up, scanning for forest fires. It was also when country kids would stair-step those 150 feet to get a bird’s view of the Ozark Mountains. For me, though, …
With the Judicial Council’s recent decision that central elements of the Traditional Plan are constitutional, the trajectory of United Methodism has been set for the immediate future. There will be no Book of Discipline-approved ordination of homosexuals, nor will there be same-sex marriages performed without harsh penalties. The resulting uproar in the aftermath of the …
Early in Mark’s Gospel (3:1-6, CEB), Jesus loses his temper. Since Mark writes in a compact and impatient manner, it’s easy to overlook this story. When you linger a bit with it, though, you discover it’s a watershed point in Jesus’ ministry. It changes his trajectory. It may for us as well. The Incident The …
One of the best nature/science documentaries I’ve seen is National Geographic’s “One Strange Rock.” Narrated by actor Will Smith, it reflects on the marvels of our planet as seen through the eyes of astronauts. If you see all ten episodes, you will never view life on this amazing, mysterious rock of ours as you had …
A horrible event happened in the church I serve. Last Sunday morning (Feb. 17), a man entered the building and asked a greeter where the rest room was. Once there, alone, he took his life. Our staff and security personnel responded quickly and appropriately. Happening toward the end of the last worship service, the congregation …
“Don’t judge, so you won’t be judged.” –Jesus This is one of Jesus’ most oft-quoted commandments. About any young person, non-Christian, or non-believer can quote it. Just because it is well known doesn’t mean it’s easy to follow, of course. Every so often I’m reminded of how often I miss the mark. The fervor …
We operate on two distinct levels. The first is our everyday level of existence. It’s the world we construct for ourselves to make it through the day, and have a few laughs along the way. How are my finances doing? Did you read that last tweet? When can I retire? When will we see that …