Paul or Demetrius?

[Demetrius said,] “You can see and hear that this Paul has convinced and misled a lot of people, not only in Ephesus but also throughout most of the province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands aren’t really gods.”…Once they heard this, they were beside themselves with anger and began to shout, …

Read more

Monday Meditation: The Future Church (February 24)

Look! I’m doing a new thing; now it sprouts up; don’t you recognize it? I’m making a way in the desert, paths in the wilderness. — Isaiah 43:19 On our trip to Scotland last fall, I saw a trend that was a bit shocking at first. It seemed that if you saw a big, old church somewhere, …

Read more

MONDAY MEDITATION: No Warranty Needed (February 17)

You are the one who created my innermost parts; you knit me together while I was still in my mother’s womb. — Psalm 139:13 Here’s a fun exercise to put mortality into perspective. Google, “What was the most popular car in the year I was born?” It turns out for me, in 1953, it was the Chevrolet (not …

Read more

MONDAY MEDITATION: Grace Lies in the Details (February 10)

Just then, Jesus’ disciples arrived and were shocked that he was talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” — John 4:27 The current emphasis upon migrant deportation and the turning away of people seeking asylum is heartbreaking. The foreigner in our land has …

Read more

MONDAY MEDITATION: Olives and Chicken Livers (January 27)

Fools find no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing their opinion. — Proverbs 18:2 My daily routine starts with coffee, cereal, and reading the St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper (in that order). But in reading the Post today, what stood out to me was the “Opinion” section. That’s where you’ll find letters to the editor and …

Read more

Why Jesus Was Anti-DEI

With the current political climate, the Diversity-Equity-Inclusion movement has taken quite a hit. Consequently, it’s been fashionable for some companies to scale back their initiatives in this area. Liberal religious people have expressed outrage at this about-face, but for the life of me I don’t see why. Look at Jesus’ ministry. It’s obvious he’d be …

Read more

MONDAY MEDITATION: Awakening (January 20)

The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants too. — Psalm 24:1 I believe “converting” to Christianity is a very limiting term. It implies feeling sorry for how you’ve lived, re-thinking things, and reorganizing your life. When I was younger, that described my becoming a Christian. But looking back now, I see all those things …

Read more