In Psalm 51:17 David offers a sacrifice to the Lord. It isn’t a typical animal sacrifice that is seen in other parts of the Old Testament, but a broken Spirit. What an odd choice of words. What does it mean…
Listening to the Supreme Court Justice hearing of Judge Amy Barrett has caused me to reflect on my approach in understanding Scripture. How do the two relate? Judge Barrett takes an originalist view of interpreting the American Constitution and Bill…
To think that we as the people of God are entrusted to represent his majesty is both wonderful and terrifying. Wonderful because we are given such a noble task. Terrifying because that task is wildly important. And so, we become…
Parents spend thousands of dollars each year on their children hoping to give them an edge by sending them to private schools, training camps, and anything else that helps aide success. What parent, after all, does not want to give…
Out of a duty to build bridges with congregants (who vary in their spectrum of belief) as a Pastor, I typically refrain from politically motivated conversations (see why in the following article: When to Remain Silent). However, my only exception…
Christ’s mission wasn’t to win an argument; his mission was to create a pathway for humanity to be redeemed! Winning an argument can amount to very little and is often just two egos battling. You can win an argument and lose the person you were trying to reach. There are too many people trying to win arguments instead of winning people. This needs to stop.
Change is difficult. Like cement, the older we get the more set in our ways we become. Serving as a pastor in a congregation that has a substantial older demographic comes with its challenges. Most of my congregants are over…
There is a burger shop by my house that I use to love visiting. Each time I would order the same burger, The Colorado. It was filled with delicious peppers and cheese unique to Colorado. Over the years the company…
Plagues in the 2nd and 3rd century wiped out around 5 million people in the Roman Empire. (It was likely some form of smallpox.) Christians were among the few who cared for the sick. Nobles and others fled the cities…
Are you willing to be politically outrageous? Jesus’ actions in Jerusalem when he fashioned a whip because the misuse of the temple as a market (See John 2:13-25) made me wonder if I am willing to be seen as outrageous…