Last week, Lori and I flew to Copenhagen, Denmark to spend a few days with our youngest son, Sam, who has been studying there this semester. It was fun for us because A) we got to spend some time with Sam, and B) he had been living there for 12 weeks, so we had our … More Permanent
This past week, Lori, Sam and I watched a documentary on Netflix called “14 Peaks.” It is the story of a man from Nepal, named Nimsdai Purja. Nimsdai grew up in Kathmandu. After he finished school and graducated, he decided to join the British army. (Nepal is a British protectorate). After serving four years, Nimsdai tried out for, and was … More What Do You Expect?
“Faith is moving forward.” “God has a plan for us.” “Let’s go.” Now, these words are from a drama. They are not actually found in the scriptures. The truth is, we wonder, but we don’t know exactly what Mary and Joseph talked about on that journey to Bethlehem. But there had to be some anxiety…apprehension…maybe … More Rethinking Judgment
I’m always curious about what people hear in the sermons their pastors preach. It is fascinating to me that one person will tell me how this one part of the sermon really spoke to them. But someone else will tell me that it was something completely different in the sermon that they needed to hear … More The Point of the Sermon
You’ve heard his words. His speech is embedded into our national culture. On August 28, 1963, The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., spoke to a quarter million people, gathered on the national mall in Washington DC and said: “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the … More Plumb Line
One of my all-time favorite movies is the 1981 blockbuster, “Raiders of The Lost Ark,” where Indiana Jones discovers the Ark of the Covenant, the 4-foot long container holding the two tablets of the 10 commandments that God gave Moses on Mt. Sinai. After a long struggle with the Nazis, Indiana Jones takes the Ark … More When God says “Go”
Test Driving Theology 