Some years ago, before the death of Mother Theresa, a television special depicted the grim human conditions that were a part of her daily life. It showed all the horror of the slums of Calcutta and her love for these destitute people. The producer interviewed her as she made her rounds visiting the people she … More God Notices
Churches either have “it,” or they don’t, argues Pastor Craig Groschel, in his book “Lead Like it Matters.” I think there is a lot of truth in this. I remember when I was growing up and my family would drive back in to the city to the church where my brothers and I were baptized … More Sabbatical Reading: “Lead Like it Matters”
One of the books on my sabbatical reading list is “Not In It to Win it” by Andy Stanley. Stanley is the pastor of NorthPoint Church in Atlanta Georgia, a large mega-church with multiple campuses around the southeastern United States. Stanley is an author and hosts “The Andy Stanley Leadership Podcast.” I am planning on … More “Not In It To Win It”
William Willimon, who is a retired bishop in the United Methodist Church, tells a great story about a friend of his who, in mid-life, decided that he wanted to learn how to fly a small plane. So William’s friend went out to their local airport and signed up for flying lessons. He was given this great … More Whisper in Their Ear
The people were angry. They were. The Jewish people had been robbed of their land, and their dignity. They were subjects to the Romans, their rights had been taken away and the Roman soldiers were regularly mistreating, beating and even killing those who broke any kind of law or rule. Emotions were high, and the people were angry. Enter … More Something Different
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?
Two summers ago, I took a trip into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness with our youngest son, Sam. On our last day, we were paddling back to the outfitter’s when we took the portage from Alpine Lake into Seagull Lake. Seagull is what Boundary Waters veterans call “big water.” It’s a really big lake to paddle … More When God Whispers in Your Ear
I’ve read these scripture passages, probably hundreds of times. This week, I noticed something new. This week, I noticed that when the angel Gabriel spoke to Mary, to tell her about her upcoming pregnancy, the scriptures say that Mary was “shaken” by the angel’s words. Other translations use the word “perplexed.” Mary is shaken not by the presence of … More You are Favored
What goes in to making up a person? I’m not talking about the biology here…the DNA, chromosomes, and cells. I’m talking about who you are. I’m talking about a person’s spirit, their personality, their faith, their very identity. Every single one of us has building blocks that go into creating our sense of self. Like a Lego set, we grow and … More Foundation
I recently read about an art museum that was having trouble keeping its guests from touching, and damaging, its priceless works of art. The paintings and sculptures that were on display were all becoming dirty and damaged. The museum put out signs that said, “Do not touch!” They strategically placed security guards throughout the displays…they had cameras … More The Problem of the Heart
Test Driving Theology 