…of sorts… This past week I finished reading (listening to) Adam Grant’s book Give and Take. It’s not a new book, but it was new to me. The subtitle is Why Helping Others Drives Our Success. Grant begins with a very compelling discussion about who is most likely to succeed in life: givers, takers or matchers. There is a great […]
I heard it twice this week. Once from “the left.” Once from “the right.” Both on news shows.* “No pun intended.” Here is what is odd. For both of them the pun was intended. It was scripted, crafted, prepared, maybe even tele-prompted. If that is not intended, what is? It was a blatant falsehood—from both sides, both of which claim […]
Our congregation has begun a year long emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit. Many Christians confess to being perplexed by the work of the Holy Spirit. They say they understand the idea of God the Father and God the Son, but the idea of God the Holy Spirit mystifies. That problem may be more about modesty than mystery. […]
Earlier this week in an online post I mentioned Lake Superior State University’s annual list of words and phrases that should be Banished from the Queen’s English for Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselessness. I’d like to be the first to nominate the word/phrase following the science. This phrase is meaningless at best and idolatrous at worst. When people use this […]
I have been walking a lot this summer. A lot. In a subsequent post I may reflect on the what and the why of it. But not today. During my walks, I have seen a lot of yard signs. A lot. One in particular seems most significant. I saw signs thanking health care workers and first responders. There were signs […]
One of the things I say to the people in my congregation is, “I can’t read your Bible for you. You should read it for yourself.” In our congregation we have a very heavy accent on personal Bible reading. By God’s grace it has captured the imagination.. and effort… of many. The Bible is a primary source. You should read […]
We have bought a number of homes during our marriage. My Mom and Dad started with a starter home, and then they bought only one more home that they owned until they died. They never moved again. As a kid I had always thought it would be cool to live in different houses. And now we have. With each house […]
Robust is a good word, a positive word. A robust cup of coffee in the morning. A robust glass of dark beer in the evening. Even a game of croquet sounds better when it is robust. Robust is a good word, a positive word. A robust local Christian congregation. Strong. Vigorous. Sturdy. Full bodied. Yes, full bodied. Good for coffee. […]
What a time we are having. What times we are having. Pandemic. Physical distance. Police shooting. Protests. Riots. Tension. Anger. Fear. Spikes. Spats. Spitting. Like Jacob, let’s wrestle God for a blessing. Here is my wrestling in the convergence of recent events. The wearing or not wearing of masks creates both instant and superficial judgment. By the appearance of our […]
Like everyone else over the last three months I adjusted in an instant to live-stream worship, Zoom meetings and any other digital, computer aided gizmo I could find to keep in touch with people and keep our ministry moving forward. Thank God for virtual reality! Indeed, God provides. It’s been good, but it’s not been great. When all is said […]