Pursuing a holistic expression of Christian faith that is true to the Bible and applicable for today’s world.
Celebrate Your Teachers Who Impacted Your Life As kids and college students head back to school this fall, I recall many of the teachers who worked hard to educate me. I learned something useful from every one of them, even the few who probably shouldn’t have been teaching any more. Most, however, were amazing teachers, […]
Do You Worship God on Sunday or All the Time? What is it to worship God? Ask different people and receive different answers. To worship God is to: These are all facets of worship, but there’s more. Worship is as much attitude as action. To worship God is also to love him and be devoted […]
These Characteristics of Pharisee Thinking Jesus loves everyone. He accepts those on the fringe, the people who society dismiss. Jesus embraces people who do wrong and who live immoral lives. Yet there was one group he criticized, and he did so often: the Pharisees. Don’t be a Pharisee. Aren’t we glad we’re not Pharisees? We […]
Dressing Up for Church Versus Going Casual Some people dress up for church to honor God by wearing their Sunday best. Others dress up to impress people. I, however, dress casually, sometimes to an extreme. This isn’t because I’m lazy or rebellious. This is my way to honor God and advance his kingdom. One Sunday […]
A few weeks ago, the church service kicked off with a discussion question: “What is church?” We broke into small groups with those sitting around us. After exchanging introductions (why hadn’t we already done this?), we stared in silence. As a visitor, I didn’t want to go first, but the silence invited me. “I’ve thought […]
I’m not sure how widespread this is, but in our corner of Michigan, there’s an annual event in several cities called the Parade of Homes. It’s like a progressive dinner, but instead of eating at each stop, you look at the house. This is an occasion for builders to showcase their work, in hopes of […]
Confessions About Fasting Last Sunday’s post about sharing our spiritual struggles was really the introduction for this week’s post, my groaning to reach what I strive for: a 24-hour fast. My confession is that my normal joy of fasting has been mired in a season of misery. For most of the past ten years, I’ve […]
Don’t Celebrate Your Successes and Hide Your Shortcomings A friend once told how he gave his TV away; he didn’t want one anymore. It was a spiritual act, a voluntary fast from television and the distractions it provided, in order to give him more time for God and family. He reveled in his decision and […]
God Hears Us When We Pray Many years ago my dad gave me his twelve-year-old riding lawnmower. “If you’re careful,” he advised, “you might get a couple more years out of it. The first time I used it, I prayed. I thanked God for his provision and for my parents’ generosity. I asked God to […]
Don’t Rush Your Time with God I cringe whenever someone says, “Let’s just say a quick prayer.” Prayer is holy communication with the Almighty. It is a hallowed honor that we, as mere human beings, are granted the privilege to experience with the Divine. I’ve never comprehended why God bothers to listen to us or […]