Pursuing a holistic expression of Christian faith that is true to the Bible and applicable for today’s world.
On September 11, while others in the United States remembered the anniversary of a national tragedy, my wife and I celebrated the birth of our first grandson. I waited a long time for him, not with any sense of urgency but with much anticipation for the joy his arrival would bring. Now he’s here, and […]
Many people think that singing songs in church is worshiping God. They’re right, but there’s more. Other people call the entire church service, “worship,” as in “Our worship service is at ten.” I suppose they’re right, too. But there’s more to worship than a one hour a week effort. Ideally, everything we do, say, and […]
What was the original purpose of Sunday school? Religious instruction, right? No, not at all. The initial goal of Sunday school was to provide basic academic instruction to poor children. Sunday school started as a philanthropic effort, not as religious instruction. Teaching underprivileged kids to read was a key means to empower them so they […]
Most churches in the United States structure themselves around the nuclear family. The mindset of these churches assumes married couples; their programming assumes children. While covering the majority of attendees in most congregations, this ignores several overlooked groups. First, there are childless couples. Some are childless by circumstance. Each time there’s a plea to serve […]
Fold Hands, Close Eyes, and Bow Head I’ve blogged about the use and meaning of amen, and shared how amen is used in the Bible: primarily as a way to end a prayer. Three more prayer conventions perplex me as well. The first is to fold our hands while praying, the second is to close […]
When I think about it, the word “amen” perplexes me. Out of training and convention, I say “amen” at the end of a prayer, as if it means “Goodbye, God” or “I’m done, now.” Not only does saying amen tell God my prayer is over, it also lets others know to open their eyes. It’s […]
Sometimes words and phrases evoke emotions in people beyond what they mean. A friend recently blogged about how the word “worship” has a negative meaning for her. Although understanding what she meant—and empathizing a bit—I didn’t think too much more about her post until a while later when I recalled my own issues with the […]
Should Churches Pursue Excellence in All Things? A phrase I hear from time to time at churches is pursuing excellence in all things. Other churches don’t speak this directly, but they do understand it. One reason for this may be pure, to give God our best. Or the motive may be practical, to provide a […]
Last month I wrote about our grandpuppy Zane, our daughter and son-in-law’s eight-pound bundle of delight. Zane, however, is not our only grandpuppy. Our son and his wife, also have a dog, Maximus Decimus Meridius. Max for short. Max is our first grandpuppy, a beautiful Husky. At three years old, he’s actually no longer a […]
Today in the United States, a three day holiday weekend (for Labor Day on Monday) effectively marks the end of summer. As I anticipate going to church, I know I’ll see fewer people there. I’m bothered over the low attendance. And I’m bothered that it bothers me. Growing up, only two things kept me from […]