Majoring on the minors – Part 12
Malachi: “The Son-Rise” Thomas D. Kock It was about a 20-hour trip to reach our summer vacation destination. Since the kids were young, it made more sense to drive through…
Archaeology and the couch
An old couch teaches an important lesson. Michael A. Thom It was a momentous day at our house. We had bought a new couch. Our old couch was 20 years old and should have been replaced five…
Merging for mission – Part 1
Two case studies reveal the blessings and challenges of mergers and multi-site ministries. Julie K. Wietzke If you talk to Nathan Strutz, pastor at Resurrection, Verona/Monroe, Wisconsin, about the recent…
A very safe prediction for 2019
Mark G. Schroeder My wife and children absolutely hate it when I made predictions. That’s because my predictions more often than not are wrong. They cringe when I predict a…
The Book of Revelation: Part 2
Comfort in the midst of conflict: Revelation 2 and 3 Timothy J. Westendorf Introduction Revelation is symbolic. That’s important to remember, and symbolic numbers play a big role. The number…
Confessions of faith: Harry
A music camp helps a family find their church home. Alicia A. Neumann It’s been nearly a decade since Lanah Harry and her children walked through the doors of Hope…
Evangelism lessons from the Savior: Part 3
Account of the rich young man A time and place for sad reflection James F. Borgwardt Jedidiah Davidson lived an extraordinary life. He was acclaimed as a scholar and songwriter, statesman and orator, a king of international commerce. He lectured expertly on so…
Drowning in a sea of bad news
Andrew C. Schroer The news can be overwhelming. It doesn’t matter whether you watch CNN, Fox, or MSNBC. I don’t see a difference whether you catch the local news on…
Turning pages
Our lives are a succession of pages filled with many events and people. At the beginning of each year we turn to a blank page and stare at it, wondering…
Ambassadors: Help them find Jesus : Part 3
When we share our faith, every situation—and every person—is different. Jeremiah J. Gumm “If your God is so almighty, why is there poverty in Africa?” I was a new pastor fresh out of the seminary. I…
Light for our path: Is the cross symbol now anti-Christian?
I see a lot of upside-down crosses these days in tattoos, posts on social media, and drawings on kids’ notebooks. I know its origin is biblical, but it doesn’t seem like people are using…
Epiphanies change everything
Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent…
Heart to heart: Parent conversations: How can we protect kids without scaring them?
How can we protect kids without scaring them? When I was a child, McGruff the crime dog taught us about “stranger danger,” and “Mr. Yuk” stickers alerted us to the phone number…
A fresh start
With our God, the past is truly passed. Jonathan P. Bilitz So how did your first semester go? GPA is exactly where you want it to be, right? You sailed…