Billboard theology
Along with my wife, Cathy, I was embarking on a 1,500-mile road trip. What to do for hours and hours? How about looking at billboards along the interstate and examining…
Workers working together
“Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.” Helen Keller’s observation of life in general certainly rings true when it comes to congregational life. This month’s…
Will pray for food
A man stands at the end of an interstate off-ramp holding a cardboard sign. “Will work for food,” it pleads. It is a simple offer, but many people ignore it.…
Examined and confirmed
If you were confirmed as a youth, what stands out about that day? Excitement? Nervousness? Relief? What about Examination Sunday? More nervousness? Suspense? What would you think of going through…
The heavenly gardener
Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colo. Sunken Gardens, St. Petersburg, Fla. Queen Mary’s Gardens, London, England. Villa d’Este Gardens, Tivoli, Italy. These are some of the gardens my wife…
Jesus wept
It is known as the shortest verse in the Bible: “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). Actually, in many Bible translations, two other verses are just as short, containing only two words:…
He loves me, he loves me not
Was I imagining things, or did I read the message accurately? The bumper sticker on the car ahead of me had only a few words on it, but driving at…
Practicing Christian freedom
In the first installment of "Free in Christ," you learn how two congregations offer adult Bible classes to their members. The approaches are different, but the goals and outcomes are…
Opening doors in Advent and beyond
I grew up with Advent calendars. You know, the kind that are printed on thick stock paper and have little doors that, when opened, reveal a lamb or a shepherd…