Pentecostalism and its tenants arose around the beginning of the 20th century. This religious group first began with a reclaiming of the miraculous spiritual gifts that were characteristic of the apostolic age. To date, their church historians boast over 200 million members worldwide who would fall into the category of “Denominational Pentecostals.” Slightly separate–but not altogether removed–from the rise of Pentecostalism was the Charismatic Movement of the mid-20th century. The influence and popularity of the notion that the Holy Spirit was once again working miraculously began infiltrating the denominational spectrum. This movement brought forth the creation of “Charismatic Christians;” that is, those who believe that the gifts of the Holy…

When the time changed yesterday, did you get up at 2:00AM and change your clock? If not; why not?  Didn’t you know that Daylight Savings Time officially began then? Of course, I’m being facetious. Unless you are really a stickler for detail, you probably did what was done at our house. You set your clocks ahead one hour last night before you went to bed. There is one expression I hear every year as we “spring ahead” and start Daylight Saving Time. Often this practice is described as losing an hour. To me, there is just something sad about saying that. I don’t like the idea of losing an hour. I understand that, as we “fall…

Hippocrates is known by many as the father of medicine in Western culture. As one who believed in moral conduct, he either wrote or at least influenced the formation of the Hippocratic Oath. This 5th century document, written originally in Ionic Greek, has for centuries stood as the archetype by which physicians measure themselves with regard to ethical standards of practice. Though it has been updated and modernized in many ways, versions of the oath are still found to be useful in the field of medicine today. Nearly every graduate of every medical school is expected to sign an oath of conduct that includes the promise to respect human life and acknowledge…

I’ve been wondering lately if we don’t try to make ourselves feel better with some “vocabulary tweaks.” Is there any chance that we’ve turned things that are not spiritual at all into “spiritually sounding” things by using certain words and phrases. For example: Am I really concerned about being a good steward, or am I just a tight-fisted miser? Am I a faithful Christian, or am I merely a regular worship attender? Am I truly zealous for the Lord, or am I merely a workaholic? Does my life exhibit humility and holiness, or am I proud of my rule-keeping? Am I really concerned about “contend(ing) for the faith” (Jude 3), or…