Church Life
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Can I Be a Christian and a Patriot?
We are living in times where there is a powerful tug-of-war over huge issues. Even Christians are debating things that are, thankfully, causing a great deal of study and thought. We dare not just answer with our own opinions or with concepts that have not been studied in light of Scripture. One of those issues is patriotism. In an election year, that issue is always heightened, but also, with the great civic and social unrest of the last few months, this discussion has only gained more traction. Honestly, these are the types of issues we need to consider deeply, and often. The truth is quite nuanced, I believe. This post…
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Not Merely a Sign of Age
What do the following have in common? The year of a devastating flood in our areaThe year of my birthThe year of John F. Kennedy’s assassinationThe year of our oldest child’s birthThe year of the events we now refer to as “9-11”The year during which people are dealing with Covid-19 Here are some hints. My parents lived through what those of that generation who are still with us refer to as “the ‘37 flood.” Since that was a little more than a decade before I was born, it really doesn’t mean as much to me as it did to those who experienced it. What was reality for them is history for me.…
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A Prepared Table
Recently, a group of my “besties” and I enjoyed a girls night at a business that has somehow convinced people to pay to work! We went to a venue where you preselect the project of your choice and, once there, you do all the work. Well, at least some of the work. You sand, distress, stain, paint, drill, and decorate. So why would people pay to do all of that? It’s because it is all prepared. The boards are already cut to the right length. The holes are marked and pre-drilled. The design is created on a stencil and the guesswork is taken out of the stain and paint colors.…
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What I Know About You from Social Media
Dear Christian Facebook Friend, I was scrolling through your social media pages today. I wasn’t stalking; I just wanted to see what you shared with the world and learn more about you. (After all, we’re “friends,” right?) As I scrolled, I learned… …how you feel about masks during the pandemic. …how you feel about the President. …what you think about the Republicans and Democrats in this election year. …what your opinion is on reopening schools. …what your dog looks like. …what your reaction is to the racial protests across our nation. …that you took on a yard project last week (and it looks great, by the way). …how you are…
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A Sense of Inevitability
Recently, I heard an interview with a man who had written about the period of time during which thirteen English colonies in North America fought for the right to be free from the domination of England. During that interview, the historian used a phrase and introduced (at least to me) a concept I had never really considered. He said that we read the history of that time with “a sense of inevitability.” The historian went on to explain what he meant by that phrase. From our vantage point, we have the luxury of looking back on those events. We now know that those thirteen colonies did, indeed, win that war and that they ultimately became…
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During This Pandemic, Choose to be Grateful for Elders
Does anyone else remember when “all this” (as people keep saying in the South) was only supposed to last about 2-3 weeks so we could “flatten the curve?” That was in late March! Frustration is building in so many places, and, in most cases, for good reason. From politics to jobs to sports to school and beyond, decisions have had to be made, changed, updated, and cancelled. It is frustrating to know what we are to do or not do, almost on a daily basis. But in the midst of all this, leaders of churches–elders in the Lord’s Church–have had to do things they never dreamed they would have to…
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Institutions or Individuals?
I’d like to pose a few questions that might help all of us (including me) to think about our thinking. Specifically, I wonder if some of us may think more of the church as an institution instead of thinking about individuals – especially the souls of individuals. Maybe your list would be longer, but here are just a few questions designed to get all of us started thinking. Is the church primarily a building–or–is it a family?Is the church an organization set up to meet my needs–or–is it a body of which I am a vital and functioning member?Does membership in a local congregation allow me to have privileges– or–does it provide…
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Find the Good
This title and thought are not original, but in my opinion, they are desperately needed right now. Today’s post is an encouragement to do just what the title says: Find the good. This virus is bad. However, we live in a time of modern medicine with technologies, medications, and practices on which to build a defense and prevention. That is so good! Our society is experiencing some bad things. However, we still live in one of the richest nations on earth with running water, a network of roads on which to travel, modern conveniences with which to entertain ourselves, and any number of things to help offset our struggles. Isn’t…
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One Thing We Must Never Cancel
Over the last few months, the word “cancel” has been heard more times than I can remember. Young people had graduations cancelled. Youth groups across the country had Lads to Leaders cancelled. Camps, vacations, dentist appointments…cancelled, cancelled, cancelled. Even worship services–either in-person or even all together–were cancelled. Then, of course, the term leapt into our social world with the so-called “cancel culture.” As political and social unrest have seemingly come in waves, everything from actors to cartoons have been “cancelled.” It seems as if everything around us has been cancelled in some fashion over the past few months, or has threatened to be shut down anyway. Some, in the long…
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What I Cannot — And Can — Do
As I type these words, it seems like our world is coming apart at the seams. Nations are at odds with one another. Our own nation is divided in too many ways to try to mention here or discuss in any meaningful way. I’ve been doing a little thinking about some things I cannot do and what I can do about all of this. While there is a long list of things that, by myself, I cannot do, I’ve thought of a few things that I definitely can do. Let me suggest just a few. I cannot decide the economic, military, social, etc. policies for our nation. I can, and in fact am commanded to,…
