Church Life
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The Next Step in Using Technology to Spread the Gospel
No, this article is not trying to predict the future. While I enjoy trying new things with technology, that’s not the point of this article. I have no way of knowing what the next big thing is when it comes to the online and digital world. Instead, what I want to think about is why we use technology, especially as it pertains to spreading the Gospel. Through the last several decades, technology has changed and, thankfully, many have been ready to use those new technologies to share the saving message of Jesus Christ. From radio to television to the exploding world of digital technologies, people have leveraged these to share sermons, lessons,…
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Can You Go the Extra Mile?
At the heart of the Sermon on the Mount, while Jesus was talking about Old Testament laws and sins and the taking and performing of oaths, he submitted this challenge – “If anyone wants to sue you, and take away your shirt, give him your coat also. If someone compels you to go one mile with him, go with him two” (Matthew 5:40-41). We are familiar with this passage because it is the classic “turn the other cheek” text. It is obvious that our Lord was advising against retaliation and, instead, insisting on a kind heart and an attitude of sacrifice. But what did Jesus really mean by going the…
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Where is the Bottleneck?
A “bottleneck” is defined on thefreedictionary.com as: 1. a. A narrow or obstructed section, as of a highway or a pipeline. b. A point or an area of traffic congestion. 2. A hindrance to progress or production. 3. The narrow part of a bottle near the top. 4. Music A style of guitar playing in which an object, such as a piece of glass or metal, is passed across the strings to achieve a gliding sound. 5. Biology An abrupt and severe reduction in the number of individuals during the history of a species of a population, often resulting in the loss of diversity from the gene pool. For our…
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Concrete for Kids
Don’t worry: I’m not advocating crazy levels of labor for children, and I’m not giving you some idea for how to keep your kids in one place! Instead, this post is actually about teaching children the Bible, both in our homes and in the Bible class program in local congregations. We must be concrete. Here is what I mean: as adults, we know a great deal about the Bible and about how to apply it to various aspects of our lives. We can often think on a very philosophical level and deal in matters that are more abstract. And that is a good thing, because it means that we are…
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It’s As Simple As Doing What You Say
We are all promise breakers. No matter how true to your promises you may be, we are all guilty of not always keeping our word. Why is this case? One reason is that we may tell people what they want to hear in the moment. It may be an innocent misstep, completely free of the purpose of being dismissive or intentions of not doing what we say. Another reason we break promises is that we over obligate ourselves and, even with planning and organization, there just may not be enough time to do everything we have committed ourselves to doing. Still another reason is that we may make promises that…
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A Broken Engagement
On our recent trip to Boston, I heard something that gave me a new thought on a well-known scripture. It happened at one of the two highlights of the trip every year for me. One highlight is, obviously, the race itself (i.e., The Boston Marathon). There is no way to describe the energy and feeling of marathon day in Boston unless you experience it. Not only are you awed by the determination and grit of the 30,000+ runners themselves, you find yourself surrounded by literally tens of thousands of strangers all rooting for each other and each other’s loved ones, all helping you look for your runner, and all united…
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“O Think of the Friends Over There”
I love the hymn, “O Think of the Home Over There” for a lot of reasons. It is bright and cheerful, while also having a very serious and moving message. One of my favorite things about that great song is the emphasis on the fact that some have already crossed over to the other side. Honestly, as much as I love that song, I am usually choking back tears as I sing it, because it brings thoughts of so many people to my mind. But there are three aspects of that song that I want to consider, each of which has something to do with our friends who are “over…
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What’s the Emblem on Your Flag?
I was reminded recently about the recipe for rabbit stew. Step 1 – “Catch the rabbit.” Seems a simple thing but we often have things out of order when it comes to what we are fixing. We want God in our lives. We want Him to bless us. We want to be happy and joyful and we want peace of mind. We want fulfillment today and the expectation of better things for tomorrow. But we have forgotten the biggest part of the equation. We have forgotten the number one ingredient. We have forgotten to exalt above all other things none other than the One who bled and died for us.…
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What Does Your Face Look Like?
I was sitting in the car while Jim went into a quick shop to get us a cup of coffee. I noticed a young woman coming out of the door, and she had a look on her face that was not pleasant. In fact, she looked really angry. Judging from the way she got into her car and slammed the door, I would say I was right about that. I didn’t know her. As far as I know, I had never seen her before. My impression of her was not very good based upon one thing – how her face looked. Have you ever given any thought to how your face looks to other people? I’m…
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Has the Church Forgotten Why It Exists?
Over sixty years ago Thomas Wedel wrote about a life-saving station: “On dangerous seacoast where shipwrecks often occur, there was once a little life-saving station. The building was primitive, and there was just one boat, but the members of the life-saving station were committed and kept a constant watch over the sea. When a ship went down, they unselfishly went out day or night to save the lost. Because so many lives were saved by that station, it became famous. Consequently, many people wanted to be associated with the station to give their time, talent, and money to support its important work. New boats were bought, new crews were recruited,…
