Of all of the words in the English language, the word freedom is one that may be the most open to interpretation. Freedom is often identified by a defining word placed in front of it: political freedom, religious freedom, personal freedom, etc. In these contexts, freedom deals with the concept of an expression of belief […]
Raising Your Palms on Sunday
Holding on to the meaning of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem
Palm leaves sway above the dusty streets of Jerusalem. The city, anxious with celebration, teems with the hope of a people undaunted by adversity— a nation of survivors promised abundance and freedom by a faithful, loving God. The people roar to a crescendo as a humble procession moves through the streets. These people, who were […]
Jesus Is
A reflection on the themes of John
My paraphrase of the beginning of John says, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The Word was light and came into the darkness but the darkness rejected the light.” In the early chapters of John, I believe the author lays down a foundation of […]
DON’T FORGET ABOUT GOD
How to learn to include Christ in Acts of Service
The list included the songs “You Are Good” by Brian Johnson, “I Could Sing of Your Love Forever” by Delirious?, “Blessed Be the Lord God Almighty” by Bob Fitts and “Where You Go, I’ll Go” by Brian and Jenn Johnson. It was a Sunday morning in the early autumn. I had spent the morning on […]
OLD HABITS DIE HARD
How to grow in Christlikeness and be truly changed
“As he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct” (1 Peter 1:15). As believers, we often misread this verse. We replace the word ‘holy’ with the word ‘perfect’ and throw our hands up in defeat. C.S. Lewis says “Every Christian is to become a little Christ. The whole purpose […]
Music of the Heart
Worshiping God in melody and mundaneness
I have been playing the bass guitar for nearly a decade. I began when I was a teenager and over time have learned to play from the different styles and techniques of musicians I admire. It took a few years and a lot of practice to get where I am and stay focused on where […]
What does it mean to have a Christian worldview?
Incorporating Christ into how you see the world
The phrase “Christian Worldview” is one that is open to wide interpretation. If you think about it, there are actually as many worldviews as there are people that identify themselves as Christians. That is because all of our life experiences affect how we see our past, present and our future. A Christian worldview means recognizing […]
PEOPLE PLEASING
Learning how to find our acceptance in God rather than people
Imagine with me for a minute…I know, we are all mature adults here, but humor me, please? Imagine with me a first date. You are raiding your closet one, two, three times, in hopes of something magically appearing the next time you check…Like the shopping elf dropped a present into your wardrobe in the amount […]
WHAT IS THE GOOD NEWS?
Unpacking the Biblical message in everyday language
Often times, explaining the Gospel can be surprisingly difficult. When put on the spot for Christ, many of us become uncomfortable and cannot quite find the words to describe the faith that we have centered our lives around. Having personally encountered this unexpected reaction to the question “What is the Gospel?,” I asked several people […]
FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
Embracing the expressions of the Holy Spirit in our lives
Lately I’ve been praying to see people the way God sees them and to treat them as such. God sees us without blemish. Lovingly. Just as we are. He’s kind, merciful, and giving towards us. But I’ve been struggling with this for some time as I just want to love all people no matter how […]