“They will know we are Christians by our love.” Sometimes, we need to minister God’s love practically, not by preaching at people. I’m sorry to say I used to think the most loving thing I could do for needy people would be getting them saved, and that would lead to any necessary physical benefits in their lives. But now that seems immature to me.
State by State
Can 330 million Americans actually agree on anything? Did the Founders expect us to solve problems at a national level? Are those problems even solvable, or is our trust in a political solution misplaced?
Works Of Faith
Deconstruction is causing a sharp reaction in church circles. It’s as if faith has become a form of works. It’s paradoxical that not being unquestioningly faithful to what we were taught reveals a works-like tendency, among those who otherwise believe in justification by faith and not works. In those circles, apparently one must be “faithful enough” to remain saved.
E Pluribus Unum
Our sense of individualism has become toxic, both politically and religiously. We organize ourselves into collective groups ever more strongly. And those groups actively oppose other groups that we perceive as infringing on our own collective’s individuality.
Visiting a Black Church During Black History Month
On the final Sunday of Black History Month, I attended a local Black church. I learned something valuable about today as I heard about history.
The Best-Qualified Candidate
Sometimes, the best-qualified candidate isn’t the best choice for a job. Actually, that’s kind of an aphorism which serves my purpose, but isn’t really what I mean to say. More precisely, sometimes the individual with the best technical qualifications isn’t the best qualified candidate, because of non-technical qualifications.
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Suggested Reading List
I’ve read a lot of books in the last couple of years. Here’s my personal reading list, and I believe that each of these would be valuable to you, for varying reasons.
In Guns We Trust
I ran across a fascinating image today. It’s a wall-mounted gun cabinet disguised to look just like a rugged wooden cross, advertised as a great way to share your faith while simultaneously protecting yourself with those firearms.
Can Queer and Transgendered Persons Represent the Image of God?
How should we think about the current meteoric rise in gender-fluid thinking and self-expression in today’s culture? Can LGBTQ+ people represent the Imago Dei, the Image of God? It’s a pressing question for the church.