What if, early on, the church had decided to always gather outdoors instead of in buildings? How would the church and world look different? Take a tour of Christendom, and you can visit beautiful basilicas and stunning sanctuaries dating back to antiquity. Go to church this coming Sunday, and I’ll lay you odds that you’ll step through the doors into an air-conditioned chancel that protects you from the elements as you lift your heart in song. Through the centuries,... Read more
Religions spend a lot of time contemplating the afterlife. But Taoism seems more interested in the foundation of things than the end of them. The Bible offers multiple creation stories about how the world came into being. The Tao Te Ching, however, offers no clear cosmology that could be interpreted as a creation story. It reflects on the origin of all things, from a philosophical standpoint. Here’s what verse twenty-five has to say: Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching,... Read more
Ephesians says, “Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” More easily said than done! How can you cope with anger? Does watching the news make you angry? It should—anger is a natural response to injustice and harm. For example, millions of peaceful demonstrators at the recent No Kings rallies allowed their anger at Trump’s lawbreaking to motivate them to a positive protest. Yet, others permitted their emotions to turn to violence... Read more
Trump made headlines with an F-bomb in response to Israel-Iran strikes. Some clutched pearls—but does Trump’s foul language effing matter? Last week, Trump used a swear word during an exchange with reporters. Referring to an exchange of strikes between Israel and Iran just before their ceasefire took effect, Trump stated that the two countries had been fighting “so long and so hard that they don’t know what the fuck they’re doing.” I’ll leave it to the pundits to discuss the... Read more
For as long has religion as existed, people have been renaming God according to their own understanding. This isn’t heresy. This is growth! Recently, when we spoke at our father’s funeral, my brother and I shared all the good things we remembered about him. And there was so much to say about a man who loved his family and served his country for decades. I was surprised at all the people that I had never met, who came out... Read more
A reflection on father-son time with my little boy, who’s all grown now. As with God, it’s about spending quality time, not end results. Here’s a picture of my 6-year-old son Daniel with his fishing rod seventeen years ago. We went fishing at a local lake from about 9 PM to midnight. I had recently gotten some new lures and wanted to try them out. Most of my fishing experience has been with either cut bait or live bait, so... Read more
Jesus said to let your light shine—but that doesn’t mean outshining others. Lao Tzu suggests using the dimmer switch. Where’s the balance? Dimming your own light doesn’t mean putting your candle under a bushel. It means being just bright enough, but not so much that you keep others from glowing as well. Taoist and Christian sages agree that balance is the key. Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching, Verse 24 J.H. McDonald Version Those who stand on tiptoes... Read more
“Have you received the gift of tongues?” many Pentecostals and Charismatics want to know. But they’re asking the wrong question. What they mean is, “Have you received the baptism of the Holy Spirit?” But if they’re asking another Christian, that’s the wrong question as well. The problem is that often, these sincere believers think that the two are the same thing. And, they mistake this gift that God gives freely for a second blessing that only some Christians receive. Pentecost... Read more
Most people say that Easter is the highest observance of the Christian calendar. Yet, Christ’s ascension is more theologically compelling. In the incarnation, God identifies with humanity by becoming one of us. As Jesus suffers martyrdom on a Roman cross, he embodies God’s love even for those who make themselves enemies. At the resurrection, Jesus demonstrates victory over death and foreshadows a promised resurrection of the saints. But Christ’s ascension marks the apex of his ministry. For this reason, I... Read more
Are there measurable outcomes as you live out your faith and share it with others? How does God measure effective lives and ministries? In your job, you likely have certain expectations that your company expects you to meet. If you work on an assembly line, your employer measures your performance based on how many units you can generate per hour. If you are a medical professional, your evaluation may be based on how many patients you see and their... Read more
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