Long before there were scads of costumed kids trick-or-treating, there was a Great Reformation. Our family happily celebrates both on October 31, the day that Martin Luther nails the 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenburg Church (1517). A Reformation is birthed from that moment, when Luther is merely appealing to his colleagues for informed and educational dialogue. Nailing a post to the church door is a common way to call for dialogue among the scholars of that community.... Read more
In this particular series I’m chasing the theme of Today in Hebrews. This is already a written series on my blog.[1] I’m going back and sharing some snippets of sermons when I have preached this. This is the 2nd of the series, and we’ll focus on Hebrews 3.7-9. I’ll share how those verses compare to the Psalms, and to the fact that Today is a window of opportunity, a window of opportunity that we can either seize or walk away... Read more
I’m adding this blog post for a couple of reasons this week. 1) I archive my pages on my website, rather than merely updating them. I’ve made this a practice on former blogs, websites, and on Patheos. 2) I can use this as an opportunity to share some web tips that have been handed down to me. 1. New opportunities There is a good reason for updating the Meet Jared page, and for offering some web tips. I’ve become the... Read more
From the start of Hebrews, we are not talking about Christ’s performance, what He did on the cross. Instead of performance, we are talking about the position of Christ. The author is not talking about what Christ does. The author is talking about who Christ is. I’m going to be dealing with the theme of Today in Hebrews. This is already a series on Patheos. So I’m just going to be sharing snippets of some of the sermons as vlogs, over the... Read more
Tomorrow, there will be a gathering in Traverse City to discuss housing. Perhaps there will be some decisions made that will affect us all. There are questions that seem to be better left to those who are in the field of development. However, this is a point of concern across the board in our region, and it is certainly a topic of conversations among local pastors that I meet with. It is from these conversations with clergy, not from any... Read more
I’m going to spend a little bit of time on something that affects just about everybody who becomes a parent. If you haven’t become a parent yet, I’m sure it affected you when you were a child. That is parent-child shared reading times, and how to navigate those times. Reading was crucial for both of us growing up. We both have a higher education. One of my degrees is in counseling psychology and marriage and family therapy. We also homeschool... Read more
This is a longread, an article targeted at developing a larger theme. Quite honestly, it’s supposed to be good for SEO as well (Search Engine Optimization). I know it’s a bit over the top, but I’d rather focus on something fun and local, than on everything I’m involved with during this whirlwind week. We are excited about our new venture, but I’m also fairly happy to see a Starbucks cafe in town. I’m addressing some questions around town since the... Read more
There are times and seasons that God takes us through when we may not know everything that’s going on. All we have is a word of assurance from Him or all we have is the Word of God to assure us, but sometimes that Word goes before the action that God takes. He has certainly taken action, and we are so grateful for it. I just want to share an announcement, and it is a game changer for us. We... Read more
The quote, “That which doesn’t slay me, strengthens me,” is a very interesting and often controversial one. I believe this quote is true, but not for absolutely everyone. Let’s talk about that. First, let’s break down the quote “That which doesn’t slay me, ” is obviously referring to hard times, but not completely near death experiences. “Strengthens me,” means that we can emerge from those hard times, learn from our mistakes, and ultimately make better choices in the future. Hard... Read more
And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. – Ephesians 5.18-21, ESV To view or download the FREE study notes: CLICK HERE Be Filled with the Spirit This sermon is in Ephesians 5.18-21.... Read more
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