If you follow my personal blog, Kingdom Lessons (which I admit is sorely out of date), I’ve been on a cleaning kick for over a year. It all started when I wanted to do a deep clean on my house, only to discover that it’s not possible to deep clean with heavy bookshelves full of books everywhere. This started a full-fledged clean-out process, one that’s progressively done in stages. I’ve cleared out some clothes, shoes, overstocks on office supplies, and... Read more
My favorite musical is Rent. The gritty, raw drama about late 1980s Bohemian life touched on issues most musicals avoid. Intertwining timely song and dance with issues such as gentrification, drug use, queer rights, and the AIDS crisis, it’s not surprising that Rent won many awards in its day. One of my friends favors the movie Pacific Rim to Rent. They are drawn to the sci-fi nature of this movie, which has a strong cult following. We all tease them... Read more
In our last column, we looked at five unsung leadership heroes in the Old Testament. Our brief look at Deborah, Aaron, Huldah, Gad, and Baruch touches on an important truth: Biblical leaders don’t have to be primary figures to serve an important purpose. Each one of the individuals mentioned were leaders in their own right, even if we don’t have several chapters devoted to their leadership abilities. Now, in this column, we will look at New Testament leadership, specifically five... Read more
Those in western culture are frequently familiar with Bible heroes, even if they are not churchgoing. Whether it’s the exploits of King David, the boldness of Peter, or the adventures of Abraham, most people are familiar with these Bible characters, at least in passing. Even in modern times, we’ve started speaking on female Bible figures, especially the women who served in ministry. Regardless, there are still many figures in Bible history – especially Bible leaders – that go overlooked. Here’s... Read more
I remember the day she declared I was an “army of one.” It sounded like a compliment, but something in it didn’t sit quite right. She was in leadership under my ministry, and recognized me as her Christian leadership. She also refused to give regularly, assist with various projects, and wasn’t the best with mutual support. Her “army of one” statement felt a lot like I was capable, so there was no reason for her to assist or help in... Read more
Among the twelve apostles, we see a variety of personalities and interests. Peter was bold, but sometimes foolish. Matthew was converted while on the job. Philip was an ally for the Greek community. John was deep and philosophical. The different representations, both good and bad, inspire us to follow Christ more closely, regardless of our faults and failings. Yet among the twelve, no name is more reviled than that of Judas Iscariot. I’ve often said it’s a shame that we... Read more
Whether you love or hate politics, it’s undeniable that the 2024 election season is upon us. We’re already inundated with ads for various electoral candidates at different levels, even though the United States presidential election far shadows everyone else. A total of 468 seats: 33 senate seats and all 435 house seats are up for reelection on November 5, 2024. From a political perspective, the 2024 election represents the possibility for massive change in United States politics. If we listen... Read more
Did you know the Bible names over twenty different apostles? This is surprising to many, especially those who believe there were only twelve apostles for all of time. While there were twelve to start who were closest to Christ, there were at least seventy in Jesus’ earthly walk, although we don’t have all their names. After the resurrection, there were a number of other apostles at work in the early church, including several women. Still, there remains a “lost apostle”... Read more
In exploring the twelve apostles, we’ve looked at some who were very common and some not so common. Some, such as Peter, Matthew, and John have prolific histories. Others, such as Philip, Simon the Zealot, and James son of Alphaeus didn’t have as detailed stories. The one thing we’ve learned from each one of them by exploring their stories is that God calls all of us in diversity, recognizing different gifts, abilities, and economic standing. All did marvelous things for... Read more
Every time I sign into social media, I am barraged by a host of posts about Project 2025. Some posts claim to highlight specific thought points from its pages, while others take a more threatening tone. With a great deal of uncertainty and rumor about its contents, purpose, and agenda, many are in fear that Trump’s election marks the beginning of Project 2025 and the end of American values. With a direct intent to cut through the hype and sort... Read more
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