The Life Giving Power of Spiritual Development

Last updated on: November 3, 2024 at 12:54 pm By Dorian Scott Cole

Spiritual Growth – a peek inside Spiritual growth is our transformation. “Spiritual growth is a process of awakening to one’s inner self, exploring the deeper meanings of life, and establishing a connection with something greater than oneself, which is understood as the divine, the universe, nature, or one’s higher self.” – Ministry Brands In this blog article series, we first look inward. Reference verse: “So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God... Read more

Is Religion Spiritual or Stuck in Comfort?

Last updated on: November 3, 2024 at 12:55 pm By Dorian Scott Cole

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Is Religion Spiritual It depends. Some listen for the voice of a living God. Some assign the voice of God to only what was said in scripture from 2000 to 3200 years ago. I like the UCC slogan, God is still speaking. I’m in favor of new generations building their own spiritual communities. However, religion offers valuable discoveries as well. Let’s compare spirituality with religion. Reference verse: Jesus said: “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in... Read more

Called to a Higher Standard

Last updated on: November 3, 2024 at 12:56 pm By Dorian Scott Cole

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Christians and Jews all recognize that they aren’t worthy of God. We all broken. We’re all human beings full of faults and learning to be better. God showed he doesn’t call the perfect, but the imperfect as messengers and leaders, such as Moses. Yet we’re called to a higher purpose. Not because we’re better than others, but because we have a message from God to others. To the Jews: “’… and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests... Read more

Healing a House Divided

Last updated on: September 20, 2024 at 11:55 am By Dorian Scott Cole

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The prophets of Israel often ranted about the horrors of the more urban northern kingdom of Israel. The prophets were mostly from the tribe of Judah, and they were in the Southern Kingdom, as was Jerusalem and the Temple. The polarization was so strong that they destroyed the Temple of the Samaritans in the Northern Kingdom, saying there could only be one. Healing a divided nation is one of my pursuits. But talking to people is a horror story when... Read more

Messages of Hope or Doom?

Last updated on: September 13, 2024 at 8:46 am By Dorian Scott Cole

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Terror was in the eyes of the woman next to me in the grocery checkout line. Trembling, she said to me, “Is the world coming to an end?” It was 2019 and some world event happened I can’t even remember. “No,” I replied. I hoped my words were reassuring, but she obviously was under the spell of some church or televangelist teaching that I couldn’t untangle in a grocery line. A man I was counseling about spiritual matters in 2020... Read more

The Apostles Didn’t Know Everything

Last updated on: September 13, 2024 at 8:47 am By Dorian Scott Cole

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We value knowledge. But knowledge isn’t superior to the voice of God. Knowledge is just fact, not compelling spiritual wisdom that moves us in the right direction. Many have the assumption that the Bible is the literal word of God. We love to simplify our lives with such understandings. But God can speak to us through anything if we listen with a pure heart. The only Bible the apostles of Jesus knew was the Torah, which is the first five... Read more

What good is the church?

Last updated on: August 25, 2024 at 11:42 am By Dorian Scott Cole

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Go and make disciples…. Is that the end? Or the beginning? “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:19-20 Service opportunities and author’s books are at the bottom of the page. This Bible verse is often seen as... Read more

On the Road Christianity – Chapter 5

Last updated on: December 25, 2024 at 5:12 pm By Dorian Scott Cole

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Chapter 5: Sacrifice They meandered through the bustling town of Sidon in peace. Judith was still stunned to think she had encountered a god and lived, so she had traveled along in silence. On the outskirts of town, Judith’s gaze moved to the Mediterranean, its shimmering waters sparkling in the afternoon sun lifted her spirits some. She felt humbled that any god would stop and talk to people, let alone her. She was not deserving. With minimal religious inclination, she... Read more

What Is Progressive Christianity?

Last updated on: September 13, 2024 at 8:42 am By Dorian Scott Cole

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I don’t know. I don’t use labels and prefer descriptions that can grow or change, over definitions that can’t grow and become arrows to stab others because you hate them. I read a lot of progressives that I don’t agree with, and criticism of them is fair. I’m sure many don’t agree with me, and criticism of me is fair-it shows you’re thinking. I read one very biased article that said progressives demote Jesus. That article thinks that salvation is... Read more

A Parable of Mars: Lessons for Earth and Humanity’s Future

Last updated on: October 3, 2024 at 1:42 pm By Dorian Scott Cole

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What would we give up to save our socks? A parable of Mars In 2065, a group of business people decide to terraform Mars to exploit its resources and make it habitable. The plan was good. They would plant foliage that turned the 95% carbon dioxide in the atmosphere into oxygen that people could breathe. They would pump water from deep within the planet for people’s water needs and create lakes for food and recreation. Various animal species would also... Read more