As a pastor, the topic of “doubt” comes up often in my conversations with people. Image via Pixabay It may be doubt about God, in general. Or doubt that He will act. Or doubt in His goodness. Or doubt in the trustworthiness of Scripture. Or doubt in His Church, or often, His Christians. Or doubt in just about anything relating to Him, really. Suffice to say, it is a common enough feeling amongst God’s people, at least from time to... Read more
As we begin, I have found that when I have taught on this topic over the years, one of the most common responses when people first encounter the idea of Christian non-violence is often frustration, if not outright anger and/or condemnation. Ironically, this teaching, based in peace, can provoke a less-than-peaceful reaction! Image via Pixabay There is something about this idea that affect and challenge something deep within us – our sense of self-preservation, most likely, or also perhaps our... Read more
Is there anyone who hasn’t called someone an “idiot” at some point in their life? Image via Pixabay I don’t mean when we say it in a good-natured or jokey way. My wife sometimes calls me a name while joking around, usually because I’ve been purposely trying to bug her to make her laugh. At least, I think that’s why she calls me that. Now that I say it out loud, I’m having second thoughts… But for real, haven’t we... Read more
At the risk of sounding controversial to my Christian brothers and sisters, I’m actually not a fan of school prayer. Image via Pixabay I’m old enough to remember a time when my public school used to begin every morning with the national anthem, and a recitation of the Lord’s Prayer. In my province, the daily prayer stopped around when I was in the third grade, in the late ‘80’s. Now, just to be clear, I am a huge fan... Read more
Growing up, New Year’s was always a fairly minor blip on my radar. Image via Pixabay As a kid, we would stay up with my parents and eat junk and watch movies until midnight (which we rarely made it to). As I got older, I just never really cared much about the holiday. There was always a seeming pressure to do something extravagant and fun on New Year’s Eve, which I just didn’t feel too interested in. Also, I felt... Read more
Many years ago, when I had just moved to a new church in a new town to serve as pastor, the church held its annual Christmas banquet, which I would be attending for the first time. Image via Pixabay My wife and I arrived only a few minutes before it started, and that’s where we learned that you really needed to arrive more like an hour before it started, as the seating was “first come, first served,” and everyone... Read more
We all know Him as Jesus, of course, but Jesus is One with many names. Image via Pixabay Although the literal number of His names is hard to nail down in Scripture (are certain verses giving Him a name, or just a descriptor?) but it has been suggested that the Bible contains between 100-200 different names and titles given to Jesus. Here are but a few well-known ones: The Alpha and Omega, The First and the Last, the Beginning... Read more
Image via Pixabay Last year, as we navigated Christmas with COVID, I came across the song “Hope for Everyone” by Matt Maher. It was a couple of years old at that point, but it was new to me. It is simple, catchy, and yet has a richness that spoke to where I was at, which caused it to hit me profoundly. I played it on repeat throughout last December, and have found myself doing so again this year. If... Read more
There isn’t a family on earth that doesn’t have a few nasty skeletons in their closet. The family of Jesus Christ is no different. Image via Pixabay Matthew 1.1-17 has the listed bloodline. It may seem a little boring to read, but let’s take a quick skim anyway: 1This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham: 2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and... Read more
It is one of the most oft-stated truths of the Christian faith: “The Bible is the Word of God.” Image via Pixabay And to this, Christians should acknowledge that yes, it surely is (Mt 15.6; Heb 4.12)! But in addition, there is another context for “the Word” arises, especially around Christmastime. We speak and sing about Jesus, and His nativity and incarnation, and the term “the Word” shows up, not about the written Scripture, but about Christ Himself: “Word... Read more
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