Presbyterians, abortion and conscience
The Irish are voting on a national referendum that would allow for elective abortions up to 12 weeks. Christian churches are weighing into the conversation as members seek advice and counsel on the morality and ethics of life. While the overwhelming influence in Ireland continues to be the Roman Catholic Church, some 5% of the […]
The Words of My Mouth
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O God.” – Psalm 19:14 Think for a moment about the words you’ve spoken in the last hour, the last day, the last week. Have the words of your mouth (those you’ve spoken out loud, those you’ve spoken […]
Ministers of Reconciliation
The Bible passage found in 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 is the heartbeat of our ministry. God desires to make an appeal through us to any unbeliever with whom we come into relationship. This is the ministry of reconciliation to which every believer is called. 14 For the love of Christ controls (and compels) us, because we […]
Identity Theft
All the conversation today about Facebook and the breach of trust in sharing personal information and data with third parties has raised new concerns about identity theft. That got me wondering: is it really possible for someone to steal our identity? If your identity is found in the numbers on paper, the dollars in various […]
The Cultural Pot Has Reached a Slow Simmer
We’ve all heard about the proverbial frog in the kettle: Put the frog in a kettle of pond temperature water and he’ll stay right there, even to the boiling point, if you turn up the heat slowly enough. While the real-life frog will in fact jump out, the principle applies to the ever-increasing secularization of […]
Must Read Monday: Living as Easter People
Christians are Easter people so, now what? Those who are redeemed by God through the atoning work of Jesus Christ upon the cross and raised to new life through His resurrection on Easter, today become the sent people of God. God so loves the world that He sent Jesus and Jesus so loves the world […]
Ears to Hear; Word of God Speak
As we walk with Jesus through the events of this most holy of weeks, let us listen carefully to hear the Word of God speak through that which He has already spoken. Do we have the ears to hear the echoes of the Old Testament in the words and the whispers of the New? While […]
Must Read Monday: Holy Week, The Emerging Generation, and What it Means to be a Parent
Readings for Holy Week Today is the Monday of Holy Week so we must begin with a must read from the Gospels about the last week of the life of Jesus of Nazareth. ICYMI, go back and read John 12:1-36. Today’s events are understood to include those captured in Mark 11:12-19. Tomorrow, read Matthew 21:20-25:46. […]
Is Jim Carrey Guilty of Character Assassination or Honest Caricature?
Jim Carrey’s now viral caricatures of the White House Press Secretary and then the President are seen by some as political satire and by others as sacrilege. In a culture where character used to count and everything is politicized, how we process and respond to this kind of targeted speech shapes the conversation. This is […]
Must Read Monday: Maria Shriver’s Positive Thinking, Senator Tim Scott, and New Generational Research
The goal here is to get us thinking about what we’re thinking about. Lots of people are trying to get us to stop thinking, to avoid over-thinking, or to agree with the way they think. I’m trying to get you to stop long enough to think about your mindset. Literally ask yourself, “What’s on my […]