“Whose kingdom are you building, yours or Mine?” These words spoken to me by the Holy Spirit were not physically audible, but they could not have been louder. On that day in the fall of 1993, my life was forever changed. Since starting into college ministry, I had been working tirelessly to get our campus […]
The pain of betrayal has few equals. I can still feel the sting from the time when I helped two friends patch up their broken relationship only to have them both turn against me. I’ve long since forgiven both guys but I have to admit that that one hurt for a long time. Just a […]
The fact that we are Christians is not a guarantee that we will continually abide in God’s transformational grace. We all still live in fleshly bodies which are tainted by sin. A person may be a new creation, but still operate in the flesh from time to time, or even as a way of life. […]
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal….” What powerful words open the U.S. Constitution! Through the significance of this “immortal declaration”, the United States of America has long stood as a beacon for justice and equality in an oppressive world. Our government leaders have not always stood for the […]
For the most part, the Western church is in disarray. We have young people leaving the church in droves. Ungodly and immoral behavior is becoming widely accepted in our ranks. And our Christian leaders are falling like flies. Why? Because our builders have erred in laying a foundation of our understanding of grace. If we […]
The Free Dictionary defines elitism[1] as: 1. The belief that certain persons or members of certain classes or groups deserve favored treatment by virtue of their perceived superiority, as in intellect, social status, or financial resources. 2. a. The sense of entitlement enjoyed by such a group or class. b. Control, rule, or domination by […]
Does it really matter how good we are at what we do? After all, Christians are forgiven and adopted into the family of God. If He loves and accepts us, does it matter all that much how well we do our jobs? Have you ever walked into a building, driven a car, or crossed a […]
You’ve probably heard the old adage that opposites attract, but the question is, “Can they live together?” In a romantic world, personality differences don’t matter all that much, but in a real, day-to-day existence, they can be huge. When it comes to the dynamics of human relationships, chemistry matters. I think I know a little […]
Brrr! It is COLD in western Pennsylvania. Last night the temperature dropped to -9°. It hasn’t been that cold here in over 20 years! This morning, my car didn’t want to start any more than I wanted to go outside. Last night, during the news reports about our current “polar vortex”, a commercial kept airing […]
I had lunch with a pastor-friend yesterday. Same conversation. Different pastor. I can’t begin to count how many times I have talked with pastors who are frustrated with people in their congregations. Many, I am told, are unwilling to be led, create unnecessary problems, or simply lack motivation to do anything for God. At the […]
