“Thinking out loud” tonight after finishing a long paper for one of my classes: I heard a Christian podcaster talking about “axioms” the other day – how they are necessary, but should be limited. He was using the term in its technical sense: “a statement or proposition which is regarded as being established, accepted, or self-evidently true.” We all have axioms because so much of the “truth” we build our lives upon is, by nature, unproveable.  So the believer has this among his axioms: “There is a God”.  I love apologetics and logical arguments and philosophical “proofs” for the existence…

This morning I was surprised to see a thin covering of snow on the ground. Surprised. Not happy. It was not magical. It was annoying.  It crossed my mind that a few months ago – anytime around December 25th, for example – this same snow would have been welcomed by all. We would have only been disappointed by how little there was.  But not on March 14th.  Sometimes the only thing keeping us from judging a curse as a blessing is time.  

“When you need to learn quickly, learn from others. When you need to learn deeply, learn from experience.” – James Clear This is true, right? Unless you are coming to Jesus for the first time as an 80 year old, there is no need to learn Christian faith quickly.  Learn it from firsthand experience.

Part of the challenge of preaching for me is to know where to draw the line in order to keep the sermon within given time limits – one idea in Scripture is tied to a dozen other important ideas. And I want to develop each one. As of today, it looks like I will have opportunity to spread that development out over time: a local church has asked me to become their pastor.  It is a part-time position with an emphasis on preaching. I start next Sunday. 😲 Life is about to change…

Are you familiar with Biblehub.com? This collection of Bible commentaries, word studies, and translations would cost thousands of dollars if purchased in print – but this entire library of Bible resources is available online and free to all. Biblehub.com is my “go to” during daily devotions and Bible study time. Consider the following scenarios: If you find Biblehub useful, there’s a free app available for your phone as well. When you have a few minutes, go to biblehub.com and explore a bit! At the very top of the page you will find a search bar (where you can search the Bible by keyword) and a navigation bar (which can take you…

One of the saddest things I have ever heard come out of the mouth of a pastor was this sentence: “People don’t change.”  Is it just me? Isn’t a part of a pastor’s job to encourage change and growth? And even suffer, if necessary, to see it happen? The Apostle Paul refers to the Galatians as “My children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you”. (Gal 4:19) I know Paul couldn’t have experienced a 100% success rate in his “labors”, but surely it wasn’t 0 either. Maybe change happens, but so…

One of my professors posted this poem on Facebook today and I love the final stanza. I find this to be true: it is in the suffering of life that we come to know God most intimately. THE THORN by Martha Snell Nicholson I stood a mendicant of God before His royal throne And begged him for one priceless gift, which I could call my own. I took the gift from out His hand, but as I would depart I cried, “But Lord this is a thorn and it has pierced my heart. This is a strange, a hurtful gift,…

One of my professors posted this poem on Facebook today and I love the final stanza. I find this to be true: it is in the suffering of life that we come to know God most intimately. THE THORN by Martha Snell Nicholson I stood a mendicant of God before His royal throne And begged him for one priceless gift, which I could call my own. I took the gift from out His hand, but as I would depart I cried, “But Lord this is a thorn and it has pierced my heart. This is a strange, a hurtful gift,…

My next paper is due a week from tomorrow. It’s all about the various critical theories (Critical Race Theory, Fat Theory, Queer Theory, etc.), their roots, and how the Church can address the social injustices that they seek to address. I am kind of stuck because I am very pessimistic about the church’s ability to make any postmodern social justice warrior happy.  Believe me, I know – I have gotten entangled with one before. When the starting point is that I am automatically racist because I am white*, there is absolutely nothing I can do to satisfy that person.  When…