Reflections on the loving kindness of the Triune God
I’m writing this in Boise, a city where I was touched by God’s grace many years ago. In 1976 I had been invited by a church there to launch a ministry to young adults. Now, decades later, I’ve spent the weekend visiting friends from that era—Nick, Howie, Way and Beth. Each has gone on to …
Read More Living the good lifeSometime near the year 220 the church father Tertullian asked a provocative question: “What indeed has Athens to do with Jerusalem? What concord is there between the Academy and the Church? What between heretics and Christians?” That question touches a tension I felt in my career as a college and graduate school educator. I found …
Read More Faith EthicsThe speaker enthused, “It’s great to know that no matter what we do, we’ve been forgiven!” “Yes,” I thought, “but isn’t something missing here?” My thoughts turned to historical antecedents: first to a hot debate of a couple of decades ago over the difference between some Christians who promoted Christ’s “lordship” versus those who favored …
Read More Why forgiveness?I think it was Mark Twain who quipped, “I wrestled with my conscience and won.” We smile as Twain takes an element of truth and turns it with a wry reversal. The truth is that we all live with a sense of right and wrong—our conscience. And it’s also true that while we sometimes override …
Read More On Conscience & True FaithAs I write this entry I’m sitting on a chair in my driveway watching nearby neighbors set off some pretty extravagant fireworks. The children next door just came out to watch and one of them started jumping up and down, arms waving in delight. They plan to start their own display in a short while. …
Read More Freedom on Independence DayWhere is God these days? Is he paying any attention to my life and needs? Does he know what’s going on in our lives? In our families, churches, and neighborhoods? We hear in church that God rules the universe and knows every thought we think, and every act we do. So why is it that he …
Read More What does God have to say?This weekend I’m in beautiful Hawai’i to teach Romans at the Bible Institute of Hawaii. I’m refreshed, as always, to have renewed fellowship with its director, Clive Cowell and Maya his wife. Clive has been gracious enough to supply me with a second guest entry for this site (see his earlier entry in the April 2009 archive). …
Read More Images of the ChurchLong ago I realized that I participate in a widespread form of relational abuse. Why? Because, like so many others, I realize that it makes life work. We come to see it as an ordinary fact of life. But it shames me and I can never be “okay” with it. The abuse is relational pragmatism. Or, more to the point, it views people …
Read More An impractical devotionRecently I was visiting with a friend who was once a pastor. His marriage is broken—already into years of separation with no restoration in sight—yet he longs to be together with his wife again. In our conversation he touched on the promise of Romans 8:28—”for those who love God all thing work together for good”—as …
Read More Pain, Patience and ProvidenceYears ago I was impressed by what I read about Helmut Thielicke as he toured the United States. When he was asked by a reporter what impressions he had of the American church as a whole he responded to this effect: the church is wide and lively but it seems not to understand the benefits …
Read More Reversing roles