How preposterous a thought it is that in the often barren, frigid, and life-drained months of winter that we celebrate the birth of new life of Jesus, the God-Man. The church’s celebration of the resurrection seems to get it right- the rising from death to the glory of new life remembered on Resurrection Sunday seems aptly fit for the greening and budding months of Spring. Yet, the tapestry of the testaments are here to remind […]
Recently, I saw a video of a flash mob that I thought you all should check out (if you haven’t already). I first saw it at a church service a few Sundays ago. Check it out: As I was watching this video initially I thought about how random it would be to experience one of these epic flash mobs that go viral on YouTube. It would be so cool to stubble upon something great like […]
For fun this week, and to take a welcome break from my studies, I have decided to take a look at one of the most inspirational Christmas songs ever sung. It would be easy to just celebrate the brilliance of such a sensational and stimulating ditty but, for a more challenging endeavour, I thought it would be interesting to jump a couple thousand years into the future and look at this tantalizing tune from the […]
“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.” (Luke 2:6-7 NIV) “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of […]
Tomorrow is the one year anniversary of the devastating Sandy Hook shooting, when Adam Lanza opened fire on Sandy Hook Elementary School, killing 20 children and 7 adults before taking his own life. A year ago, the news was filled with memorials and tributes, tears and laments, as our nation grieved in solidarity with Newtown, Connecticut. Kenzie and I were deeply (and rightfully) impacted by the shooting and tried to make sense of it in light […]
The seminary where I spent a formative two years had a big, customizable sign out in front, the kind you see outside of a lot of churches. These signs are usually changed periodically, usually to announce a sermon topic or share a groan-worthy humorous aphorism. Our sign never changed; it always read: “Timeless truths for truth-less times”. That little saying fit a lot of what our seminary was about: apologetics for a post-modern world with […]
On Sunday we lit the second Advent candle in church, which means I’ve been observing Advent for the first time as an adult for about a week and a half. I’m pretty sure you need to practice this tradition for years to be able to really sink down into the season and begin to glimpse the treasures it offers, but, here, quickly, are a few initial observations. 1. Waiting Is Undervalued. I admit that I […]
As Christmas quickly approaches, I don’t feel ready for the holiday season. While many people enjoy the holiday cheer and the magic of the Christmas season, I sometimes resonate with Charlie Brown in A Charlie Brown Christmas, not enjoying the Christmas season because the true Christmas story gets lost in the hustle and bustle of the season. He critiques the culture of materialism and consumerism around him as Snoopy tries to win the Christmas light […]
This last Saturday, fans of the phenomenon that is College Football had a spectacular, history making event to enjoy. I’m sorry if this introduction doesn’t capture the attention of the other 6.7 billion people around the globe who don’t follow American football, but in summary: a 109 short field goal return for a come-from-behind win in the final seconds of the game, against one of the most infamous teams and coaches in the game, is […]
I am sure that to many, the title of this article made you roll your eyes a little bit. You know that the Bible talks about churches meeting in houses but… I mean, that can’t possibly apply to our cultural setting today. You also may have met some rather bizarre individuals who were house church advocates. Or perhaps, you don’t see how a house church could maintain good doctrine. My goal in this short piece […]
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