When Martin Luther first nailed the 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church door was little doubt he had no idea the far-reaching implications of what it was that he was setting in motion. Though the Church in the West had been challenged before, on October 31st, 1517, the perfect set of circumstances … Continue reading Always Reforming
Scriptures
Forsaking the Vanity of Many
It is, perhaps, one of the easiest things in the world for us to compromise on truth. Though we are called to faith, transformed by the power of the Spirit, we still live in this world, and it’s a world that frequently conflicts with the Scripture. Perpetually presented with competing thoughts and ideas, the tension … Continue reading Forsaking the Vanity of Many
Our Restless Hearts
It’s perhaps not terribly out of line to say that we are an anxious people, often times difficult to satisfy regardless of the blessings that we enjoy. We are always looking for something more, as if unable to find contentment, wanting things to be different than they are, desiring change without asking if that change … Continue reading Our Restless Hearts
More Than A Feeling
As Christians, we are called to live a certain way, to be followers of God, walking in love just as Christ first loved us, giving freely of himself. (Eph. 5:1-2) Charity, kindness, goodness, and gentleness are intended to bloom from our souls, the fruits of a life transformed by the power of the Spirit. These … Continue reading More Than A Feeling
The Nature of Righteous Anger
We live in an angry society, and the reality is that we often watch as that anger is put on display for the world to see. Protests quickly devolve into rioting, threats of violence loom, and we either turn a blind eye to it or we applaud the efforts. In some senses what we can … Continue reading The Nature of Righteous Anger
The Practice of Love
To read the Scriptures is to realize something very basic, very fundamental. This is, namely, that love is essential to the Christian faith. There can be no sincere expression of Christianity, no life in the Spirit, no transformation if it is not guided and led by love. It is God's love, made manifest through His … Continue reading The Practice of Love
Thoughts on Scriptures (Part Three)
Biases are unavoidable. Everyone has them. For better or worse, they are a part of human thinking formed by how the brain processes information through categorization. Shaped by culture, education, experience, history, or any number of other factors, they can, and, often times, do have a direct impact then on how the individual sees and … Continue reading Thoughts on Scriptures (Part Three)
Thoughts on the Scriptures (Part Two)
The nature of Scriptures as the divinely inspired Word of God remains a concept that is difficult for a great many people, even amidst the Christian faith. It’s perhaps not that terribly surprising. The reason why is because the Bible itself can be difficult to read, particularly if one does not know how to read … Continue reading Thoughts on the Scriptures (Part Two)
Thoughts on the Scriptures (Part One)
What is the Bible? That is one of those questions where, depending on who is asked, one can get a variety of answers. In many of these instances that is, perhaps, not that terribly surprising. One can expect a certain response if they ask an Atheist or a Muslim or a Buddhist or someone who … Continue reading Thoughts on the Scriptures (Part One)