Our country is divided. It is not just division about who we are going to vote for. Our division goes far deeper than that. We are deeply divided about what we think is best for the country. Interestingly, what I have noticed is that both of the major political parties believe they are promoting whatContinue reading “I voted…now what? – Current Events 2020 Q4, Part 1”
Tag Archives: church
How the open Bible in our church sanctuary sets off my struggle with perfectionism – Ecclesiastes 7:15-8:8, Part 2
In our church sanctuary, we display a large open Bible on the communion table located on the back wall of the stage. Can anyone read it from where they’re sitting? Nope. Neither can I, and I stand way closer to the Bible than the rest of the congregation. The print in the Bible is large,Continue reading “How the open Bible in our church sanctuary sets off my struggle with perfectionism – Ecclesiastes 7:15-8:8, Part 2”
Can an ironic proverb help us make sense of our complex world? – Ecclesiastes 7:15-8:8, Part 1
Are you feeling perplexed? Confused by the world we live in? If so, you are not alone. How many of you are familiar with Veggie Tales? The creator of Veggie Tales, Phil Vischer has been making some fascinating informational videos relating to racial justice in the USA. One video answers the question why Black ChristiansContinue reading “Can an ironic proverb help us make sense of our complex world? – Ecclesiastes 7:15-8:8, Part 1”
Are the rich getting richer, while the poor get poorer? – Ecclesiastes 5:8-6:12, Part 1
What are you looking forward to? How would you fill in the blank in the following phrase: “I can’t wait for _______”? Here are some that I’ve heard recently, from myself and others. I can’t wait until we have a vaccine for Covid, so we can get back to normal. I can’t wait until thisContinue reading “Are the rich getting richer, while the poor get poorer? – Ecclesiastes 5:8-6:12, Part 1”
Is it really that important to be committed to a local church? – Ecclesiastes 5:1-7, Part 4
What commitments do you have to your church family? Do you serve on a committee? Do you help with a ministry? Are you a member of a church? Participating in a small group? How are you doing keeping your commitments? How do you view those responsibilities? Would you say that they are vows you needContinue reading “Is it really that important to be committed to a local church? – Ecclesiastes 5:1-7, Part 4”
What’s really going on when you sing worship songs (and why it might be making God sad) – Ecclesiastes 5:1-7, Part 3
We Christians give a lot of time in our worship services to singing songs, don’t we? How many songs does your church sing each week? At Faith Church we typically sing four songs, which are a mixture of traditional hymns and modern praise songs. What are we doing when we sing those songs? It mightContinue reading “What’s really going on when you sing worship songs (and why it might be making God sad) – Ecclesiastes 5:1-7, Part 3”
Are you praying the wrong way (especially during worship services)?- Ecclesiastes 5:1-7, Part 2
Do you know how to pray? Have you ever thought about how God wants you to pray? What we are going to learn from the Teacher today is that there is a right way and a wrong way to pray, especially during worship services. In this week’s five-part series on Ecclesiastes 5:1-7, the central passageContinue reading “Are you praying the wrong way (especially during worship services)?- Ecclesiastes 5:1-7, Part 2”
Should Christians practice rituals in worship? – Ecclesiastes 5:1-7, Part 1
How should we go to church? You might answer, “Isn’t it pretty obvious? You get in a car and you drive to the building, and you walk inside the building, and you sit down on a pew.” Maybe if you live nearby, you walk. You might take a bus. Maybe your church is in aContinue reading “Should Christians practice rituals in worship? – Ecclesiastes 5:1-7, Part 1”
How to have the right mindset during the difficult times of life – Ecclesiastes 3:1-15, Part 5
There was a period of consecutive months where eight people from Faith Church died, at least one per month. I listened to and counseled their eight grieving families, officiating each of the funerals. This weighed heavy on me, as I was thinking about death constantly. I found that I couldn’t stop thinking about death, andContinue reading “How to have the right mindset during the difficult times of life – Ecclesiastes 3:1-15, Part 5”
Surfing, the Law of Undulation, and how to handle life’s extremes – Ecclesiastes 3:1-15, Part 3
I’ve never been surfing, but it looks really fun. Riding a wave must be thrilling. I imagine, though, that successful attempts only follow many failed ones. Ups and downs, like the waves. I suspect that surfing is a study in extremes, from the bliss of great ride, to the suffering of a rough crash. InContinue reading “Surfing, the Law of Undulation, and how to handle life’s extremes – Ecclesiastes 3:1-15, Part 3”
Engaging Scripture 