Advent 2025, Week 2: Isaiah 9, Preview Have you sensed that there is a widening ideological divide in our American culture? I’ve written about it here on the blog, the sorting of our society. I recently heard someone suggest, however, that only 10% of people hold to the extremes poles of cultural ideology. 80% resideContinue reading “What can heal the ideological divide in our culture?”
Tag Archives: culture
The secret to being content when life is good or bad – Philippians 4:10–13
Ours is a culture largely run on discontentment. New phones every year promising life-changing improvements, leaving you discontent with your old phone. New gadgets for every task under the sun, promising the good life, resulting in your feeling discontent without them. Whether it is your vacuum, clothes dryer, car, or just about anything. New clothingContinue reading “The secret to being content when life is good or bad – Philippians 4:10–13”
Why I am taking my second sabbatical – The Sabbath Year, Part 5
What has happened since my previous sabbatical ended April 1, 2018? In the past seven years, so much has happened. Faith Church had started a capital campaign in 2017, and it lasted through 2019. We resealed the parking lot, put in all new doors and windows, a new roof, new kitchen appliances, new WIFIContinue reading “Why I am taking my second sabbatical – The Sabbath Year, Part 5”
You likely can’t change America, but you can change how you live in your own community – Jesus’ love and peace, Part 3
Purple Church is just about the church. The question of the week, however, “How do we allow the love of Jesus to bring peace to America?” is talking about the wider society. Not just the church. And yet, the inclusion of “the love of Jesus” in the question narrows the answer primarily to Christians. Furthermore, myContinue reading “You likely can’t change America, but you can change how you live in your own community – Jesus’ love and peace, Part 3”
What can we do to allow Jesus’ love to bring peace to America? Post the Ten Commandments in all school classrooms? – Preview
Next week is another Q & A week. Once per quarter I ask people in my congregation for questions or current events suggestions that they would like me to preach about. My goal is to bring biblical theology to bear on that subject to help us think Christianly about the headlines of the day. IContinue reading “What can we do to allow Jesus’ love to bring peace to America? Post the Ten Commandments in all school classrooms? – Preview”
Christians, stop trying to control other people’s bodies – 1 Thessalonians 4:1–8, Part 3
This week on the blog, we’re studying 1 Thessalonians 4:1–8, and in that passage, Paul’s main theme is that Christians are people who are living more and more to please God. The theological word he uses is that we are to be sanctified. In the previous post, I talk about what “sanctified” means. In today’sContinue reading “Christians, stop trying to control other people’s bodies – 1 Thessalonians 4:1–8, Part 3”
What to do when life feels hopeless – Advent Hope, Part 4
This week I once again welcome guest blogger, Kirk Marks. Kirk is a retired pastor of 30 years who now works in international fair trade. My favorite Old Testament minor prophet is Habakkuk. Habakkuk had a message of hope from God for people, but Habakkuk’s message doesn’t start out very hopeful. Here’s how Habakkuk begins,Continue reading “What to do when life feels hopeless – Advent Hope, Part 4”
Women are not responsible for the way people view women’s bodies – 2 Samuel 11, Part 3
Editor’s Note: This week we welcome guest blogger, Emily Marks. Emily is an adult and community educator. She and her husband Sean live in Lancaster, PA, with their dog Corvus. I learned so much from her sermon on 2 Samuel 11-12! I’m excited for you to read these blog posts. David is smart. As weContinue reading “Women are not responsible for the way people view women’s bodies – 2 Samuel 11, Part 3”
My TV show idea that should replace election debates – 1 Samuel 31—2 Samuel 2:7, Part 5
I have a TV show idea that I think would be a hit. I would call it The Padded Room. Here’s how it would work. The set would be a padded room filled with hidden cameras. Real people will volunteer to enter the room. Once inside, they cannot leave. They can’t get hurt because theContinue reading “My TV show idea that should replace election debates – 1 Samuel 31—2 Samuel 2:7, Part 5”
How David was shamed by the Philistines, and it turned out to be a good thing – 1st Samuel 28-30, Part 4
This week we welcome guest blogger, Kirk Marks. Kirk retired from a long career in pastoral ministry, denominational leadership and theological education. He now works in global fair trade. The armies of Philistia and Israel are gathering, facing off. War is about to erupt. As we reviewed in the previous post, though David and hisContinue reading “How David was shamed by the Philistines, and it turned out to be a good thing – 1st Samuel 28-30, Part 4”
Engaging Scripture 