A year ago, nature swept an EF3 tornado through the Sullivan, Indiana countryside, and town, killing five people and destroying many homes. Restoration is still in progress. Where do we find the face of God in troubled times? Elijah faced dire circumstances, tired and exhausted “So He [God] said, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces... Read more
At what age do you quit serving? I make it a point to only engage in tasks that require my specific skills and abilities, and leave the rest to others. Others need opportunities. This way I can focus on what I do well. For example, I think I’m good at sitting on a couch and watching TV–I have a lot of practice. “If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing... Read more
I have mixed feelings about recent Supreme Court decisions. The decision on presidential immunity created a constitutional crisis. I believe the Supreme Court ignored the Constitution, created law, and it could lead to disaster. This isn’t sensationalism, it’s a serious consideration. Shays’ Rebellion is relevant to today’s US political divisions. Shays’ Rebellion (1786-87) was an armed insurrection by rural farmers in western and central Massachusetts, sparked by the state government’s unpopular response to a debt crisis. The insurrection reached its... Read more
Just kidding. I can’t even remember what I did last summer. What Did You Do Over Summer Vacation? It’s a common question in US schools: “What did you do during summer vacation?” Sixty days of fun! There I was at one of daughter’s homes, enjoying our stay, seven hundred miles away, when I got the call: “Our home air conditioning is not working.” I guess I could have let them roast, or pay a lot of money for a hotel.... Read more
Practical Spirituality Series People are growing very fearful of the power of AI to act as humans and to do harm. Much of this comes from misconceptions. While the danger is real, it is far off, and up to us. I worked in AI, but I don’t know everything about this rapidly advancing field I use daily. Each day I receive images through Pixabay from this very prolific and excellent artist, Gerd Altmann (Geralt). They make me smile. They impress... Read more
Practical Spirituality series Serving the 18 to 35 age group will challenge you to reexamine your traditions of interpretation. LGBTQ interpretation was among the first to fall. If it looks like discrimination, injustice, and exclusivism, Gen. Z will reject it and not come to your church. You may have to rethink not just interpretation, but church itself. The future of the church depends on this group, which recognizes its spiritual needs but is not very religious. My series to address... Read more
Practical Spirituality series One thing I learned doing pastoral visitation is how lonely many people are. Too many lose their spouse or friends, or get injured, and become hermits. Eating is a social function, so they don’t eat. Loneliness is especially rampant among Generation Z. Over fifty-three percent report loneliness. You can have fame, wealth, social media friends and likes, text a hundred texts a day, even have a family, and still be very lonely. Gen. Z is very digitally... Read more
Practical Spirituality series The problem of evil is a question that deeply troubles every generation and, to some, refutes the idea of a benevolent God of love as a logical impossibility. It’s been a subject of philosophy and religion for thousands of years. People dispute the definition of evil. Some include every act that is injurious, while some include suffering itself. Why would a loving and just God allow suffering? “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you... Read more
Practical Spirituality series Getting rid of unnecessary tradition for a fresh start with new generations; Gen Z. Satan is another rich tradition that has developed over the centuries. It gets the blame for everything bad that happens to us. It is an endless aggravation. Really! We need to go back and understand what Satan means. In the hours before his crucifixion, Jesus said in John 12: 31-32, “Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will... Read more
Practical Spirituality series We don’t understand well the role of forgiveness in our lives, and neither do new generations. It’s huge. Ferreting out the basics on the topic of forgiveness is difficult. People have piled mountains of doctrine on mountains of tradition. For example, the Jews had no official doctrine regarding the afterlife. Heaven and Hell (Hades) were myths that came from other religions, namely Greek and Roman. Jesus spoke about them saying an afterlife without forgiveness was like being... Read more
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