Many Christians fail to grasp the basic point of the Bible: to follow Jesus. Unfortunately, many Christians love the Bible more than Jesus. They say things like “a biblical worldview” and “we’re a Bible-believing church” and “we believe in the Bible.” But in reality,...
02751 – Radical Demand of Christian Faith
For me the most radical demand of Christian faith lies in summoning the courage to say yes to the present risenness of Jesus Christ.
02748 – The Answer is “Yes!”
I’m mindful that for many of us, we have heard a lot of “no’s” in our lifetimes. Especially from people who think they are speaking for or defending God. Whether implicitly or explicitly, we’ve heard things like:"No, you’re not supposed to be asking questions like...
02746 – Our Wants vs. God’s Wants
We want the war horse.Jesus rides a donkey. We want the eagle.The Holy Spirit descends as a dove. We want to take up swords.Jesus takes up a cross. We want the roaring lion.God comes as a slaughtered lamb. We keep trying to arm God.God keeps trying to disarm...
02745 – For God So Loved…
For God so loved the world that God made us for love. For God so loved the world that God incarnated love itself in the person of Jesus.For God so loved the world that God empowered us to love even our enemies, even the worst person on Twitter, even those who seem...
02744 – What the Cross is About
The cross is not where God inflicts violence on Jesus in order to vent his wrath; the cross is where God in Christ endures human inflicted violence and forgives it all. The cross is not where Jesus saves us from God, but where Jesus reveals God as Savior.
02743 – Sunday’s Coming
This year, I am finding myself really needing Holy Saturday. I need this space where the shadows of death have not yet given way to new life and resurrection.I need a day where we sit together in those shadows and watch the disciples be unsure of what is coming next....
02739 – Being Christlike
Genocide is biblical.Loving your enemy is biblical.But only one is Christlike.Slavery is biblical.Chain-breaking is biblical.But only one is Christlike. Patriarchy is biblical.Counter-cultural elevation of women is biblical.But only one is Christlike. Retributive...
02738 – Picking and Choosing
For those who count the Bible as sacred, interpretation is not a matter of WHETHER to pick and choose, but HOW to pick and choose. ...So the question we have to ask ourselves is this: are we reading with the prejudice of love, with Christ as our model, or are we...
02736 – I Believe in Christ
I believe in Christ, like I believe in the sun--not because I can see it, but by it I can see everything else.