by Mike Smith | Nov 13, 2013 | Opinion
How might we introduce Advent to a congregation that has never observed the season? Based on experience with three such congregations, I offer the following general strategies. 1. Tell the congregation why Advent is important to you. Testimony matters in most of our...
by Mike Smith | Jul 8, 2010 | Opinion
An anonymous letter arrived in the mail, mailed by a person in our town who clearly believes the Muslim community in our city ought not be allowed to build a new mosque. The writer feared the mosque was part of what he or she called “a long range plan to destroy...
by Mike Smith | Sep 14, 2009 | Opinion
Let’s start with a truth. Much of what passes for debate about health care amounts to nothing more than pundits and people shouting slogans at each other. Their talking points could not pass muster in a high school debate class, where one is required to build a...
by Mike Smith | Apr 6, 2009 | Opinion
The prospect of Easter prompts me to think about what resurrection means. Resurrection means Jesus lives. Christians know and walk with a risen Lord. We encounter Jesus not only as a figure of history but as a present living reality. Frankly, we’re often...
by Mike Smith | Feb 15, 2009 | Opinion
What matters most? Recently, I endured a bit of “down time” as I recovered from surgery. My normal routine seldom provides much in the way of down time. I can’t say I enjoyed the experience, but it did have an up side: With time on my hands, I began...