7 Ways to Introduce Advent to Your Congregation

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...

First Amendment Protects Muslims’ Right to Worship

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...

Health Care Debate? It’s More About Shouting Slogans

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...

Resurrection Embodies the Essence of Christianity

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...

Know What Matters Most to You

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...