When David became king, God gave him a series of sweeping military victories. After one such victory we are told that David hamstrung all but a hundred of the horses he had captured (1 Chronicles 18:4). This practice seems unwise. Horses and chariots were a major military advantage. Iron was the revolutionary military technology of the age. Why … [Read more...]
A Hard Message to a Soft Church
The book of Revelation contains seven letters that Jesus directed to seven local, first-century churches. Reading these letters forces us to soberly consider what Jesus would say to us and how he would evaluate the churches that we attend. Each of these seven letters involves a call to “overcome” or to “be victorious” (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17; … [Read more...]
A Place of Belonging
Our church facility is going to undergo a major transformation over the course of the next few months. One of the major improvements will be in the area of accessibility. This was one of the driving values behind the project from the very beginning. A number of our families have pursued special needs adoption and we have entered into a vibrant … [Read more...]
Abortion – A Protection for Women?
The New York state assembly voted this week to allow abortions into the third trimester up to the very point of birth. While delegates cheered as the vote was announced, I found myself deeply grieved at such a callous disregard for life and such a raucous celebration of death. Luke’s gospel reminds us again that life begins at conception. Mary was … [Read more...]
The Life of Faith
We often talk rehearse how we are saved by faith. But God has also called us to live by faith (Hebrews 11:6). Abraham was asked to leave his homeland and his extended family to go to an undisclosed location (Genesis 12:1). God had promised to make Abraham’s descendants into a great nation. But for many years, God prevented Abraham and Sarah from … [Read more...]
Missions and the Magi
An epiphany is an eye-opening “light bulb” experience. It is a burst of clarity and understanding. It is like looking at one of those Magic Eye books. Everything looks blurry. But as you stare at it, the image begins to come together and what you didn’t see before is now made clear. You experience an “Aha! moment.” Today we celebrate Epiphany. We … [Read more...]
The Importance of the City
I grew up in a small town and enjoyed swimming and fishing in the summer, hunting in the fall and playing pond hockey in the winters. I talk to many people who long for simpler times in rural America. Having said all that, I am increasingly convinced of the importance of cities. And after 23 years in Grand Rapids, I have appreciated the strategic … [Read more...]
Thinking Like a Missionary
The Christmas season provides many natural opportunities to talk about Jesus with co-workers, neighbors, classmates, friends and family. But how can we do this effectively? Lesslie Newbigin was a British theologian who spent the bulk of his ministry as a missionary in India. Below is an adapted list of his suggested ingredients for an effective … [Read more...]
Entering the Kingdom
C.S. Lewis wrote the Chronicles of Narnia to communicate the powerful truths of the gospel. Narnia, like earth, was filled with beauty, brokenness, evil and redemption. Lewis wrote the series in 1940 during the outbreak of WWII. The people of London were anxious and fearful. The four Pevensie children were sent away from their parents because of … [Read more...]
Remember Lot’s Wife
It is a terrible feeling to be caught unprepared. My oldest daughter, Anna, had one of those experiences during her college years. She overslept and woke up only five minutes before her exam was supposed to start. She raced out of her dorm in her pajamas, “borrowed” a bike off the bike rack, sped across campus and slipped into her chair as the … [Read more...]
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