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Quick Thoughts on Baseball
Every once in awhile I just can’t leave baseball alone. It’s my favorite sport. I grew up in Kansas City. Those were the days when they actually made the playoffs. Then, there were the World Series years of 1980 and 1985. Then… they vanished. Just like Bobby Fischer. I have lived in Minneapolis since 1997. Since the Twins are in…
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The Jesus Story vs. the Christian Country Club
Scot McKnight of Jesus Creed (on the web. By day he is a college prof) has some great thoughts on Christianity as a country club or Christianity as the place where the gospel story is told. His new book, The King Jesus Gospel, is a book I will be reading with my staff. It is a challenge to truly understand…
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Links to Thoughts on 9/11 and Translations
Some thoughts from key leaders HERE about how Christian and Muslim relations are doing ten years after 9/11. Some thoughts HERE on the need for good translations, even ones we may not personally like. For me, personally, I am still working to become more comfortable with the Common English Bible. The NIV 2011 is by far more “comfortable” for me.…
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Prayer in Reflection of 9/11
Ten years ago, right after 9/11, I was having lunch with a great man of God. He works with Muslims and has such an amazing balance of working in this culture, loving Muslims, and loving God. Right after 9/11 when all I wanted was to find who was responsible and take them down, he offered a different perspective. The greatness…
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Further Reflections on 9/11
As I get ready for our 9/11 service I am finding amazing video and music montages. What Psalms would you use for reflection on Sunday?
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The Debt of Love
Don’t be in debt to anyone, except for the obligation to love each other. Whoever loves another person has fulfilled the Law. (Romans 13:8, CEB) This whole passage, from Romans 12 to 13, has kept my mind going for quite some time. Without our lives being a living sacrifice and our minds being completely transformed (Rom. 12:1,2), the rest just…
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TRULY Loving Our Neighbor
One of our texts for Sunday is Romans 13:8-14. As I walk through this passage I am struck by the attitude we are to take toward people we really don’t like. This follows on the heels of Paul’s admonition to pray for those in authority over us in vv. 1-7. In a society like ours where we have such freedom…
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Familiar Passages That Bring Life
I realized after preaching last Sunday that I refer quite a bit to a list of Bible passages I call “Ancient Wells.” These are familiar passages of Scripture that call out to me every time I read them. When I am “stuck” in my Bible reading, I turn to these passages again to help renew my thirst for the Word…
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Tweets and Twits
The world in which we live is so incredibly interesting. I have not used Twitter, and as I’ve observed it to this point it’s so much of a social following, I’ve not been interested. NBA players, NFL players, and their rants just don’t interest me. I heard on MPR this morning about “tweets per second.” When something huge happens, Twitter…
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A Comparison of the CEB and NIV 2011
I keep trying out the Common English Bible because it has the Apocrypha and the language is a bit easier to read. But then I find times when I am comparing with the NIV 2011, which is still my favorite. (If only they had stepped up and boldly put out an edition with the Apocrypha!) This morning my reading was…
