About the Site
Faith Statement
Find out what the author of this site and its contributors adhere to in regard to theology.
Blog
Writings that do not conform to one of the other defined categories.
Lucubrations
These writings are either devotional in nature, or an in-depth look at a specific Bible passage.
The word “lucubration” refers to any literary effort especially of a solemn nature.
Standpoint
The website’s response to issues. This section appears in two formats, as a web page and as a downloadable PDF. Churches are encouraged to download the one-page papers and provide them to their congregation.
The word standpoint can mean: belief, position, mental outlook.
Verses
The websites response to opinion-makers and the glitterati. Rather than referring to Bible verses, this is a combative piece responding to statements or accusation made about the Bible or Christians.
During the Covid-19 “crises” Christians became used to attending church online. In fact, one good thing to come out of the pandemic is that many churches upgraded their technology. Live streaming is now more common, and even small churches are finding that streaming live on Facebook is an affordable option. This is good news for elderly and disabled believers as well as “seekers” (those who are non-religious but interested in learning more about Christianity). That said, attending church virtually isn’t healthy for those who can attend in person. It’s time to go back to church. Here’s why.
A phrase has been made increasingly popular through commercials and celebrity usage: “you do you” sounds liberating -- who wouldn’t want to do what they want to? Most people want to live life on their own terms. I challenge you to think a little deeper, however. The Bible says there is nothing new in this world (Ecclesiastes 1.9) so we should expect that this philosophy has been tried before. What were the results? The Bible has something to say about that too.
John 12 and Mark 14 tell of an awkward moment at an intimate dinner party. The dinner takes place at the home of Lazarus (following his raising from the dead) and his sisters Mary and Martha. After dinner, Mary begins to anoint Jesus’ head and feet with an expensive oil made of nard. Judas objects to this compassionate display, arguing that the oil should have been sold and the money given to the poor. Jesus rebukes this notion, stating Mary has chosen the greater good. There is a lot to unpack in this short scene.
Before I get on a roll, I believe it is important from the start to recognize that a great many pastors have suffered over the last year. I may be critical of some below, so I recognize here and now that many good pastors are left hurting in the wake of government overreach when responding to a virus with a 98% survivability rate. When one is put in the position of being unable to practice one’s calling or risk the government fining – or imprisoning you (as they did regularly in Canada) for doing so – stress and uncertainty take up position over each shoulder. For you, we pray for relief.
After decades of political bodies all around the world telling us that skin color doesn’t matter – “we’re the same on the inside” they told us – suddenly they’re messaging has changed and today skin color is the only thing that matters. The group Black Lives Matter is offended when you remind them that all lives matter, and the US congress kneeled in their support of BLM. Many metropolises are offering relief funds to citizens – but only to non-white citizens and the federal government has talked about reparations to black families whose ancestors were slaves in America over 180 years ago.
The Chosen is a highly polished dramatization of the Gospel story told in a modern television style complete with episodes and seasons. The most direct comparison would be the network television miniseries A.D. The Bible Continues, produced by Roma Downey and Mark Burnett. In comparison, The Chosen is a better series; the quality of the acting is superior, and the scene direction and production mechanics appear to be of a higher quality. If The Chosen had ended up with even half as many viewers it would be a success, but at over 50 million views as of August 2020, it has already vastly exceeded the network television show’s numbers (13.1 million).
Tomorrow is assured no one, yet when yesterday is already ours what more can mortal man ask?
