Active Missionaries and Their Committment Level

When I first came to pastor in New Jersey one of the members of our congregation asked me about my commitment to missions. I confess, I didn’t understand its importance then, but this individual did. And for good reason: Her great-grandmother had come to Christ in Japan, when an American missionary shared the Gospel with her. Untold generations in her … Read More

The Evangelistic Dime

The Bible says that “Faith is the realization of things hoped for, the confidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) Perhaps you, like others, struggle to put your confidence in something or Some-one you cannot see. Some people believe that if they can’t see it, it can’t possibly be real. Imagine that I am holding in my fist a 1941-42 … Read More

Daniel and Right Decisions

The Biblical book of Daniel is known for lions’ dens, fiery furnaces, and a host of prophecies. But it also tells the story of a man, and his commitment to God. That story begins in chapter one, years before the lions show up. Daniel’s people are taken captive, and he, with the best of the Israelites is transported back to … Read More

Leading and Following

We live in a day and age where there is a growing distrust in anyone who claims to be leader or CEO. Every news release seems to reflect that the major leaders in our world care only for those who work for them when they might personally benefit in someway. One writer said it this way, “We live in an … Read More

Words that Build Up

The Bible regularly addresses our speech patterns. It specifically discusses the way that we should talk to one another. James says it so well, “From the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.” (James 3:10). Of course we know the words we shouldn’t say. But what about the words we … Read More

When Abuse Happens within the Church

Years ago a friend of mine wanted to know my take on the sex scandals that had rocked the Roman Catholic Church. He himself was a practicing Roman Catholic, and although I am not, I appreciated his invitation to share my thoughts. First of all I assured him that the Roman Catholic Church was not the only church that struggled … Read More

Thinking on the Morally Excellent

Even if you are a student of art you may not recognize his name. Bertoldo de Giovani. None of his work has endured. His significance is found in that he was the tutor of the greatest sculptor of all time: Michelangelo. He was only 14 years old when he came to Giovani, but it was already obvious that Michelangelo was … Read More

The Jesus Story: Fact or Legend?

Occasionally I hear of someone who thinks that the story of Jesus as recorded in the Scriptures is more legend than fact. They assume that the accounts of Jesus Christ in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were the figment of some early church goer’s imagination. If you fit that category can I ask you to consider the … Read More