Located here are practical teachings of current interest to believers
- I Lost a Friend Yesterday Who Didn’t Know Jesus
I lost a friend yesterday and I feel terrible. Those of you who’ve read some of our posts realize that we volunteer with a Christian Charity that helps high risk people get apartments. High risk can mean asylum-seekers from other countries, drug or alcohol dependent people or people in emergency situations who have lost their apartment and have no place to stay. One of the guys who’d been in our charity for probably ten years passed away yesterday. He was a really quiet guy who minded his own business and didn’t make problems for anybody. What he had, was an… Read more: I Lost a Friend Yesterday Who Didn’t Know Jesus - Finding a Refreshing Spring in a Spiritual Desert
I don’t know about you, but sometimes it just seems like I’m walking through a spiritual desert in search of some cool, refreshing water. That’s the way it’s been over the last several months. There were the personal disappointments of having to cut loose our Romanian friends who seemed intent on taking advantage of the German government. There was the disappointment of a good friend turning from Christ, only to return to a life of alcohol and marijuana. There was also another alcohol dependent friend who, though enjoying our church, decided he didn’t need Christ. Last summer, we buried one… Read more: Finding a Refreshing Spring in a Spiritual Desert - Christians are More Interested in Quarrels than Morals
Sorry to be the one to state the obvious, but it’s not like any of us can’t see it. I’m not sure exactly when it all started, but it seems it has taken over our movement. Some think it started with the anti-abortion movement, others with the confrontational style of conservative media that has infused much of evangelical Christianity. As a kid, I remember Pastors that focused on doctrine which was their way of showing how our church and denomination was right . . . and everyone else was wrong. Perhaps that laid the groundwork for our quarrels of today.… Read more: Christians are More Interested in Quarrels than Morals - Trump is Indicted. Can’t Say I Didn’t See This Coming
I’ve been toying with a post regarding Donald Trump for some time now, simply because he has unsurprisingly emerged as the Republican frontrunner by a big lead. That alone was newsworthy. Now with his indictment, the list of abuses and character flaws continues to skyrocket. Revisiting An Unpleasant Past In 2016, we were under no illusions. Everyone knew he was deeply flawed, a liar, womanizer and serial sex abuser of women. Amazingly, it came from his own lips. He was a star and a star can do to women whatever he wants. Just grab them by . . . you… Read more: Trump is Indicted. Can’t Say I Didn’t See This Coming - How do Big Companies Heartlessly Sidestep the Law?
Some of our readers might remember the post on my Macedonian friend who was one of so many that were screwed by blatant corruption that broke the promise of capitalism in his country. He got his company stolen out from under him by a corrupt relative of the country’s prime minister. So, he came to Germany and worked as a truck driver to earn some money he could send back to his family to support them. Great guy, committed Christian. Proud to be his friend. But needless to say, even in Germany, a country with a long tradition of “rule… Read more: How do Big Companies Heartlessly Sidestep the Law? - When the Road of Help is Only One Way
Some of our readers are aware that we’d invested a long of time and effort into helping a homeless Romanian couple. He was desperately ill with Leukemia; they had a 2-year-old son and were living on the street. With the help of an area pastor here in Koblenz, we were able to house them in his church for a number of months before finding them an apartment and giving her a part-time job at the church cleaning that eventually got them financial support from the state. With state support, we also lined up a German language class for her. They… Read more: When the Road of Help is Only One Way - Yesterday I Had a Starring Role in a Parable
Yesterday started pretty much like most days. I climbed on my bike to do my 30km training run. I was most of the way through the run, and that was good as my fingers and toes were burning from the cold. It was only about 37 degrees, but the wind was blowing strongly. I had one more hill to clear, the steepest and longest of the run, and then it was all downhill for the last 5km to home. I was already looking forward to a hearty breakfast as the hunger pangs kick in after the first hour. A Chance… Read more: Yesterday I Had a Starring Role in a Parable - Noah’s Ark was the Ultimate Refugee Boat
I don’t know how it happened, and I don’t know when it happened. But somehow Christians lost their way. We’ve traded pragmatism and privilege for justice and salvation. When did the church decide it was okay to reject asylum-seekers from our country? When did we decide it was okay in God’s eyes to build a wall and demand that our political leaders not only reject foreigners, but abuse them inhumanely as a warning to stay away from our borders? Do We Actually Read our Bibles or Just Meet to Talk About it? The more I read the Bible, the more… Read more: Noah’s Ark was the Ultimate Refugee Boat - When Communism is Better than Capitalism’s Broken Promises
Unexpected Visitors and an Unexpected Assignment Sunday I was asked to translate for a couple visitors, a father and daughter. They really enjoyed the service, and I had opportunity afterward to speak with the father at length. He had been working in Germany for three years as a truck driver in a nearby city. His hours were long, and he was often on the road, making it impossible to study and learn German. What I found surprising, was how good his English was. As it turned out, he’d earlier spent a couple years in Cleveland, Tennessee, not far from Chattanooga,… Read more: When Communism is Better than Capitalism’s Broken Promises - As an Auto Engineer, The World without Cars Looks Better
As a teenager, I loved biking. I biked everywhere. One of my dreams was to bike through Europe as a tourist. But my love of biking ended when I got my license to drive. I bought a ’68 VW Beetle in such bad shape I devoted countless hours to keep it running. It wasn’t long after that, that I bought a ’73 VW 412 – yes, they actually made it for 2 years before canning it. It was a sedan version of the Porsche 914, which was really a Volkswagen badged as a Porsche. I then got involved in an… Read more: As an Auto Engineer, The World without Cars Looks Better - The Worst Time to be Homeless is When it’s Cold
Some may have seen in the news that was really cold here in Germany last week. It was brutally cold. Haven’t seen this kind of cold in the five years I’ve been here. A Pampered Life Visiting a Christmas Market I was reminded how cold it was when a group from our church met downtown to visit the “Weihnachtsmarkt”. It’s a tradition in Germany with many cities and towns having them. Booths are set up across the downtown areas selling everything from Christmas trinkets to food, drinks, handicrafts, you name it. A favorite here is selling hot wine. People sit… Read more: The Worst Time to be Homeless is When it’s Cold - The Church Stubbornly Holds its Tongue on Blood Violence
Sorry that I’ve been offline a bit longer than expected. After the reports broke on the attack against Paul Pelosi, I intended to lay out a Christian perspective which I will now attempt to do. Unfortunately, reports broke as I was heading to the US to visit family. Time has been at a bit of a premium as a result. It was not just the Paul Pelosi attack, however. A recent article in Christianity Today offering views from pastors globally on gun laws seemed pretty weak overall. It wasn’t that anything wrong was said, more that there was really little… Read more: The Church Stubbornly Holds its Tongue on Blood Violence - Thankfulness for my Personal Crisis of Faith
It’s been quite a while since I first posted my personal crisis of faith. It was February 14th. A disabled Romanian man was standing outside our church begging for money. Around his neck was a medical report from an emergency visit to a hospital in Koblenz where it was stated he suffered from Leukemia. After initially passing by without offering assistance, my wife and I, together with a friend who spoke Romanian, left our prayer room to speak with him. It started us on a long journey – far longer than we could have imagined. We provided an update on… Read more: Thankfulness for my Personal Crisis of Faith - Plagued with Problems, Exiled in the Church
Every now and then, someone really desperate walks into our churches in search of help. But it’s the kind of help we’re loath to provide and ill-prepared to dispense. It’s particularly challenging when the person is plagued with psychological problems that make everyone uneasy. That’s what happened in our church recently. Suddenly a middle aged woman, dressed like a pauper and carrying a large cloth bag full of who knows what, showed up in our church. She would always arrive early, take a seat far from the front, usually skewed to the far side of the sanctuary. Never interacting with… Read more: Plagued with Problems, Exiled in the Church - Am I Witness to Fulfillment of the Promise to Abraham?
An Iranian Pair Brings to Mind an Earlier Memory The other week my wife and I helped a young Iranian couple with a kitchen installation. They were both here in Germany seeking asylum, hoping for a permanent visa. They’re a terrific couple who spent three years in a horrible camp in Greece before realizing Greece wasn’t going to offer them asylum. Trapped there, they were simply going to be left there indefinitely, stuck between Iran and Europe on a remote island where most wouldn’t even notice their plight. I’m not sure if it was Lesbos but they were clear it… Read more: Am I Witness to Fulfillment of the Promise to Abraham? - There Shall be Earthquakes, Pestilence & Famine (Mark 13:8)
Every Christian knows this Scripture and its Gospel companion scriptures Matthew 24:7 and Luke 21:11. These words were spoken as part of Christ’s prediction of the temple’s destruction and signs of the end-times. In fact, everyone associates this apocalyptic scripture with the end of the age. Drought as a Sign of the End of the Age Here in Koblenz, we’re experiencing drought . . . again. Four of our last five summers have produced drought conditions. Officials are saying that the Rhine will be closed to commercial traffic any day now. It’s part of a wider drought being experienced throughout… Read more: There Shall be Earthquakes, Pestilence & Famine (Mark 13:8) - The Arrogance of Thinking We Know Better than God
Those readers of this blog know that recently my wife and I spent some time in the Dolomites in Italy. The mountains there are world renown. It is Italian, yet German. The architecture is German/Austrian alpine and the area is bilingual. Everyone speaks both Italian and German. We did a lot of hiking to mountain peaks and through meadows and forests along the way. It was a “throw-back” to simpler times where farming was a family occupation and cows wandered between meadows and forests where their location was easily determined by the bells hung from their necks. We were there… Read more: The Arrogance of Thinking We Know Better than God - Does Anyone Weep Over the Sins of the Church?
Few verses in Scripture have had greater impact than Ezekiel, chapters 8-10, often moving me to tears. Ezekiel has a vision of the people of Israel and their leaders, all participating in idolatry (chapter 8). It is followed by a pronouncement of judgment (chapter 9) and the departure of God’s presence from the temple in chapter 10. An Idolatrous People Ezekiel sees “the idol that provokes to jealousy”, an apparent Asherah pole, signaling the revival of its worship after Josiah abolished it (so Allen, Leslie, Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 28, Ezekiel 1-19, p. 142). It is in a public place… Read more: Does Anyone Weep Over the Sins of the Church? - SCOTUS Isn’t a Conservative Court but a “Christian” Court
Welcome to the Chaos Court, brought to you by the Chaos King. Many Christians will remember that conservative Christians often called Donald Trump their “Chaos King”. And boy were they cheering as he tore down all institutional controls, threw the government into a tailspin and stacked the court with “conservatives”. If Biden supporters were hopeful the chaos would end after Trump’s defeat, they were naïve. The next phase of the conservative take-over has arrived. Countless cases handled on a shadow docket – way more than any prior court. Remember last September when SCOTUS refused to stay Texas’ controversial abortion law… Read more: SCOTUS Isn’t a Conservative Court but a “Christian” Court - Conservative Christians Love Originalism. Don’t be Fooled!
With all the monumental rulings coming from the conservative majority of the US Supreme Court, you might hear conservative Christians cheering. There’s a lot of “talk” about how liberal justices have been radically reinterpreting laws in ways inconsistent with our founding fathers. The solution is often claimed to be “Originalism” or “Textualism” and many Christians swear by it. But a couple cautions are in order. First, “interpretive methods” are often intended either to get a pre-determined, preferred outcome or intended to obscure a just outcome. Interpretive methods often are intended to defend laws or interpretations of laws rather than assuring… Read more: Conservative Christians Love Originalism. Don’t be Fooled! - Dear Mike Pence: Please Don’t Run for Election Ever Again
Dear Mike Pence: Like you, I’m an evangelical Christian. But I must say up front how deeply disappointed I am with you. Your Decision to Team with Trump Violated God’s Law From the moment you made your decision to run with Donald Trump I lost all respect for you. Yes, I still pray for you, but not as you might think. In running with Donald Trump, you knowingly trampled God’s commands under foot. We both know it. We both know Paul’s testimony: 14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what… Read more: Dear Mike Pence: Please Don’t Run for Election Ever Again - Our Dirty Conservative Values Have a Dark Disturbing History
Hello from the Dolomites in Northern Italy. My wife and I decided to spend a little time in the mountains in a place known as Sued Tirol. It’s in Italy but it’s a community that is very German. The locals here speak both Italian and German and the architecture is definitely Alpine. It’s also an area influenced by practices common in Southern Europe on the Mediterranean. I was surprised to learn they have siesta here with most shops closed from noon to 3pm. But hours are 7-12 and 3-5pm, comprising a standard 8 hour work day. The Myth Europe is… Read more: Our Dirty Conservative Values Have a Dark Disturbing History - Celebrate Pentecost – God’s Spirit Now Indwells His People
Yesterday was Pentecost. Here in Germany it’s called Pfingsten and they have a Monday national holiday to celebrate. So I thought I’d do a post on Pentecost and it’s biblical significance. Most every Christian knows about Pentecost, how the Spirit infilled Christ’s disciples in the upper room and how it brought power to be His witnesses throughout the world. It seems everyone also knows the story of how people spoke in other tongues but everyone understood. Pentecost has been a staple of the charismatic movement. Since early in the twentieth century, there’s been a firm belief among charismatics that the… Read more: Celebrate Pentecost – God’s Spirit Now Indwells His People - Picking Wild Strawberries is Like Gathering Manna
The property where we live was formerly “weinberg”, a terraced mountain covered with wine grapes. This area of Germany is famous for its wines, particularly Rieslings. The grapevines are long gone and the property is now covered with wild strawberries, blackberries and cherries. It’s beautiful in the Spring with all the blossoms. And it’s that time of year where our ritual is picking wild strawberries each morning for our breakfast Muesli. To Americans, it may sound a bit strange but here in Germany, many people go into the meadows and woods to pick all sorts of wild fruits and nuts.… Read more: Picking Wild Strawberries is Like Gathering Manna - Love of the Second Amendment Brings Bloodguilt Upon Us
I’ve had it on my list to write a piece on blood violence and bloodguilt and recent mass shootings in the U.S. have only emphasized the need to address the subject. Blood violence and bloodguilt are subjects prevalent in Scripture yet rarely spoken about in churches I’ve been associated with. By rarely, I mean never spoken about. A False Confidence in the Second Amendment & Our Forefathers While sermons on bloodguilt are lacking, it’s amazing how often there are passionate defenses of our Second Amendment right to bear arms, often coupled with the false claim that God gave us the… Read more: Love of the Second Amendment Brings Bloodguilt Upon Us - Netherlands in Tulip Time: The Marvel of God’s Creation
My wife and I had opportunity to spend a few days in Holland. We went to see the tulips, for which the Netherlands are world-renowned. We drove up with our bikes in tow – strapped on our carrier. The trip was pretty easy by US standards – only three and a half hours drive. My wife was kind enough to drive, which gave me time to enjoy the scenery and let my mind wander. The Things You Notice It can be surprising the things you notice. Even though the Netherlands is right next to Germany, there are noticeable differences in… Read more: Netherlands in Tulip Time: The Marvel of God’s Creation - Our Church Leaders Will be the Death of Us
An Exodus from the Church I recently ran into old friends who had moved on from their church. They had been involved in music ministry but their contributions were deemed inadequate. In disappointment and frustration, they left but never joined another church. Sensing their disappointment, I quietly said, “Our worship will be the death of us”. It’s not just the music. These friends are part of a long list of Christians I’ve watched exodus from churches due to differences with leadership. It seemed agreement couldn’t be reached on whether, where or when they could or should participate in ministry. There… Read more: Our Church Leaders Will be the Death of Us - The Enigmatic Problem of Jesus Choosing Judas the Betrayer
Last Sunday while in the States, I got one of the better sermons I’ve heard in some time. It was a well researched, well prepared sermon, part of a series on the hard sayings of Jesus. In this case however, it was on one of the hard things Jesus did; selecting Judas, the thieving disciple who would eventually betray Him. The Pastor pointed out many solid examples of Jesus’ grace throughout Judas’ tenure with Him. And at one point, he asked the puzzling question why Jesus would choose Judas, a man He had to know would betray Him. It was… Read more: The Enigmatic Problem of Jesus Choosing Judas the Betrayer - The World is Sleepwalking into Catastrophe
I just returned from a trip to the US. It had been quite some time since my last visit and earlier visits had been shorter. It’s now been four years since I moved to Germany and differences to the US are becoming more apparent. For instance, everything in the US is bigger: cars, shopping malls, homes, you name it. I was particularly struck by the size of the cars. They are quite a bit bigger than typical European cars and noticeably less fuel efficient. With the spike in gas prices, one could imagine many families are feeling the pinch, particularly… Read more: The World is Sleepwalking into Catastrophe - “March Madness”: Ukrainian Refugees Arrive at our Church!
It’s been a crazy week and it’s not over yet! It started out quietly enough but then the levee broke when we learned that our church had agreed to house 13 Ukrainian refugees and they would arrive the next day! And of course we were totally unprepared! We’ve had our own version of “March Madness”! A Furious Search for Furniture, Bedding, Food and Readiness Word went out through various social media that we desperately needed any help church members could offer. We needed beds, bedding, a washer and dryer, food and general preparations for their arrival. Like many in our… Read more: “March Madness”: Ukrainian Refugees Arrive at our Church! - A Personal Crisis in Faith-Update
Back in mid-February I spoke about my personal crisis in faith that came about from a Sunday morning encounter on the steps of our church with a homeless Romanian who was life-threateningly ill. Since that meeting in early February, much time has passed but little has changed. I’m still struggling with just what God expects from us when facing these types of situations. Despite many challenges and frustrations over the intervening six or so weeks, we’ve made a small step so I thought a brief update would be in order. There’s been no amazing breakthroughs, nothing to qualify as a… Read more: A Personal Crisis in Faith-Update - I Did it Again, and I Just Couldn’t Stop Myself!
A couple weeks ago I complained that there’s never an urgent need in churches to pray. In that post, I spoke about my history of attending “prayer” meetings that seemed like anything but prayer meetings. Too often they were mini-services or “theatrical productions”. Well Sunday our Pastor announced a interdenominational “Friedensgebet” (Prayer for peace) for Ukraine here in Koblenz. It was being held at the Herz-Jesu-Kirche in the center of the city, not far from our place. Given the desperate situation in Ukraine, we jumped on the opportunity to attend. I didn’t really think about it. It just seemed like… Read more: I Did it Again, and I Just Couldn’t Stop Myself! - The Evangelical War Cry: Give Us Barabbas!
Sorry for the lateness of this post. It’s been marinating on the back-burner for quite some time now. But late though it is, it’s a good post-mortem, especially when we consider where we are currently and how we got here. Evangelical Christians have been taught to love politics. We’ve all heard it. It’s our Christian responsibility to vote, make our voice heard, and yes, stand for righteousness – that is, except when righteousness interferes with our conservative brand of politics. The “State” of the Church Sorry for the play on words, but it fits. The church more and more is… Read more: The Evangelical War Cry: Give Us Barabbas! - It’s not the J Word but the C Word We Won’t Use in Church
Years ago when “seeker-friendly” first became popular, an old Pastor-friend of mine privately complained that the church was afraid to use the “J” word. What he meant, was that the church didn’t want to say “Jesus” in their Sunday Morning services as it might make unchurched visitors uncomfortable. While there might have been some initial reluctance, it seems that phase passed quietly and quickly. Our Pastors are Complicit in the Sin of Coddling Congregants But there’s another trend emerging. It’s that we don’t what to use the “C” word. By that I mean “conviction”. If yesterday we were afraid we… Read more: It’s not the J Word but the C Word We Won’t Use in Church - There’s Never An Urgent Need to Pray In Churches Today
If there’s one thing that’s become a bit of a “pet-peeve” for me, it’s that there’s never any urgency for prayer in churches today. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not some grand “prayer-warrior” or anything like that. It’s more that I’ve learned that life tends to get in the way of our prayer life probably more than any other aspect of our Christian lives. Bait & Switch – Saying One Thing & Doing Another This lack of urgency was driven home again just in the last week when we had three prayer meetings as a “kick off” to 2022. Yes,… Read more: There’s Never An Urgent Need to Pray In Churches Today - A Personal Crisis in Faith
For the last week, I’ve been struggling with whether to write and publish this post. But I hope it will resonate with other Christians who may have found themselves in similar situations. A week ago Sunday, as my wife and I pulled into the church parking lot, there was a disabled man standing before the door of our church begging for money. By his appearance, it was easy to guess he was homeless. As we approached him, my wife asked a couple brief questions and quickly learned he didn’t speak much German but was apparently ill, having paperwork from a… Read more: A Personal Crisis in Faith - Watch for the Signs! Pay Attention to the Signs!
My first wife and I loved to entertain. Whenever we were preparing for a party, my wife would always say, “Watch for the signs! Pay attention to the signs!” It was her way to remind me to watch when she might need help. You see, I was more like Mary and my wife like Martha (Luke 10:40). I could get so engrossed in conversation with guests that I would lose sight of all the required preparations I’d left to my wife! Forty years later, her words still ring in my head! It’s a reminder for me that there are important… Read more: Watch for the Signs! Pay Attention to the Signs! - Covid has Proven Church is Obsolete
I don’t have much experience with U.S. churches during Covid, having only been to service once since Covid started. No I’m not a prodigal or infidel. I just live in Germany so I’ve only had one opportunity to attend church in the U.S. since the outbreak began. What I noticed in that service was some people wearing masks, some not. Some practicing social distancing, some not. But mostly what I noticed was attendance was down significantly from earlier services I had attended at that church. Here in Germany, Attendance is Down A single church just doesn’t tell the tale. But… Read more: Covid has Proven Church is Obsolete - Church Services Have Yielded to Theatrical Productions
I grew up in a church built in the late 1800’s, a beautiful, brick cathedral with a bell tower, tall stained-glass windows, massively high sanctuary ceiling and endless wood throughout. And yes, I actually found a picture of it! It was built in the days when church buildings were designed as “cathedrals”. It had a stately pulpit and a baptismal “hidden” by sliding wood doors that also served as the back-wall of the platform. Perched over the baptismal was the choir loft, complete with an impressive pipe organ. So Much Has Changed in Churches Today The Architecture has Changed It’s… Read more: Church Services Have Yielded to Theatrical Productions - True Love in Action
How Work Became Personal – A Chance Encounter I have a couple dear friends who exemplify Christian love. Few would make the choice they made and it is this choice that provides such an incredible example of Christian love. I’ve known this couple for many years. She was a professional recruiter – and an outstanding one at that. She actually recruited the man who would eventually become her husband – ironically for me. He worked for me for a number of years before taking an overseas assignment in Japan that was followed by another overseas assignment in China shortly thereafter.… Read more: True Love in Action - The Epidemic of Self-Deception in the Church
A friend became a Christian late in life, after his children were grown and had children. It was his father’s death that brought him to Christ. The finality of death can do that, the reality that we will never see or speak with that person again. My friend immediately realized the importance of saving his children and grandchildren and set out diligently to win them to Christ. He was strongly committed to prayer and testimony in the hope to win his family. One of his children had become quite successful but had unfortunately developed an alcohol dependency. He lost his… Read more: The Epidemic of Self-Deception in the Church - Christmas Eve with Two Alcoholics and a Syrian Refugee
This Christmas Eve, my wife and I did something completely different. We invited two alcoholics and a Syrian refugee to our home. I must confess that just two years ago, I would have had serious reservations. After all, one cannot know how it will turn out. Taking someone into your home can also leave you exposed as they then know where you live. But this year it just seemed right. We had no concerns or fears, just an uncertainty about how well these three men might interact. They didn’t know one another but they had one thing in common: They… Read more: Christmas Eve with Two Alcoholics and a Syrian Refugee - Abortion and Roe vs Wade: A biblical Perspective
After forty years of focused opposition, the church seems on the verge of overturning Roe vs Wade. While every Christian should oppose abortion, there are scriptural reasons to reconsider overturning Roe vs Wade. Life Does not Begin at the Moment of Conception but the Moment of Conversion In the 1980’s, powerful fetal images showing human features generated outrage over abortions, particularly late-stage abortions. These images supported that life began before birth. That life begins at the moment of conception seemed common sense. It has been the foundation of pro-life arguments for the last forty years. It is evident in numerous… Read more: Abortion and Roe vs Wade: A biblical Perspective - Now I have Jesus, and Buddha too!
For some, this title must seem sacrilege, and it should! But there’s an important story behind it. A close pastor-friend of mine once told me the story of the first person he led to the Lord. He was living in NYC and met a Buddhist from India. He decided to witness to him, taking him through “the Roman Road” to show him his sin and need for Christ. After expounding the Scriptures, he asked the man if he wanted to accept Jesus into his heart. “Yes” the man said, “I would”. After leading him in the sinner’s prayer, with great… Read more: Now I have Jesus, and Buddha too! - Fortress Evangelicalism – The Secluded Lives of Church Leaders
Years ago when I had responsibility for our company’s lab activities, the function was globalized to include sites in the UK and Germany. One of the sites in Germany had the nickname “Fortress Koblenz”. There were frequent complaints that our Koblenz site never cooperated with global initiatives or worked with other sites. Koblenz was a site to itself and always pursued its own path. To my surprise, my Koblenz team was surprisingly supportive. They weren’t stuck in the rut of having to do everything the way it always had been done. A Tour of a German Kloster A recent visit… Read more: Fortress Evangelicalism – The Secluded Lives of Church Leaders - The End of the Road for Democracy
In America, professional pundits have been prophesying the end of democracy for decades. Fiscal hawks believe our debt will destroy us. Republicans warn Democrats will bring socialism or communism, Democrats warn Republicans will bring oligarchism or Authoritarianism. Pastors claim our immorality will destroy us. It seems many are ready to dispense with democracy. But perhaps Winston Churchill said it best: It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government, except all the others that have been tried. So what does the Bible say? Regarding democracy directly, absolutely nothing. But the Bible does provide an important model of… Read more: The End of the Road for Democracy - Donald Trump is not the New Cyrus, But Politics is Certainly a Church Idol
Throughout and following the 2016 election, many church leaders trumpeted that Donald Trump was the new Cyrus, boldly claiming he would deliver Christians from liberal attacks. Because the claim of Trump as Cyrus resonated so effectively, it will be deployed again to justify supporting the next ungodly candidate who claims he will support the church. Thus, our post is not so much about Trump but the false notion that God can use an evil man for good. Let’s first examine this idea that God can use evil men for good. God Can Use an Evil Man for Good, the Genesis… Read more: Donald Trump is not the New Cyrus, But Politics is Certainly a Church Idol - Is Covid God’s Judgment On the World and the Church?
The world is approaching the end of its second year with Covid 19. Much has been said about the virus in world news, social media and various churches. How dangerous is it, what level of protection is appropriate (e.g. social distancing and mask wearing), what treatments are best? It is easy for one to get lost amidst all the claims and counter-claims. Frequently claimed by Christians is God’s protection over His people despite that some claimants have subsequently suffered death to Covid 19. Even some pastors have suffered this tragic fate. This claim is often applied in opposition to vaccine… Read more: Is Covid God’s Judgment On the World and the Church? - Our Treatment of Foreigners and Refugees is the Ultimate Litmus Test of Christianity
America has had a long heritage of accepting foreigners, refugees and immigrants. Yet with every new wave of immigrants, there is always blowback. The pressure at our southern border has re-ignited a debate about restrictions, walls and the fate of DACA children. Two days before the 2016 election, the author was on a flight to Germany seated next to a German gentleman. With the election imminent, the subject of politics came up and with it, discussion of conservative desires to build a wall on the southern border. His responsewas insightful, saying, “Well, you know, we German’s know a little bit… Read more: Our Treatment of Foreigners and Refugees is the Ultimate Litmus Test of Christianity