In a recent conversation one of our friends made a comment that I haven’t been able to forget. It was something to the effect that “You probably would all think I’m a creep. Have been married several times…” My guess is that along the way others have also made self-disclosing comments that have gotten lost […]
As a follow-up to our discussion about interpreting and applying the Bible to a changing world, let’s look at the way the church has re-focused its view of the Bible and slavery. Looking back, we now see the inhumane and horrendous nature of the abduction-and-racially-based slave trade supported by many church members for a significant […]
Have been working with our team to revisit a booklet answering the question, “What Does God Expect of Men and Women?” Together we want to be faithful to the intent and wisdom of Scriptures while applying its timeless principles to the changing circumstances of our lives. One of the things some of us have noticed […]
Economic crisis is the setting of the story of Ruth in the Old Testament. A famine in Israel, during the difficult, dark days of the Judges, prompted a Jewish family to leave their home in Bethlehem and move to the land of Moab. Ironically, Bethlehem means “house of bread”. These were extreme times. To make […]
One of the provocative questions raised by the Old Testament story of Ruth is how a Moabite could be accepted into the community of Israel. Moses had said in behalf of God, “An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter the assembly of the LORD; even to the tenth generation none of his descendants shall enter […]
In the studio today, our Discover the Word conversations focused on the laws of Moses that required land owners to leave some of their harvest for the poor and the stranger (Lev 19:9-10; Deut 24:19-22). Those laws help to explain why Ruth, a Moabite woman was allowed to gather stalks of barley left by harvesters […]
Am in the studio this week with Haddon Robinson, Alice Mathews, and Brian Hettinga recording programs for the radio series “Discover the Word.” We’re in the middle of an extended series of conversations about the Old Testament book of Ruth. Ruth is a tragic short story with a good ending. Here’s a summary of the […]
Recently took this picture that reminded me of something that Job said about the God who walks on the waves. The quote I’m thinking of begins, “God is wise in heart and mighty in strength…He alone spreads out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea; He made the Bear, Orion, and the […]
As indispensable as truth, good words, and faith are, what is more important… To know all there is to know… To say all that can be said… To have faith that with God all things are possible… or to love? An inspired Paul writes that knowing all that is true, and saying all that is […]
Maybe the variety of nature can help us laugh at ourselves, and grow in our appreciation for one another… while still taking life seriously. Scientists estimate that the number of species on earth ranges somewhere between 5 and 30 million, with about 8 million different kinds of bugs. Could there be a parallel between what […]
