While Paul still begins this letter with thanksgiving and grace (the way he began all his letters), the first chapter of 1 Corinthians offers a glimpse into the deep divisions … Continue reading Chapter 1: Unity, Not Uniformity
Tag: God
Always Welcome at God’s Table
I often encounter people who are worried God will turn away from them because of their doubts and questions and difficult emotions. To me, a God who would do this … Continue reading Always Welcome at God’s Table
Testimonies: How to Rush a Story
Back when I was a youth minister, there was a big push for students to craft and deliver “testimonies.” If you’re not familiar with the term, a testimony is a … Continue reading Testimonies: How to Rush a Story
Christmas Thoughts
Recently on this blog, I’ve been explaining theological concepts through cocktails. For example, ice is helpful in understanding mortality, bitters and infusion are helpful when thinking about transformation, and so … Continue reading Christmas Thoughts
Revisiting “God Won’t Give You More than You Can Handle”
You know, try as I might, I just can’t get the expression “God won’t give you more than you can handle” to go away. As previously stated on this blog, … Continue reading Revisiting “God Won’t Give You More than You Can Handle”
“God Needed Another Angel in Heaven” Is the Worst Thing You Can Say: a Rant
A “crisis” is any situation, expected or otherwise, which disrupts the normal flow of life and family. Whether a death, divorce, job loss, move, or mental health emergency, everyone eventually … Continue reading “God Needed Another Angel in Heaven” Is the Worst Thing You Can Say: a Rant
The Nonnegotiables
“What do you… um… what do you think of the Bible?” the hesitant church member asked me at a large luncheon during my interview weekend. After giving a snarky “I’m … Continue reading The Nonnegotiables
One God
So often, we fall into a pattern when reading the Bible. The God of the New Testament is just so much more loving than the God of the Old Testament. … Continue reading One God
On Sacrifice
Hebrews 9 retells this tale from Exodus: After Moses had received the Law, he made a sacrifice. After this, he took the blood, mixed it with water, and (using hyssop … Continue reading On Sacrifice
Better than We Can Imagine
I never dreamed how much Greek philosophy we’d discuss in a study of Hebrews, but it’s hard to make sense of this chapter without at least dabbling in the world … Continue reading Better than We Can Imagine