Before we even open a text, what assumptions do we bring to it? Last Sunday, my pastor and I began co-teaching a seven-week (of course) course on Revelation. I’ve been reading several commentaries and watching several videos to prepare. I’ve learned a lot that I am eager to share. I…
Communication – It’s Not So Easy
Communication – Why is it so hard? One of the advantages of having my in-laws live with us is the laughter we get from mis-communication. Sometimes, this is due to having poor hearing. From this morning, before breakfast: (91 year-old father-in-law, looking out the window) “It’s windy!” (87 year-old mother-in-law,…
The Church Beside the Church
Last week, I was on a video call with a 31-year-old pastor of a rural church in eastern North Carolina. When I asked how the pandemic was affecting his church and ministry, he expressed his concern. “I am afraid that we are creating a church beside the church,” he said….
Lessons Learned About Teaching Lessons on Zoom
Because we can not be together during the pandemic, some of our Sunday morning Bible study teachers have been using Zoom as a teaching platform. This week, I participated in a conference call with ten other persons from my church. We are each attempting to teach Sunday morning Bible study…
Stations of the Cross
The Making of Pandemic Ponderings I created devotions based on the Stations of the Cross for Lent 2020 – the beginning of the pandemic. Here’s how that happened along with some personal reflections. In response to the pandemic and the legal prohibitions from large group gatherings, including church services, our…
Do YOU domesticate the Bible?
Walter Brueggeman is one of my favorite scholar-authors. His love of the Bible comes through in everything he writes. He is also prophetic. Brueggemann doesn’t let anyone get away with taking the Bible lightly (as just another work of ancient literature, for example) or too seriously (as an object of…
Objective knowledge of the Bible is not enough for spiritual transformation
I am re-reading the book, The Gift of Being Yourself, by David Brenner. Brenner challenges us to experience self-discovery as a spiritual exercise. This means an appreciation of our gifts, strengths, and personality – but also a recognition of our “false self,” which is the person we most often do…
The most important word in the Hebrew Bible is…
Hesed may be a Hebrew word unknown to most Bible teachers, yet it is the key to understanding the heart of God in both the Old and New Testaments. Michael Card has written a book that can enlighten us to the riches in this one word. “It is tempting to…
If these walls could talk
We are building a new house! We have a great builder. He told us that sometimes people like to write verses from the Bible on headers or posts before the sheetrock is installed. Well, the sheetrock is being installed this week, so Susan and I went early this week with…
The Slave Bible – not your typical boutique Bible
The Slave Bible is not your typical boutique Bible. We all have our own canons – those verses of the Bible that we know and live by. Most who were raised in a church can probably quote John 3:16 or complete the quote from I John, “God is _____.” We…
