You Can’t Go Home Again: Part Three

Part Two of this series entitled “You Can’t Go Home Again” ended with the suggestion that Christians should best be envisioned as pilgrims rather than wanderers. Pilgrims are on the move toward a goal. They are not homesteaders, but they do have a destination. If our primary calling is to… Continue reading

You Can’t Go Home Again: Part One

In Thomas Wolfe’s novel You Can’t Go Home Again, author George Webber experiences the painful truth that it’s impossible to return to his hometown and feel “at home.” He has changed, but for the most part, his family and childhood friends are virtually the same.  Many of us have experienced… Continue reading

Evangelism (Luke 4:16-19)

In several places on this blog, I point out that our word “evangelism” comes from the Greek word used in the New Testament for “good news.” The church did not invent the word euaggelion. Roman propaganda used the term to refer to the “good news” brought by the emperor as… Continue reading

Competition and Excellence

I have never enjoyed playing board games or cards. And I have never had much interest in watching competitive sports. The competition involved with such endeavors simply doesn’t interest or inspire me. I am aware that competition can be “friendly” and fun. My grandsons have had very positive experiences in… Continue reading

One Interpretation of the Parousia: Part Two

I am often asked if I believe in the Second Coming. My response is, “l believe in the parousia which is what the New Testament teaches.” Now that is not just a smart-alecky answer. As we shall see, what the New Testament teaches about the parousia (what most call “the… Continue reading

One Interpretation of the Parousia: Part One (John 1:1-4,9-14; Ephesians 1:3-10; Colossians 1:15-20) 

(Parousia is the Greek word used in the New Testament which is commonly understood as the Second Coming. Parousia simply means “presence” or “appearing.” It is one of the metaphors used in the Bible and theology to refer to the fulfillment of God’s purpose for creation. Like all metaphors, it… Continue reading

Creative Chaos

Every place I have ever lived, people have complained about the unpredictability of weather. It’s astounding that with all our sophisticated computers, weather satellites, and complex algorithms, weather scientists are often wrong in their predictions. Why should this be?  Around fifty years ago, a meteorologist named Edward Lorenz made a… Continue reading