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
I can remember times when I chose to “bark and oink” instead of being open to bigger truths and being willing to embrace necessary newness. Continue reading
With Jesus’ reference to dogs and swine, I think we can assume that he realized there are those who are not ready or perhaps even able to change. He knew it was useless to share his good news with those who were incapable of understanding and embracing his radical alternative. On one occasion he told his disciples that if they encountered opposition and rejection as they went out into the hamlets and villages to spread the gospel, they should simply shake the dust off their sandals and move on to the next village. Continue reading
Read the Scripture On a Sunday morning in October of 1989, I met with the Elders of the Wabash Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) as a part of the process of introducing myself before the church decided whether to call me as its minister. One of the Elders, Bob Plunkett,… Continue reading
Paul was angry when he wrote Galatians. We can tell that by how he introduced this epistle. All of Paul’s letters begin the same way. He opened his letters with a greeting (usually “grace and peace”) and then gave thanks for those persons to whom he was writing. First the… Continue reading
THE GOSPEL IS NOT A FIRE INSURANCE POLICY FOR THE NEXT WORLD,BUT A LIFE ASSURANCE POLICY FOR THIS WORLD. (Richard Rohr,Eager to love: The Alternative Way of Francis of Assisi) I grew up in a denomination which most would assume was obsessed with “saving souls for heaven.” Since the late… Continue reading
