How to Love, Part 2: Loving God First
When I went to seminary, I met a lady who loved God more than anyone else I had ever personally known. She honored God’s Word, was led by God’s Spirit, and lived the life I saw written in the New Testament. Then I married her. And we’ve been pastoring together ever since. Matthew 22:37–39 reiterates Old Testament commands and says, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Because Kim loved…
How to Love, Part 1: Agape
I’ve lost count of how many times I see someone accusing Christians, particularly traditional Bible believers, of being “unloving” because they didn’t celebrate or approve of that person’s ideas or lifestyle. Yes, believers are sometimes unloving, judgmental, or prejudiced. And when they are, they need to repent and change. But that’s only a part of the picture. It is becoming critically important that people who identify as followers of Christ define and practice what God’s love / Christ’s love really is. New Testament Greek uses four words for love: Eros—physical love (of which plenty varieties are going around). Philos—emotional love…
The Galatians 3:28 Society
Musuta was a local kid where I lived in Tanzania. His father mistreated him, and my parents welcomed him in. Like any preschool kids, Musuta and I simply became best friends. My mother used this photo on her 1963 Christmas card. I always thought it was natural. In my adulthood I realized how in-your-face it was at the time. How hierarchical and divided we humans have made the world. And someone somewhere will always need to fight for equality and for change in attitudes. But the One who created us still has by far the best, and only universal, approach…
What’s Important Now
In the midst of COVID-19-resurgence-civil-rights-demonsrations-China’s-oppression-of-Hong-Kong-and-all-the-forms-of-daily-craziness, I encourage you to remember who you fundamentally are, and if you’re a follower of Christ, who we are as believers. In the midst of all this—or of anything in your life—what’s important in each day we live? Last month I performed my daughter’s wedding (on Zoom), and I now have a son-in-law—congratulations, Irena and Kevin! They chose to not put life on hold, while being wise about it. Since then I’ve done a memorial service (also on Zoom) that connected family and friends in two countries—God bless you, Sandy. Sickness and death do not…
Why the USA Has Continual Racial Tension
I was going to write something happy this month, but the nation is gripped. I grieve at the rioting, but in this longer-than-usual post, I hope, as a white guy who’s learned a few things, to share some reasons why the USA continues to have so much racial tension—and my greatest hope. I’ve hyperlinked terms in case you’re not familiar with them. My friend Jerry is still in Louisiana, but we still have long talks on the phone. Last year he despaired that injustices against African-Americans like him never seemed to change. And he was most concerned for his grandkids….
