If you read no farther, I want you to read this: A brother or sister of Christ is a brother or sister to me. I hope it is this way for you as well. I do understand that there are specifications for being a brother or sister in Christ, however, my assertion does not negate […]
That Lonely Silly Man
The peace in that beautiful clean church was broken by a visitor one bright Sunday morning. A coarse, wheat brown colored “bath robe” like garment, wrap his body. Unlike the sparkling clean church and other’s stiff clean ties, the robe sported dinginess here and there, and its owners feet were bear and dusty. Unshaven for […]
Apollos
I have been thinking about Apollos. Yes, In the book of Acts he was just a blip within a greater narrative. However, what was written in that book is a highly condensed and we can grow much from his story. “And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in […]
Thou Shalt Be Strange
Are Christians supposed to be “peculiar people?” At first blush this might seem true, and it is in some ways (1). However, it is false if one means that we have to be “strange”, “weird”, or “peculiar.” Biblical exegesis seems to be the issue here, the Bible passages are being confused on who is doing […]
Reading Someone Else’s Mail
We already talked about description vs. prescription. I want to give you a good example of this thinking in process. It is the story, “description”, in Jeremiah 35 about the Rechabites. Rechabites. This group of people obeyed their “father” by living in tents, not drinking wine and not planting crops. God blesses them because of […]
Big Thoughts on Christianity
These “big thoughts on Christianity” have been rattling around in my head. These are areas in my life that I have been trying to work on. Hope you can also put these principles to use! Focus on Scriptural Integrity. 1) Reading passages/verses in context reduces error and poor exegesis.2) Coming to the Scriptures to understand a concept, […]
Vulnerability And The Christian
God’s wisdom. God has greater wisdom than us, when he commands we should follow even if it goes against what we feel would be wise. Being a Christian is a vulnerable position. It is not a “bed of roses.” There may be persecution and hardship. Can we expect less if Christ and the Apostles went […]
Paint On The Wall
Paint on the wall. Yes, it does have significance to a house, but structurally what does it do? Do we as Christians sometimes focus on the “paint” instead of structurally issues? Do we quarrel over silly issues that have no long term ramifications and just cause division? Yes, we can say they are important , but are […]
Did Jesus Come Today?
What if Jesus came to your church today? Matthew 25:31-46 tells us when we do things for others, we are doing them for Christ. In that spirit, what if a stranger came to your Church, would you treat him like Jesus? What if she comes with less expensive clothes than yourself? What if his speech […]
When John Came to Town
Bercot: …modern Christians think that if John were to walk into any conservative church today, he would feel right at home. He would find that twenty-first century western Christians think and reason just like first-century Christians living in the Mediterranean world. He would find that today’s western Christians worship in the same manner as he […]