Imagine a group of people who knew of the needs of others, but then never acted to meet those needs. Would such a group be deserving of the noun community?  Now imagine a group of people who learned of the needs of others, either because those needs were shared or because someone noticed that a…

What are the marks of a true community?  This question has been swirling around in my mind the past few days. As we reflected upon the coming of a new associate pastor, the flood relief work we have engaged in, the growing number of teens and young adults, and the struggle with some people not…

Last month we explored how to forgive when issues just seem to keep popping up.  A related topic is how to apologize.  Many people think they know how to apologize, but they do not in fact recognize that merely stating the words, “I apologize,” or “I am sorry,” is an incomplete apology.  These words begin…

Here is a short 4 minute comparisons between the two:

Forgiveness The statement, “You have to forgive,” sounds so wise, but it isn’t always easy.  How does one forgive when there is no remorse, no apology, not even an awareness or acceptance of the fact that someone has hurt you?  And why is it that some pains seem to linger even when we think we…

Excerpt from “Critical Theory” by Paula Rodriguez What are human beings? Christianity: Human beings are created in the image of a good and loving Creator Critical Theory: We are members of social groups locked in a struggle for power. What is necessary to change the world? Christianity: God sent Jesus Christ to die on a…

Kevin DeYoung had a great way of looking at race, politics and gender in a way that may be more gracious than some of the other approaches of pigeon holing those we disagree with.  Highly encourage the read.  To whet your appetite, here is a sample table from his article using his four types of…