On this the public inauguration day for President Obama’s second term, I offer the following prayer: Our Heavenly Father, I earnestly pray for our president. I believe the words of Romans 13:1 which declare, “For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” I believe that you READ MORE
United States
Advent in Action: Making a Difference One Drink at a Time
Advent in Action is here! Once again the family of Bethel Church is choosing to celebrate Christmas by spending less and giving more. The United States spends an estimated $130,000,000,000.00 a year each Christmas. What we are choosing to do is to buy one less present and take that money and redirect it toward a life-change READ MORE
For Kings and All in High Positions
After President Obama was elected in 2008 I penned these words for my blog. They are as true today as they were then, as they were 2,000 years ago when the apostles were weighing in on such matters. Here they are again, slightly adapted for the events of the past twenty-four hours: Whether you went READ MORE
Remembering 9/11
In the language of the ancient Hebrews there is a word that invites all who hear it to intentionally, sensitively and with a sense of sacredness memorialize some moment or event or person that is worthy of recollection. It is the word zakar, and it is a word that has been on my mind a READ MORE
Assad, Obama, and the Culture of Death
Two headlines really struck me as sick and sad. They speak to a fascination with death and power and narcissism. They speak to the demise of the weak at the hand of the strong. They reflect a justification for self-preservation over and above things more transcendent. Even though the two headlines address two completely different READ MORE
On Noble Things Men Stand
Dietrich Bonhoeffer is one of my most beloved heroes. A German pastor and professor who gave his life to the cause of opposing Hitler and the Nazi regime, his legacy is vast. On April 6, 1943, Bonhoeffer was arrested by the Gestapo, largely due to his efforts to rescue Jewish friends and family and help READ MORE