The book of Acts, which concerns the early church, seems like this, especially as it nears its strange conclusion. Leaving Athens, fortunately, Paul was able to start churches in Corinth and Ephesus.
Missing Nothing
February 22, 2022 by
When Johann Sebastian Bach died in 1750, he wasn’t thought of as an especially brilliant composer, and within a few years of his death, he and his music were largely forgotten.
Demands of the Season
January 25, 2022 by
It turns out that you can’t just go in and look around in such an important place. The place demands more of you.
A View from the Pew: Which Part of the Service Do You Skip?
August 19, 2020 by
You don’t need me to tell you these are weird times, especially for church. A recent message from my pastor highlighted the weirdness for me.
How Do We Pray from Here?
August 12, 2020 by
Nearly 160,000 people have died in America due to COVID-19. So many names. Too many to name or write down on my prayer list.
A View from the Pew: “Hollywood Squares” Prayer Meeting
July 21, 2020 by
I can’t help but think of “Hollywood Squares” every Wednesday night when my wife and I log onto our church’s midweek prayer time and devotion via Zoom.
A View from the Pew: When is it Okay to Go Back to Church?
June 23, 2020 by
You may already be back in your traditional place at church on Sundays, or you may be wringing your hands and wondering when it is safe to rejoin your church family in person.
Connections 06.21.2020: Alive
June 14, 2020 by
I’ve tried to imagine a world where humans never die. Would the land fill up to the brim? Would we drain the earth’s resources?
Praying During a Pandemic: Out of Our Hands
May 13, 2020 by
My hands are clean. I promise that I didn’t do this. I prayed for a slower pace, for the closing down of my private warehouse that manufactures speed.
Prayer and Hand Sanitizer Go Together: Praying During a Pandemic
April 21, 2020 by
Rub your hands together with me. I don’t doubt the power of prayer or hand sanitizer. I use both and my health is better for it.
A View from the Pew: Lessons from Virtual Church
April 15, 2020 by
For regular church attenders, the isolation policies and shelter-in-place mandates of the COVID-19 pandemic have been felt most acutely on Sundays.
Connections 04.05.2020: The Cross and COVID-19
March 29, 2020 by
When the devil tested Jesus in the wilderness, he introduced two of his three challenges with, “If you are the Son of God” (Mt 4:3, 6). In refusing the devil’s challenges, Jesus declined to prove his identity on the devil’s terms.
Formations 04.05.2020: Zeal for God’s House
March 29, 2020 by
I’m writing this article in a time of trauma all around the world. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has reached every continent except Antarctica. People are sick, scared, isolated, and anxious for what lies ahead.