One of the saddest parts of my job as a minister over the last three decades is occasionally watching people leave church or even the faith. The Scripture sometimestalks about those who “turn or fall away” (Hebrews 3:12; 6:4-6). In 1 Timothy the apostle Paul talks about those who “will abandon the faith” (4:1).      Every person who leaves church or moves from identifying as a Christian to no...  Read More

     We are often impressed with those who finish first but sometimes the greatest stories are those who finish last. Bob Wieland once took ninety-eight hours to complete the New York City Marathon in 1986 and one hundred and seventy-three hours to finish the Los Angeles marathon in 2003. He finished last in both races with the slowest times ever recorded. The rest of the story is that Bob lost bo...  Read More

     Justice is elusive in this life. Pedophiles escape arrest because so often highly traumatized children do not tell anyone for decades. The woman who molested me as a little boy never was prosecuted. So often adult sexual assault and rape go unreported or unprosecuted because it is often one person’s word against another. In the “Christian” deep south for decades some innocent African American...  Read More

     I think most of us hate conflict. Whether it is at work, with a neighbor or even in our own marriages and families. We all prefer peace. And yet so often it is elusive. Currently we are in an election season which feels like the opposite of peace. The Apostle Paul gives us some advice about peace; he says . . . Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those w...  Read More

     Last week, some of my good friends lost their eight-year-old grandson. He drowned in the family pool. My heart aches for their excruciating loss. I cannot comprehend the pain they are walking with. And yet as I interact with them, I can hear their Christian hope as they face this tragedy. As I studied for my sermon this week I was struck by the following Scripture.     The Apostle Paul writes...  Read More

    When we think of quiet, different images come to mind. For the young parent it’s when the children are down for a nap. For me it is when I get a day off to slow down and reflect. What does the Apostle Paul mean when he says in 1 Thessalonians 4:11 “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you.”    Personally, in a c...  Read More

 Unfortunately, as a minister I deal with death often. Death is something most people try not to think about. It is the ominous event that awaits all of humanity. However, for the Christian it has a very different connotation. In contrast to most of the world, as a Christian I look forward to the new heavens and the new earth. Christians view death not as something to fear but as a transition, eve...  Read More

THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUSA question I like to ask Christians is “How has Jesus been good news in your life?” Honestly some of the answers bring tears to my eyes. Usually, the first answer is that he paid for my sins. He made it so that I, a sinner, can be in a relationship with our Holy Creator. In Ephesians 1:7 the Apostle Paul writes, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of...  Read More

The Apostle Paul writes, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). The immediate context proceeding this Scripture is the notion that we are no longer to live for ourselves, rather we are called to live for Jesus. Immediately following this text is a call to a ministry of reconciliation. This Scripture gives me great ho...  Read More

I recently returned from a family reunion in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I had the privilege of seeing Independence Hall where the founders signed both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. There was an astounding amount of history in that room. Nearby I then went to see the famous Liberty Bell. On it is inscribed a Bible verse: “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto a...  Read More

Back when I lived in Indianapolis, Indiana I once had an important meeting to attend in Markle, Indiana. Markle was quite a distance, and I did not know the way, so I told my phone to give me directions to Markle. After driving for quite a while I realized that I did not seem to be where I thought I should be. Unfortunately, I had made a mistake and not told the phone I wanted Markle, Indiana inst...  Read More

With today being Father’s Day, I thought I would share some of the lessons Ilearned from my father. Dean Dickinson passed away about four years ago. I thinkabout him often. I learned so many things from him. Some of those life lessonsinclude:First, following Jesus Christ is what is most important. He was a Christian who took his faith seriously. Even his career choice reflected his faith. He was a...  Read More