Raphael’s The Transfiguration of Christ is one of the artistic masterpieces of the Renaissance. It is perhaps also a theological masterpiece as it explores who Christ is and what Christ does. We see Christ as the Son of God in the top half of the painting and we see Christ heal in... read more →
Feb
11
Feb
04
We each have an origin story that makes us who we are. Our families, backgrounds, and major life events have impacted us and changed the way we think and act. But because we are grafted into the family of God, part of our origin story is Jesus. His identity changes... read more →
Jan
28
Our culture tends to think of authority as a bad thing because we see power misused all around us. But the problem is not being under authority; it is the authority we look to. Authority that is from God is exercised in love for the life of the world. Put... read more →
Jan
21
To hear that Jesus called Simon, Andrew, James and John to follow him while they were in the middle of an ordinary day doing ordinary fishermen tasks of casting nets and mending nets gets our attention. Would we hear Jesus in the midst of our ordinary day? Would we answer... read more →
Jan
14
Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River some two thousand years ago influences our faith today more than we might realize. It says in Mark’s Gospel that the heavens were torn apart and the Holy Spirit descended. In the moment of our baptisms, the Holy Spirit descends upon us as well.... read more →
Jan
07
King Herod was a political survivor as well as an excellent administrator and builder. He was also insecure and brutally eliminated all threats to his throne. He murdered one of his wives, his mother-in-law, two brothers-in-law, and three of his sons. He also slaughtered the innocents in Bethlehem. We live... read more →
Dec
31
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God..." (John 1:1-18). Consider how important words are to us. They have the power to inspire people and change the course of history. Which words inspire you most right now? Which do you follow... read more →
Dec
24
Christmas is a time of many traditions. All of those traditions, and so much of our lives, have been influenced by a poor baby in a manger. He requires a response from us—what will yours be? Will you be dutiful like Joseph or afraid like the shepherds? Will you offer... read more →
Dec
17
This is such a busy time of year for us—on top of our normally busy lives. It can be easy to have so many things to do that we miss the most important ones, including our faith. But if we just pause, we will find that God is there, faithfully,... read more →
Dec
10
Waiting for something—whether good or bad—can be incredibly difficult. How are we called to wait well as Christians? Second Peter says that while we are waiting for God to act in the world, we should be at peace. Easier said than done. But there’s something about waiting with our focus... read more →