Growing up in Eastern Pennsylvania, I and my brothers and sisters grew up with an awareness that our family name “meant something” in the neighborhood. We weren’t rich. Dad usually was working three jobs and Mom also worked outside the home for different stretches when things still managed to get tight. Raising 7 children spread … More Pastoral Failure and Righteous Fear
Where Do We Find God? People will give you various answers to that question. Most of them will be wrong, and right. That is, they will be wrong in some ways and right in others. “They went, I say, partly in search of the sublime, and they found it the only way it can be … More Finding God in the Cracks and Corners
I love a good Jimmy Stewart movie, which means I love them all. I can’t think of a bad Jimmy Stewart movie. So if you are a Gen-x or Gen-Z person reading this and you don’t know who or what I am talking about, you have some great discoveries ahead of you. Last Friday on … More Jimmy Stewart Movie Wisdom
One of the Things that Impresses Me about Jesus is His Men. Peter and Andrew were brothers. Peter, who famously denied Christ and Andrew who introduced him to Jesus. John and James were brothers too, and they were two guys with problem tempers. Jesus gave them knick names, “‘the sons of thunder.” Thomas is guilless … More One of the Things that Impresses Me . . .
Four new books I’m putting on the top of my nightstand. Loving each one. Historical Criticism of the Bible: Methodology or Ideology? Reflections of a Bultmannian turned Evangelical, by Dr. Eta Linemann. Dr. Linemann was a German scholar who was a personal student of Rudolph Bultmann. She taught for almost two decades in the German … More Four New Books on My Night Stand
David and Jesus and Jeremiah were not afraid to weep. Neither should we. Sunday morning I heard a great message from a young pastor and missionary. His text was Acts 18 and the message was on the sufficiency of the word of God for the planting, protecting, strengthening and expanding of the church. Our hearts … More The Power of the Gospel: Not Afraid to Weep
Took my bride to the movies this afternoon. On tap? Our lives. We went out to see the new “Jesus Revolution” movie. Both of us came to faith in the years covered in the movie’s topic. Well, for me its was about 18 months after the close of the movie. But I remember both issues … More First Take on the New “Jesus Revolution” Movie
God rested (Gen. 2:1-2). Rest is important. Israel was commanded to rest one day a week (Lev. 23:3). God’s rest is our model. The land was to get a rest every 50th year (Lev. 25:8-13). Rest is important. Most of us don’t truly rest—enough. To put it another way. We disobey God, and no, we … More Rhythms of Rest
Bearing Our Throat for Execution The endless flow of click bait, gossip, rumor, speculation and, lets be honest, just plain nonsense, that inhabits the internet and infects our newsfeeds is designed to have each of us bare our throats so the “enemy” (who Jesus told us to love) can slit our throats while we slit … More Half the Internet Would Disappear if Christians Read My Friend’s Book
“Lord God Almighty, don’t let me forget who You are. Don’t let me forget that You are bigger than I can imagine. Don’t let me forget that there is no God like You. Don’t let me forget that You act on behalf of those who wait for You. Help me to wait for You. Help me … More Don’t Let Me Forget
ChosenRebel's Blog 