Anymore, seems like we hesitate to trust others. Crime and road rage rise: can we trust others to be faithful to the laws? Marriages end too often: can we trust our spouses to remain faithful? People break their word: can we trust them to be faithful to their promises? Pastors and members switch…
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Feasting
My dad ate to live. I lean in the opposite direction—I live to eat. So much, I wonder if it’s not my greatest spiritual gift. Logic can support that—I allow those with the gift of hospitality to exercise that gift! My gift, or curse, makes it hard to resist the buffets at our two local casinos (the one above is the best-- the Pala buffet). For just $23.24, you encounter over 200 choices to entice you to commit gluttony. And I do! Shrimp, New York steak, mussels, crab legs, custom omelets, prime rib—if I went on the saliva dripping down my chin would short out my keyboard. To avoid the recurring sin of gluttony, I limit myself to once a year. About time for a return. But a recent message by our pastor...
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Counter Cultural--At Last
The role of faith in American culture is changing. Swiftly and strongly. A recent Pew poll revealed that in 2007, 78.4% of Americans identified themselves as Christian. For 2015, that number dropped to 70.6%, or about 1% each year. Court rulings have powered gay marriage being viewed positively by a majority of Americans, mostly in just the last five years. In a Facebook discussion, a friend from high school days stated that I, a minister who provides Christian weddings, should be required to marry gay couples who ask for my services.
Where are we heading?
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image by haruth.com
Passionately Pursuing Worship
Forget Judge Judy—even though reports claim she’s the highest paid woman on television. Forget Judge Wapner—even though he was the first TV judge on the old “People’s Court.” Why? Put me in a worship service, and my church seat miraculously transforms itself into a judge’s bench. Just replace Judge Judy’s pic above with mine, and you get the idea. Well, skip the best paid and the gender, but you get the picture.
I judge the music—is it loud and strong enough, too loud, or too hymn-like?
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