To listen to this reflection as a podcast, click here. When Adolph Hitler rose to power in the 1920s and 30s, Germany was thought to have one of the most Christianized cultures on earth. So where was the Church as the Nazis began their genocidal purges of “undesirable” people groups? Church leaders had to make a choice: They could speak up, or they could… Read more »
To listen to this reflection as a podcast, click here. The Bavarian village of Herzogenaurach is known as “the town of bent necks,” all because a pair of brothers couldn’t figure out how to get along with each other. Their quarrel not only divided an entire population, but sparked international intrigue and ultimately generated the global craze for sports footwear. In the wake of… Read more »
To listen to this reflection as a podcast, click here. Yellowstone National Park is one of the most spectacular places on earth. Larger than the combined acreage of Delaware and Rhode Island, the world’s first protected wilderness area boasts more than half of our planet’s geysers and hot springs, a large alpine lake, bountiful wildlife, its very own “grand canyon,” and… Read more »
To listen to this reflection as a podcast, click here. The Suez Canal is one of the world’s most vital shipping links. Its 120 miles connect the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea, cutting a swath through the arid Egyptian wilderness on the west and the deserts of Saudi Arabia on the east. This “shortcut” usually takes about 12-15 hours, allowing ocean-going vessels… Read more »
To listen to this reflection as a podcast, click here. A number of years ago I received a gracious invitation. Dr. Ben Johnson of Columbia Seminary, who was well known for encouraging young writers, asked if I would be interested in collaborating with him on a book about congregational renewal. After thinking things over for approximately five seconds, I enthusiastically agreed. The book was… Read more »
To listen to this reflection as a podcast, click here. Ancient mariners were famous for their stories of peril on the high seas. They spoke of the multi-tentacled Kraken that splintered whole ships; a vortex called the Maelstrom that pulled vessels down a kind of oceanic drain; a precipitous drop-off where the flat earth came to its edge; and warlike mermaids and mermen… Read more »
To listen to this reflection as a podcast, click here. A Scottish village of about 8,500 residents has been in the world’s spotlight twice in the past 30 years. Dunblane has become famous as the hometown of Andy Murray, the first British man to win a Wimbledon singles title in 77 years – a feat he accomplished against the great Novak Djokovic in… Read more »
To listen to this reflection as a podcast, click here. In the world of economics, one word is more powerful than any other. That word is free. In his book Predictably Irrational, economist Dan Ariely points out that “zero is not just another price.” Getting something for nothing is a source of irrational excitement. Things that we would never say we actually need become irresistible because… Read more »
To listen to this reflection as a podcast, click here. “It’s the best of songs, and it’s the worst of songs.” That’s the verdict of Dave Marsh in his book Louie Louie: The History and Mythology of the World’s Most Famous Rock ‘n’ Roll Song. In 1964 a Seattle band named the Kingsmen released their own version of a raucous Caribbean chantey that had… Read more »
To listen to this reflection as a podcast, click here. When American musicians sell 500,000 copies of a single or an album, they are rewarded with a symbolic gold record. NASA scientists forever redefined the meaning of that term when they sent two literal phonograph records – each made of copper and covered with pure gold – into deep space, crossing their fingers… Read more »