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. She became known as the little girl who seemed to be carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. For the better part of a year, six-year-old Ruby Bridges walked to school in the company of armed federal marshals who were assigned to protect her. William Frantz Elementary in New Orleans, like many… Read more »
To listen to this reflection as a podcast, click here. More than six decades ago, an engineer from the Boeing company boarded a passenger plane driven by propellers. After introducing himself to the man sitting next to him, he began to talk excitedly about the project to which he had given much of his life – the development of the Boeing 707… Read more »
If you scan the horizon of professional sports in America, it’s impossible to miss the African American superstars. Who’s the greatest basketball player of all time? The current contenders are Michael Jordan and LeBron James, but MJ himself believes no one will ever surpass the accomplishments of Bill Russell. Cheryl Miller, Candace Parker, Tamika Catchings, and Maya Moore might be… Read more »
When Chuck Norris grows up, he wants to be a Gurkha. Gurkhas are natives of the multi-ethnic highlands of Nepal. Over several centuries they have earned global notoriety as fearless warriors. The Chief of Staff of India’s armed forces once suggested, “If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or is a Gurkha.” Working… Read more »
Throughout November we’re taking an in-depth look at Ruth, the little book that helped pave the way for God’s Messiah to come into the world. The greatest tragedy is not that life comes to an end. It’s that fear makes us wait so long to really live. We may think that bad theology is what keeps people away from God. … Read more »
Throughout November we’re taking an in-depth look at Ruth, the little book that helped pave the way for God’s Messiah to come into the world. No Girls Allowed That sign might make sense on a “private clubhouse” for elementary school-age boys. But it’s painful to note the restrictions on the lives of grown-up women that remain in place in many… Read more »
Throughout November we’re taking an in-depth look at Ruth, the little book that helped pave the way for God’s Messiah to come into the world. The common cold has proven to be uncommonly hard to defeat. For years, British scientists operated a research facility called the Common Cold Unit. It finally closed in 1989 without finding the elusive “cure” that… Read more »
When I was 10 years old, the coach of my summer softball team spoke to me some of the most heartening words I have ever heard. “You have been chosen to be on the All-Star team. And the other coaches and I have been talking, and we want you to be the starting pitcher.” It just doesn’t get much better… Read more »
Throughout Lent, we’re exploring the parables of Jesus – the two dozen or so stories that were his chief means of describing the reality of God’s rule on earth. Life may be thought of as a series of big decisions and little decisions. The big ones seem to predominate: Where will you live, and what line of work will you… Read more »