Posts Tagged: "baptism"

The Difference Between Being Motivated By Power And Being Motivated By Love

The church has never done well when it was latched onto power. The church has always done better when it was on the margins. —Dr. Joseph B. Modica

I suppose it would be a colossal understatement to say there is a lot of hierarchy in church.

With all the titles and positions, posturing and power-grabbing, manipulating and controlling, and the ever-present sense that we are not enough—we need to be given advice, we need to fall in line (and if we don’t we can expect some form of dismissal, disapproval, excommunication, shunning, etc.), it’s no wonder people say they don’t… Read More

He Told Me He Was Muslim & Asked If He Could Attend My Church

 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. —2 Corinthians 5.19

A few years ago, I noticed a new family at the church – husband and wife along with their three kids. They were good at slipping in and out of church quickly… but I hunted them down, introduced myself, got their names. I made it a point to chat with them – even if just for a few seconds – each Sunday.

After a few months, the husband asked if we could meet. He seemed like he had something heavy to share with me. At lunch, he told me how he had served time in prison – about a decade. After getting out, he met his wife. She’s the one who got the family coming to church.

Then he got to the point. He said, “In prison, I… Read More

When What We Say About People Sounds Like The Devil Talking

- - Life With God, Uncategorized

Certain sounds are easily identifiable. Think old Volkswagens. Or Harley Davidson motorcycles.

Sometimes, you can even tell where a person is from by the words they use or how they say them.

You’ve probably already taken the “How Y’all, Youse and You Guys Talk” language test, right? I felt pretty good about my results… I’m either from Seattle, Spokane, or Grand Rapids… Read More