Pastor’s Blog
Living Like a Dog
Time to revisit Narnia. In that wonderous land where Aslan roared, animals talked. Not all of them, those from adjacent lands were…well…animals. And not all animals in Narnia bowed their knee to the Great Lion, either. In book four (Prince Caspian), sisters Lucy and Susan are speaking with one another. Lucy begins: “Such a horrible […]
On the Wrong Road
Where are we headed? We certainly seem to be on a dry and bumpy backroad somewhere. We left the interstate and we did some time ago. Can we get back there? We can. There are road signs. And there is even a map. But to be able to return, something must happen first. There needs […]
No Civics Lesson Here
People will call this a political blog. I will deny that if they do. If you need a category, let’s call it theological. It is a cry for Christians to think. It is an appeal for followers of Jesus to reason biblically. It is a plea for the redeemed to consider the weight of God’s […]
Unlikely Friends
Did you read The Wind in the Willows to your kids? Or do you remember it from your youth? As I recall, Lynn read it to our children in the car while on longer trips. I would catch parts of it here and there. The story concerns the friendship of four animals who live on the […]
Not That Complicated
“We believe that God has ordained various governments among men,” says our Statement of Faith. “The three basic governments are civil government, church government, and family government. All…working in individuals to bring about self-government.” If asked to summarize each of their responsibilities, how would you respond? C.S. Lewis answered this way regarding the civil government. […]
Capacity Crowd
Let me provide some visuals. The latest Apple phone has just come out. Lines are out the door and around the block, hundreds of would-be customers hoping to get to the front before the last one is sold. The Seahawks are in the play-offs. Season ticket holders have gobbled up most of the seats but […]
Still Obeys
I have been into C.S. Lewis as of late, “The Screwtape Letters”, especially. If you are not familiar, the old and cagy demon Screwtape is mentoring his inexperienced nephew, the demon Wormwood. Screwtape’s letters of advice concern how to best secure the damnation of the young man assigned to Wormwood by Satan. So, it reads […]
Your Fam Just Got Bigger
The dinner table never had been so full, chairs wrapped all the way around. Hungry mouths gathered to be filled. The laundry room was busier than ever. Would the old washer be able to keep up? And then there was the bathroom. It always seemed to be in use. The winy question from the hall, […]
Under Construction
The 19th century Scottish minister and author, George MacDonald, wrote a parable where we are to imagine ourself as a house. When we come to saving faith, God begins the remodel. At first, we mostly understand what He is doing. You were aware there were some obvious “fixes” needed in some of the rooms. There […]
Welcome to Your Quirky Family
In Lewis’s “The Screwtape Letters”, the old and experienced demon Screwtape is mentoring his novice nephew, the demon Wormwood, on how to best secure the damnation of the young man assigned him by Satan. In one of his letters to his prodigy, Uncle Screwtape writes, “One of our great allies at present is the Church […]
An Open Home
Some cringe at the thought of opening up their home. Visions of cleaning up the strewed messes, making sure the toilet bowl sparkles, and fearing guests will see the couch stain has barred visitors from crossing your threshold for years. Plus, you do not have an open-concept home and there is no shiplap anywhere. How […]
Christian Culture: Find It, Create It
There was a time in our past where the ascetics headed for the desert and the monks hid behind high walls. Removing oneself from society was thought the way to keep oneself pure. But like our shadow, we take our sin with us wherever we go. For two-plus centuries the church has had a good […]