Introducing The Call: The Life and Message of the Apostle Paul
It could reasonably be argued that no other human, apart from Jesus himself, has had a greater impact on the world than Paul of Tarsus. His theological reflections on the meaning…
Same Sex Marriage and the Future of the UMC
A year ago, with input from others, I wrote a blog post called, A Way Forward for a United Methodism?. In it we offered suggestions for how the United Methodist Church might …
Discipleship, Worship, and Earth Day
Today is officially Earth Day. The first Earth Day was observed April 22, 1970, the brainchild of Democratic Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin who was joined by Republican …
“It Is Finished”
The Gospels of Matthew and Mark tell us that, as he breathed his last, Jesus cried out with a loud voice. Yet neither records what he said. John’s Gospel tells us that what…
The Promise of Jesus’ Words, “Today You Will Be With Me In Paradise”
Jesus’ response to the dying criminal’s plea for mercy, “Today you will be with me in Paradise” in Luke 23, speaks to us about heaven and about our mission …
“I Thirst”: More Here Than Meets The Eye
Among the seven last statements of Jesus recorded in the gospels is one that, at first glance, seems almost insignificant. Shortly before his death he says, “I…
“My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?”
In my last post, we looked at one of the last of Jesus’ seven statements. Today, we look at the one statement that is, for many, the most moving, disturbing, and powerfully…
“Father, Forgive Them …”
I have been with dozens of people as they were approaching death. A person’s dying words sometimes simply express his or her needs: “Could you please move the…
What Should Be Done About ISIS?
I have had several of you write me regarding Fox News commentator Bill O’Reilly’s call for pastors to speak about ISIS (click here to see the segment). Bill and…
It Was Not a Silent Night
In 1816, an Austrian priest named Josef Mohr wrote the words to a Christmas carol for his own congregation, to be sung on Christmas Eve: “Silent night, holy night, all…