ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 11, 2025On Sunday, I discussed a topic that seemed to resonate deeply with a handful of individuals. As I had suggested, excuses often, although not always, come from feelings of inadequacy—a sense of not measuring up to some self-imposed ideal of good, skilled, or special. Yet when God calls us to do something, why is it that we should second-guess God? Don’t get me wrong, I
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 10, 2025Prayer for the Week:O Victorious God, I fervently prayed for my team to win; bargained my good behavior for more touchdowns; pleaded for the heavenly host to provide additional strength on the offensive line. I did everything I believed would help induce a victory by your divine hand, yet strangely I did not sense any enthusiasm for my prayer. It even felt as if your
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 9, 2025I occasionally come across little history notes on my computer, and today’s note informed me that on this day in the year 1098, during the First Crusade, the Army had a victory during the siege of Antioch. There was no other specific information in this history note, and it would have been easy to sort of dismiss it, but there was a bit of underlying
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 8, 2025There is a move to seek out “anti-Christian” rhetoric in government and other entities in our country. I never want there to be bias, and I sure do not want any religion to be targeted negatively, but those who are pursuing this move to root out all “anti-Christian” rhetoric are people who have a very specific understanding of Christianity, and in my opinion, it sure
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 7, 2025A friend of mine grew up calling his maternal grandmother, GeeGee. He told a story about his GeeGee, but spun things a bit by suggesting that all along her nickname was GG, and it stood for Gratitude and Generosity. He went on to explain how both of those attributes were very real in his GeeGee’s life. Not only did I love how he described his
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 6, 2025It is Black History Month, and I will share with you that as a white guy, about as white as they come, I love Black History Month. I have never felt threatened by Black History Month, and I sure have never felt the need to ask, “When is White History Month?” I’m more curious than I am insecure, and there is so much I do
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 5, 2025A while back, I made a passing comment about a Kumbaya moment. The idea is usually said with a hint of sarcasm, as if people in a tense moment will suddenly join hands and sing together the old camp song, “Kumbaya, My Lord.” The underlying assertion is that somehow church camp is an impractical setting where people have escaped the real challenges of life. But
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 4, 2025After ten days of feeling sort of bad (and 48 hours of feeling really, really bad), I am feeling a bit closer to normal. Still a little cough, but not bad. Of course, as I type the word “normal,” it makes me wonder what constitutes normalcy. This has me pondering Abby Normal from the movie Young Frankenstein. Dr. Frankenstein has the classic line, “Are you
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 3, 2025Prayer for the Week:Wherever there is true empathy, there is kindness that will change lives. Through your Spirit, Holy God, continue to stretch our hearts and expand our capacity to listen to the needs of other human beings, regardless of whether we know them or can relate to their situations. No matter who they are, they deserve grace and compassion. Remind us of how our
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 2, 2025Albert Schweitzer – “Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness cause misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.” As we have spoken a lot about hope as of late, I sort of want to believe in what Schweitzer wrote, and in fact, my faith confirms what Schweitzer wrote. Yet I will confess that I do not always see the results as