ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS March 15, 2026 QUESTION: Where is the Kin(g)dom of God? Some would place it in heaven after we die. Some would argue that it will come after the tribulation and Jesus returns, but I look at words of Jesus in Mark 1:15, as he was beginning his ministry right after his baptism. He says, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near…”
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS March 14, 2026 I am often surprised when people seem to suggest you cannot hold two ideas simultaneously. Sure, there are situations when two things are impossible to claim to be true at the same time. To my point, let me give you some context. A person who had seen a post where I shared concerns about the attacks in Iran wanted to know if I
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS March 13, 2026 In Paul’s Letter to the Church in Rome, he wrote, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS March 12, 2026 Fifty-four years ago today, a handful of folks met in the home of Bill and Betty Ayers to discuss a new church in NW Harris County. There were a number of people at other Disciples of Christ congregations throughout Greater Houston, including Bethany Christian Church, who were now living in this area. I so wish there would have been a recording of that
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS March 11, 2026 A night of interfaith conversation, learning, and joy. The Dialogue Institute of Houston shared an Iftar Dinner in the Activity Room of the church last night, including background on the holy month of Ramadan. There was music, art, good food, but more than anything, I heard laughter. There are moments in life when you have to wonder if just a little more laughter
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS March 10, 2026 Whenever we forgive someone, the actual act of forgiving does not always communicate the hard work involved in getting to that place of forgiveness. This has raised a strange and entirely theoretical question in my own mind: Does God have a process by which God does the necessary work to get to the place where forgiveness is possible? Or is forgiveness simply a
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS March 9, 2026 Prayer for the Week: You call us to great things You guide us by faith You captivate us through love Holy One, Mother, and Father to all Your teaching informs us Your stories shape us Your life-witness sets a standard When called to love our neighbor We sometimes push back As there are neighbors we do not like When faith guides us to
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS March 8, 2026 Isn’t it great when life is going smoothly and nothing unexpected occurs? We need to enjoy those times in life, all seven peaceful minutes. You probably understand the point I’m trying to make. It was the Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, who said, “The only constant in life is change.” I remember when pagers became the thing, and I was this stick in the mud
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS March 7, 2026 On Facebook, I flip between my personal account and the church’s account, and I always get tickled when moving back to my personal account as a little box pops up and reads, “You’re now acting as Bruce Frogge.” I want to know what it looks like to act like Bruce Frogge. There have been certain moments when people have attempted to mock me
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHING March 6, 2026 There are days when I feel like my faith (and my position as a minister) is a fraud. It can feel like a bad case of imposter syndrome, where the negatives and failures seem to eclipse everything else. I don’t share this in search of compliment or reassurance, but as an acknowledgement that I am probably not alone. Most of us who are