Scandals and Signs: Matthew 1
The Gospel of Matthew gives us a Christmas story of “scandals and signs” that stretches through the Christmas season to Epiphany.
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Reflections
Judgment: Glory or Grieving?
In John 12:20ff, we have a curious story about “some Greeks” who approach one of Jesus’s native Galilean disciples with a request: “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” The text doesn’t tell us whether Jesus said “yes” or “no.” Instead, 23 Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be
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Death and Grieving: The Church
The death of a church leader and the celebration of a significant church milestone is the occasion for reflecting on divisions in the church.
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Death and Grieving: Background
Reflections upon the death of Ervin Stutzman and his connection with H. Raymond Charles.
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The Inauguration
January 20, 2025 is a presidential inauguration. January 21, 2025, is a different celebration–the 500th anniversary of the inauguration of Anabaptism.
Where are you from?
Where are you from? The answer depends on your perspective. The Biblical perspective is that “The Earth is the Lord’s” and we are aliens and tenants. Because we are not the ultimate owners, God requires the native-born residents to “Love the alien as yourselves.” Ultimately, we are citizens of the Kingdom of God.
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A Movement Toward Inclusion
Inclusion of people with disabilities. I have been reflecting on how my own journey with people with disabilities coincides with the movement to include persons with disabilities at the center of Christian congregations. My journey began when I realized I was a father of a child with developmental and intellectual disabilities. It continued as a
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The Compassion of Jesus on the Way of the Cross
Jesus’s compassion goes beyond a vague universal love for humanity to the persons right in front of him on the way of the cross.
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All the Kings’ Horses
All the Kings’ Horses Deuteronomy 17:14–20; 1 Samuel 8 In the late 1700’s, Scottish inventor, James Watt, was trying to market his newly invented steam engine. A prospective customer challenged him to prove that his steam engine could provide more power for his mill than the customer’s best workhorse. So, Watt started calculating how many
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