When Jesus told the story of the Samaritan, His immediate purpose was to provide an answer to the disingenuously posed question, “Who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29). The expert in the law (v. 25), was seeking to have his indifference toward others excused on the grounds that neighbor was too ambiguous of a term. It couldn’t beContinue reading “Who is on Your Road?”
Category Archives: community
To Judge or not to Judge?
“Don’t judge!” As much as anything else, this has been our culture’s mantra for last generation. We’re so emphatic about it that I saw a meme of a little girl pointing an accusing finger at Santa Claus and saying, “Naughty or nice, huh? STOP JUDGING ME!” Even Santa has been taken down by popular culture.Continue reading “To Judge or not to Judge?”
Thinking About Community (3)
It was John Donne who said, “No man is an island, entire of itself . . . Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.” The language of Mr. Donne may be antiquated but the truth he spokeContinue reading “Thinking About Community (3)”
Thinking about Community (2)
In the movie Places in the Heart, Moses Hadnot is a drifter who has heroically oversees Edna Spalding’s farm through the planting and harvesting of a cotton crop during the Depression. Shortly after the cotton is taken to the gin, members of the Ku Klux Klan pay him a visit and he is badly beaten. The attackContinue reading “Thinking about Community (2)”
Thinking about Community (1)
The early chapters of Genesis have much to say about community. The inspired record has scarcely started when we read that “it is not good for the man to be alone,” (Genesis 2:18). While this statement points primarily towards the marriage relationship, it also expresses the larger truth that God made us for relationships. We are social beings. ThoughContinue reading “Thinking about Community (1)”
Thinking about Church
Formulating a biblically accurate picture of the church can be like nailing jello to a tree. For many of us, our concepts of the church have been driven by tradition as much as by truth and separating the two can be difficult—but not impossible. Part of the problem (for some, maybe a big part), has toContinue reading “Thinking about Church”
The Power of the Table
Gregg Popovich is the coach of the San Antonio Spurs, an NBA basketball team. To say that he is successful would be an understatement. Consider the following: He has coached the team since 1996—that’s longer than any other current coach in professional basketball, football or hockey. He has more wins with the Spurs than anyContinue reading “The Power of the Table”
The Difference Between Silver and Gold
I heard on NPR the story of a man who was a sergeant in the Massachusetts Army National Guard and served on the honor guard at military funerals. His duty was to sound Taps. It’s phrased that way because he didn’t actually play the song (he didn’t know how to play the bugle). Instead, heContinue reading “The Difference Between Silver and Gold”
The Church Belongs to God!
We’d had numerous people picking up pecans off the grounds at the church where I used to work. I’d seen many of our members out there. One of our shepherds had been particularly zealous in his collection efforts, shaking the tree branches as well as using some type of extension tool that allowed him to reach up into the trees.Continue reading “The Church Belongs to God!”
The Church and Grace
Artemis was the Ephesian goddess of fertility. The temple to Artemis at Ephesus was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. At 425 feet long and 225 feet wide, it was larger than a football field. It’s roof was supported by 127 columns that stretched 60 feet high. The temple was twice the size of the ParthenonContinue reading “The Church and Grace”
A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green 