I cut my finger on a chainsaw one time. Now that I have your attention, I can tell you that it was one of those small chainsaws that is powered by a battery. Furthermore, the saw wasn’t even on at the time—I was pulling the plastic over off the blade when I sliced my littleContinue reading “Little Fingers and the Body of Christ”
Tag Archives: community
To Judge or not to Judge?
“Don’t judge!” This has been one of our culture’s mantras for quite some time. 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. Of course,Continue reading “To Judge or not to Judge?”
Community and Communion
What happened in Eden did more than alienate us from God—we became estranged from each other! Redemption then is not only about us coming back to God, it is about us coming back to one other. The church as the body of Christ is the community of the reconciled, composed of people who belong toContinue reading “Community and Communion”
Communion Thoughts
Being alone is nice . . . for a little while. Then we need people. If you think about it, even some of the things we do when we are alone give us away. We read a book, listen to music, watch something online, and do other things that to some degree involve the human touch and aren’tContinue reading “Communion Thoughts”
Celebrities or Servants?
I caught the last snippet of a commercial where someone was identified as a celebrity landscaper. Well of course—why just be a landscaper when you can be a celebrity landscaper? The possibilities are endless: celebrity school teacher, celebrity pharmacist, celebrity construction worker. And let’s not forget the kids—we can have celebrity teenagers, celebrity children, and celebrityContinue reading “Celebrities or Servants?”
A Crime Against the Church
There was a serious issue at Corinth. The problem was they had exalted certain disciples among them (specifically Paul and Apollos—see 3:4ff). While there’s nothing wrong and plenty right with having leaders who model correct attitudes and behaviors (11:1), the situation at Corinth went far beyond that. The disciples had not only put Paul andContinue reading “A Crime Against the Church”
It Happened in a Waiting Room
I had one of my knees replaced not long ago, so I’m going to physical therapy three times a week. I suppose as therapy places go, this one is neither huge nor small—somewhere in between. I like to get there a few minutes early to check in and not be rushed. There’s almost always someoneContinue reading “It Happened in a Waiting Room”
A Question About Heaven
Melissa has asked, “What verses . . . indicate reconciliation w/our loved ones after death?” Once the question of heaven is settled for ourselves, we’re just as interested in seeing it settled in regard to our loved ones, aren’t we? And why shouldn’t we be? Whatever else is true about us, we’re made for relationships. So we shouldn’tContinue reading “A Question About Heaven”
God At Work
Whatever else it might be, Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is filled with fundamentally rich and glorious truths about the church that should transform the way we think about the community God has created through Jesus. Written to a first-century congregation comprised of people from starkly different backgrounds (Jews and Gentiles), the topic of community would be an area where theyContinue reading “God At Work”
Rooting ourselves in community
It’s no secret to anyone who spends any time in 1 Corinthians that the disciples at Corinth were experiencing some serious problems due to their divisiveness. Paul points this out at the start (1:10ff) and returns to it frequently throughout the letter. It is one of the major themes of 1 Corinthians. I suppose thereContinue reading “Rooting ourselves in community”
A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green 