I vote. And I encourage you to vote. But let me state right up front that I am not going to tell you who to vote for. I don’t endorse candidates and I don’t endorse parties. I know some pastors endorse candidates directly, and I know many more who do...
We are now deep into election season, which seems to get longer every year. It’s easy to get cranky and frustrated—and maybe even more than a little bit angry—during political season. As a matter of fact, candidates want us to get angry. They know that an angry person is more...
Like many families with school-age children in the 1960’s and 70’s, my parents bought a very expensive but very helpful encyclopedia set. It had 30 volumes and came with 10 years-or-so of annual supplements that provided us with new knowledge and corrections. It became for us (after the Bible of course)...
Many churches have used their church parking lots as a drive-in worship service. The concept is pretty simple. People drive to church, stay in their cars, and listen to the worship service over loudspeakers or on their FM radios. It is one way of doing church while trying to maintain...
“”I don’t know if this is true or not.” I know it’s not true, but I wanted to get people’s reaction.” “I just reposted it. It’s not my job to verify it.” “I know it’s not true, but it’s funny!” “I’m not sure whether it’s true or not, but this...
Questions I Ask Before I Vote As a pastor, I do not publicly endorse candidates, nor do I share my party affiliations publicly. I’d rather be known as a follower of Jesus than a supporter of ‘Candidate X.’ In the same way, our church does not endorse a candidate, and...
I’ve sung this song before, but it needs to be repeated. RESPECT—in American culture—is sorely lacking. The latest issue that led to this blog is the booing of the President at a World Series game and the crowd chants of “lock him up” that occurred in Washington D.C. on Sunday,...
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Those are the opening words of the very first amendment to the constitution of the United States of America’s in the portion known as the Bill of Rights. If you know your United States...
We’re doing it wrong. Christians are fond of quoting 1 Peter 2:17, “Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.” We have no emperor (or king, as in some translations) so we correctly apply the verse to mean that we are to respect...
With copies to Senator Martha McSally, Senator Kyrsten Sinema, Congressman Paul Gosar, and Congressman Raul Grijalva. I’m a pastor, not a politician. I usually focus on theological, moral, church leadership, religious, and family issues, rather than political issues. But I love my country and I take a deep interest in our...
