Sarah and I enjoyed a fun weekend at the Wheaton Theology Conference.  The excellent presentations left us with much to reflect upon and we were happy to catch up with some good friends. In my paper, I argued that a narrative approach helpfully illuminates Romans 13:1-7.  Paul’s instruction here has the same basic shape as […]

The Gospel reading today was John 20:19-31, John’s account of Thomas’ doubt and eventual confession of Jesus as his Lord and God. The choir sang this lovely piece, written by Thomas Troeger, called, “These Things Did Thomas Count As Real.” These things did Thomas count as real: the warmth of blood, the chill of steel, […]

*Given at Midtown Christian Community, April 25, 2009 O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, […]

The Creator God is the God of wonderful reversals.  He grants a child of promise to old and decrepit Abraham and Sarah; he delivers a nation of slaves from the world’s most powerful empire by making a pathway through the sea; he defeats the champion warrior Goliath through David, the shepherd-boy; he crumbles the walls […]

*Given at Midtown Christian Community, April 4, 2009 Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk […]

Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A personality profile once indicated that I tend to evaluate others on their verbal skills.  I’ll admit it.  I am indeed highly attuned to others’ facility with words. I try to avoid passing judgment, but verbal miscues arrest my attention, especially when they’re funny. Here are a few I’ve collected over the past few weeks […]

A colleague remarked to me the other day about the difficulty of writing dictionary articles.  A limited word count forces one to be concise and to the point.  Words must be chosen carefully and thoughts expressed concisely.  Other types of writing allow one to be less careful and, well, lazier. I thought immediately of prayer.  […]

*Given at Midtown Christian Community, March 15, 2008 Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk […]

  Show us your mercy, O Lord;   And grant us your salvation. Clothe your ministers with righteousness;   Let your people sing with joy. Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;   For only in you can we live in safety. Lord, keep this nation under your care;   And guide us in […]