Instead of “another day, another dollar,” today we could say, “another month, another sad story of conflict between police and citizens.”
In recent weeks, we have seen news reports from Texas, where an African-American woman named Sandra Bland was arrested by a Hispanic male state trooper named Brian Encinia. Thanks to today’s technology, we have seen video footage of the conversation, altercation, and arrest. That footage gives us reason to consider our lives and our choices. Continue reading
Jesus commands us to give to others, but we are tempted to seek recognition or to avoid unpleasant people. What should we do? Pastor David answers this question by preaching on Matthew 6:1-4.
We are not persecuted; we are privileged. Even so, Jesus calls us to a radical love for our enemies in Matthew 5:38-48. Listen to Pastor David’s message about how we can and should go about that kind of love.
In a world of adultery, divorce, and empty promises, Jesus calls us to take on his character and to build healthy, reconciled, honest relationships. Listen to Pastor David’s sermon on Matthew 5:27-37.
Racially-motivated shootings. The legalization of same-sex marriages. The fear of Islam encroaching on our religious and personal freedoms. A sixteen-month-long presidential election cycle that will divide the nation into two broad camps.
We have many reasons to distance ourselves from other people, reasons which have had a lot of air time in recent days.
But from a Christian perspective – and from my inherited perspective of white, male privilege – I wonder what our response to these things should be. If you are involved in social media at all, you have likely seen more than enough responses to any or all of these topics in the past week or so. Many of these have been so angry and dismissive that it grieves my heart.
Let me offer an alternative response: the example of Jesus in John 4. Continue reading
Summer is moving along! Pastor David, Connie and I attended the North American Convention of the Church of God in Oklahoma City last week and were challenged, inspired and moved to be proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ with boldness. This event is one of the great events of the Church of God and we would fully endorse your attendance or even following it on the Internet. Topics, along with the many great speakers, music and worship experiences plus the general assembly, included a move to have the NAC every odd numbered year with the International Youth Convention on even years, resolutions to improve racial relationships, a call to community outreach and encouragement to keep “Jesus is the Subject” in our daily lives. A blessed experience for the entire Church of God. Continue reading
Real, substantive, meaningful change. That’s what we are hoping for, and that’s what we began to see in the Church of God Convention last week in Oklahoma City.
This was the second year in a row that the major CHOG Convention was held outside of our home base in Anderson, Indiana. Attendance was up, excitement was up, unity was up. Mean attitudes or doubting spirits were less present this year, compared to last year when the change was still fresh and not well understood. Continue reading
Last week’s convention in Oklahoma City gave Pastor David a few solid takeaways that will affect our life together at Mt. Haley. Listen in to his reflections on this meaningful event!
Jesus calls us to righteousness and reconciliation. In the wake of the Charleston, SC murders, how then shall we live as disciples of Jesus? Listen to Pastor David’s sermon on Matthew 5:17-26.
You are not the salt shaker; you are salt. You are not the flashlight; you are light. What does Jesus mean by this? Listen to Pastor David’s sermon on Matthew 5:13-16.