The Pastor: a crisis – Introduction by Paul Young
Georgia Lee – Psalm 22: The God of Advent Peace – Cherith Fee Nordling
Psalm 22 My God, my God why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night but I find no rest. In you our ancestors put our trust, they trusted […]
Is there a Second Coming when Jesus will suddenly show up? Bradley Jersak
Question: Is there a second coming when Jesus will suddenly show up? In our class on the Gospel of John, Fr. John Behr says the Nicene creed has been misinterpreted: That “Who will come again” actually is better translated “again coming.” He explained, “His coming in the name of the Lord is what we see […]
Near-Death Experiences: A Conversation with Bradley Jersak
Reader How should we receive such numerous stories of people who claimed to have near-death experiences and experienced heaven/hell, especially since the impact upon their audiences cannot be overlooked? These stories have been used to inspire people to follow Jesus either because of the riches of heaven or the utter fear of a horrendous hell. […]
When Hate Is Strong and Mocks the Song …
Crushed Three years ago (Dec. 2017) was the last time I saw my granddaughter in person. On that day, it was clear to me I would never see her again. I didn’t know that eventually, my son and his estranged wife (who had custody of their child) would eventually become very […]
Let Go: The Essence of Forgiveness
QUESTION What is the essence of forgiveness? If I don’t forgive, will I ‘lose my salvation’? RESPONSE The word ‘forgive’ literally means ‘let go.’ If someone has offended me or sinned against me in some way: 1. Forgiving is NOT saying, I’m okay – I might still be suffering. 2. Forgiving is NOT saying, you’re okay […]
Q&R: What does “prepared for destruction” mean? (Romans 9:22) – Brad Jersak
Question: Romans 9:22 “What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?” What is the tone/intent of the phrase “prepared for destruction”? Response: I don’t believe we can understand this phrase in isolation from the pastoral concern, rhetorical question […]
Does God “use” Us? Bradley Jersak
In his first non-fiction book, Lies We Believe About God, Wm. Paul Young challenges a host of commonly accepted Christian assumptions that he feels need to be second-guessed, given the track record of harm they do in the real world. In chapter six, he addresses the expression, “I just want God to use me.” At […]
Lies We Believe About God – Paul Young & Brian Zahnd
The Kingdom of the Heavens & Stuff
THE KINGDOM OF THE HEAVENS & STUFF (*Lamest sermon title ever. #ScottPilgrim) Gospel text: Matthew 13 The Parables of the Mustard Seed and Yeast 31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, […]