Anabaptist and Quaker essays, sermons, and other writings
It is no exaggeration to say that I would not be a Christian today if it was not for Romans 7:15 and 19, in which none other than the Apostle Paul – chosen to be God’s instrument’ chosen to bring the name of Jesus before Gentiles and kings and before the people […]
When any of you has a grievance against another, do you dare to take it to court before the unrighteous, instead of taking it before the saints? 2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are […]
My paternal grandmother, whose maiden name was Hollaar, grew up on a farm in North Dakota with eleven brothers and sisters. Their children – my father’s generation – included fifty cousins. With such a large and widely-dispersed extended family, the Hollaars got into the habit of having a family reunion […]
A few years ago when my children were small, a Moms and Tots group would meet in our church building. Being one of the pastors of the congregation, sometimes it was just nice to drop my kiddo off and return to the office for a few uninterrupted hours of work. […]
A few weeks ago in worship, my congregation allowed me to forego a traditional sermon. Instead, after the scripture was read from John 3:1-21, I came out in one of those ridiculous Bible character costumes that have no doubt appeared in many churches. Taking a seat on a raised stool, […]
A few weeks ago I listened to the bonus episode of the “Rise and Fall of Mars Hill” podcast that featured Joshua Harris. For those who don’t know, Joshua Harris, back in the ’90s was the author of the book “I Kissed Dating Goodbye.” A few years ago, Harris began […]
The coming of the new year, from New Year’s Eve throughout the entire month of January, is always a challenging time for me which requires taking some extra time for contemplation and grounding. As someone who grew up in a fundamentalist and apocalyptic tradition, the end of each year often […]
My wife and I celebrated our twenty-first anniversary in late November this year. As I reflect, I continue to thank God for his faithfulness in our lives. I wouldn’t want to say that it has been a bed of roses either. Without God’s intervention, there have been challenges that we […]
As Common Spirit Church of the Brethren celebrates 10 years of ministry in Grand Rapids, Michigan this fall, it has been interesting to compare and contrast the history of the original Grand Rapids Church of the Brethren congregation to the current one. Both churches were started by families living in […]
Let me tell you about the Good Teacher. He indwells you. He has always indwelt you. He speaks through your conscience, warning you not to do evil. If you remember telling a lie or stealing something when you were a child, you may remember that it gave you a kind […]