By Marv Knox Claims of persecution always deliver a jolt. That’s especially true when a Christian in the United States aspires to be the persecutee. In this context, “persecution” typically means one of three things: Either somebody disagreed with this…
RIGHT or WRONG? Emerging Church
By Michael Clingenpeel Our church just hired a pastor who is young enough to be the child of many members. His language about “the emerging church,” “postmodernism” and “interfaith dialogue” distresses older members. Communication and context seem to be the…
The holidays, family dysfunction and familiarity
By Amy Butler Like many of you, I had the opportunity to spend significant time with my family this holiday season. By “family,” I mean not my immediate family with whom I live everyday, but those whom I only get…
Tiger Woods, guilt and grace
By Jim Denison “I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all my heart.” With these now-famous words, Tiger Woods responded to the allegations of extra-marital affairs that dominated the news in the weeks before Christmas….
The Christians as the Romans Saw Them
By David Gushee My Christmas week reflections are inspired by a brilliant 25-year-old book by historian Robert L. Wilken. I picked up The Christians as the Romans Saw Them in hopes of finding resources for my research on the sanctity…
God’s provision, a new liver and organ donation
By Linda Baker The telephone finally rang at 10:45 p.m. on Dec. 6, 2008, with a call we had been waiting on for a long time. On the other end of the line was the transplant coordinator from a transplant…
Christian Christmas chronic lyricosis
By Michael Ruffin I am at times afflicted with chronic lyricosis — which is, on the off chance you have not heard of it, a malady characterized by the habitual misunderstanding of song lyrics. When I was a child, I…
Light in the midst of darkness
By Amy Butler I don’t know if you feel it this time of year like I do. But in the midst of the twinkling lights, all my eyes seem to focus on are the burned-out bulbs. And rushing crowds outside…
The eyes of Jesus are upon me
By Barry Howard When I got up this morning, I had this sensation that I was being watched. As I went to the kitchen to make the coffee (hazelnut, to be exact), I looked over my shoulder to see if…