Rambling Through Scripture

  Jesus Is Not a Political Slogan Compassion, Authority, and the Misuse of Scripture in Immigration Debates  This piece is written as a pastoral reflection, not a political argument. My aim is not to defend policies or condemn people, but to encourage careful, faithful reading of Scripture in a moment when emotions run high and biblical language is often used loosely. It is an attempt to address how Scripture is being used—and misused—in current conversations about immigration, borders, and government authority.   I write this as a minister who cares deeply about human dignity, biblical integrity, and the difference Scripture makes when it is rightly understood.  My concern is not whether Scripture supports our instincts, but whether we are allowing the whole counsel of Scripture to shape our thinking and our faithfulness. The world we live in today seems out of control.  Many of us turn to scripture to bring understanding and peace.  Some turn to scripture...

 Act of Marriage I write this blog aware that conversations about sex often carry personal history—joy, regret, confusion, or pain. This is not an abstract topic, and I approach it with care. What follows is not a comprehensive theology, but a reflection rooted in Scripture and pastoral experience, offered in the hope that clarity might replace confusion and reverence might replace shame. I write this blog out of my own frustration in how the church has handled this topic and in the lack of open discussion concerning sex as I grew up.  Over my 40 years of marriage and over 30 years as a minister it is a topic that I have searched the Bible and discovered that what is treated as a secret in the church and in many Christian homes is actually well addressed in scripture. The following questions I have posed in my head many times throughout my life.  Why does sex generate so much anxiety in the Church?  Why do faithful Christians feel embarrassed by something God created...

  HAPPY NEW YEAR!! We are a few days into the new year. Some of you may say I should have posted this before the year started—or at least closer to the beginning. That may be true. Either I was disobedient to God in not posting this sooner, or God’s timing is perfect—and this may be exactly when He wanted this message shared.   Either way some of you need this encouragement  now  in order to see this season as truly a “new” year.  Others of you need to be reminded that just because you didn’t keep your New Year’s resolution for even a week does  not  mean you threw your goal for the year away.  I am not one for New Year’s resolutions. In fact, the last time I even considered one was probably in my early to mid-teens. For you younger folks, that was in the 1900s. I’m not against them. If a resolution helps you focus on becoming a better person—especially in your walk with God—then by all means, do it. They just aren’t for me. If you  did ...