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In my last post, I pointed out the fallacy of those who claim that there is a Christian position on the politics of how many refugees the United States Government should receive annually. The Scriptures do not instruct governments on those specifics. Nor does it direct believers as to what direction they should encourage their government to move. This is a wisdom issue that has multiple considerations and should be debated with civility and mutual respect.However, there are a

Everyone at The Bridge and anyone who reads this blog knows what I believe about politics. Unless there is clear intersection between Scripture and political positions, the church should stay out. Even when it comes to a Biblical understanding of life and morality, it is not our place to tell the government how to operate. God’s rules for his people are just that, for his people. We are of a different kingdom than the kingdoms of this world, and our calling is far higher than

It’s Nora’s fault.She had a virus…fever and stomach flu. Nicole, Junior and Madison got it. Linda got it. Erica got it. And I ended up with it as well.How did we all get it? Sick or not, I love my granddaughter and couldn’t stay away from her. We were around her, and each other, and we passed it on through the family. Viruses are like that. They move from one person to another and you don’t even know it is happening.A lot of things in life are communicable. Attitudes, good an

Two sisters, a year apart in middle school, returned from winter break after a week at Disney World with their family. One was down in the dumps and when asked what was wrong, she retorted, “I just came back from a week off school in Florida to this freezing cold weather and homework––that’s what’s wrong.”The other sister was all smiles and at the top of the world. She was asked why she was so happy. “I just came back from a week with my family in Florida, where it was warm a

Who or what you worship determines who or what you are. In his book, The Source, James Michener tells the story of a man named Urbaal, who was a farmer living about 2200 B.C. He worshiped two gods, one a god of death, the other a goddess of fertility. One day, the temple priests told Urbaal to bring his young son to the temple for sacrifice––if he wanted good crops. Urbaal obeyed, and on the appointed day drags his wife and boy to the scene of the boy's "religious execution"

Who are you rooting for in the upcoming presidential election? Well, don’t tell me, at least, not in this forum. And I’m not going to tell you here, either. But I can tell you this…I’ve eliminated a number of names from my list just because of their lack of civility. I know, politics is nasty and all of them, or at least their campaigns, eventually feel the need to go negative. But I long for true statesmen. Men and women of integrity who debate the issues, point out policy a

Philosopher Walter Kaufmann wrote a book ironically titled, The Faith of a Heretic. After explaining our cosmic insignificance, he concluded: “What I want to do and would advise others to do is to make the most of life: put into it all you have got, and live, and, if possible, die with some measure of nobility.”I cannot help but to say that to tell us to die with nobility when there is no hope beyond the grave is farcical at best.Compare Kaufmann’s philosophy to Jesus’ words:

When you read the title, you might respond, “You don’t.” After all, we can’t force our faith on others.I have learned, however, that those we think are not interested are often the most responsive to the Gospel, if approached correctly.Understand why many are not interested, or appear not to be. Some have been witnessed to before by people they want nothing to do with or be like. Many have seen hypocrisy among professing Christians and it has turned them off. Others just assu

Most Christians I know struggle with how to share their faith. But DON’T stop reading this!

I read the news online every day from a few different sources. There are so many foreboding stories now that I began to look for something encouraging. I had a hard time finding anything. Some days, it seems that there is only bad news. Between the martyrdom of the 21 Egyptian Christians in Libya, the expansion of ISIS into new territory and the thousands of young men from around the world that are flocking to join their barbarous ranks, the collapse of the government in Yeme

A week ago Kayla Mueller was all over every broadcast and cable television news program, internet news site, and periodical. This week, there’s barely a mention of her. In another month, most Americans will have forgotten her name. Kayla was a delightful young woman who devoted her life to helping people in vulnerable circumstances. She started in middle school and never let up. She gave her life working on behalf of hurting people, ranging from homeless women in America to r

I think you all know the story. If not, you’ve been living in a cave for the last two weeks. In the midst of a lot of tough news from the mideast and politics in Washington, we have this refreshing story out of Detroit of a 56 year old man who will not be stopped from earning his own paycheck, even if it means walking 21 miles every day…every day without missing a single day in over ten years…in sub-zero temperatures, blizzard conditions, torrential rains in the spring, and 9

It’s unbelievable.The evil personified in human beings with false religious zealotry is beyond our explanation.Some of us stared in disbelief when watching the first news reports. They put a man in a cage and burned him alive while he was screaming in pain. It is just unbelievable.And now we are hearing more. Over the last year these evil people have been systematically torturing, raping, selling as slaves, and beating to death…children. Children! In the name of religion!I do

I’m never happy to hear of someone’s death. But sometimes, someone dies and we shake our head, thinking, “He should’ve known better.” A lot of us probably thought that way when we heard about the death of Jamie Coots, the snake handling preacher from Kentucky made famous on the Nat Geo TV show, Snake Salvation. There was no salvation this time. He got bit. He died. “Why do they do that?” a friend form church asked me this morning. I told him it was for the same reason that a

I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve had someone sitting in my office near tears saying something like, “I feel like I’m in the middle of it. I love them both and it kills me to see them fighting. I don’t know why they can’t just bury the hatchet and get along." Kids say that about parents. Women say it about sisters. Guys say it about friends. You probably have people in your life that have it in for each other and you care about both. Or maybe you are one of those who

Imagine losing everything.Maybe it’s a fire. Could be a tornado. For some it's a hurricane or a tsunami.I’m talking about a total loss, except for a very few things that you had stashed away for safekeeping before the disaster struck.What would you want those things to be?I ran across this picture today, taken last year after Hurricane Sandy. It struck me how this couple is grinning with delight in front of the total devastation of their home. They were delighted because the

I think the reason most people rarely, if ever, attend church is because too many churches are not worth attending. Church can be incredibly boring.I also believe that it’s a sin for church leaders to let things go that way. But sadly, too many do.We’ve never been accused of being boring at The Bridge. Actually, we work very hard at bringing music that reflects the excitement and depth of the Gospel. And I spend a lot of time preparing, not just so that I teach the text accur

I thought this title would get your attention. I’m kidding! Right about now, most of us are longing for spring. Heck, I’m just looking forward to a few days in a row above freezing. I haven’t been able to wash any of our vehicles in a month and they are coated with salt. The edges of our sidewalk are creeping in and our patio is shrinking (when will we ever need it again?). My back is hurting from all the shoveling…and I’m the one who blogged about the positive things you can

Have you ever flashed your headlights at an oncoming driver to let him know that he forgot to turn his lights on? What about as a warning of a road hazard ahead? But have you ever flashed your lights to warn oncoming traffic of a speed trap? Hmmm. Funny thing…I asked someone that question and he said, “I would never do that. I don’t think it’s ethical and possibly illegal.” I then asked, “Have you ever appreciated it when someone did it for you, and you avoided a ticket?” He

After Oscar-winning Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead this week from an apparent drug overdose, the revelation of teen idol Justin Bieber’s pot-filled private jet, Disney star Selena Gomez's recent rehab stint for drug use, and, of course, the almost daily antics of Miley Cyrus, we are once again reminded of Jesus’s warning. Gaining the whole world looks like fun, but it’s obviously not what it’s cracked up to be.If being a star is worthwhile, why escape into drugs? If ha