Focal Passage: John 9:24-38

A few months ago, while interviewing a candidate for a children’s ministry position, our search committee asked him the question, “What are some of the biggest challenges in children’s ministry today?” 

With almost no hesitation, he mentioned the difficulty of overcoming the seven most deadly words of a church: “We’ve never done it that way before.” Although he went on to mention other difficulties and obstacles, which generally come from the outside, his first answer reflects a deep problem that people struggle with from within: a heart that is resistant to change. 

Overcoming a hard heart is among the most difficult challenges for any human. In our sinful condition, our natural tendency is to feel like we know what is best and to do things our way. Our pridefulness often leads us to value tradition over truth, comfort over change, frustration over flexibility and repetition over repentance.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: John 8:3-18

A few years ago, Emily and I made a quick trip north to visit Mammoth Cave National Park. The cave is appropriately named because at 285 miles in length it’s the longest cavern system in the world. 

While we were inside, our eyes were opened to magnificent rock formations, spikey stalactites, tight passages and underground streams and waterfalls. But there was one part of our tour that I will never forget. 

The park ranger asked everyone to turn off their phones and cameras, and then he turned off the lights — all of them. I’ve never experienced darkness like that before in my life. The room was pitch black in every direction. [Read more…]

Focal Passage: John 7:14-29

As Jesus was standing trial following His arrest, Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, asked Him if He was “King of the Jews.” 

Jesus affirmed that he was a king (not earthly, but spiritual), and concluded by saying, “For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world — to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice” (John 18:37). But after hearing His words, Pilate curiously replied, “What is truth?” 

While we often brush past Pilate’s response, what he says really summarizes the deepest thoughts and assumptions of today’s culture, where “truth” doesn’t exist as something fixed or concrete, but a standard we create for ourselves. 

In the postmodern world, truth is simply what a person believes and values, and that can differ from person to person. We hear people describe truth in terms of “your truth” and “my truth,” where there are no universal standards or morals, only what each person has decided is best in his or her own heart.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: John 6:26-40

World-renowned chef and culinary expert, James Beard, once noted, “Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods.” I think this statement rings true for several reasons. 

First, whether you are a bread aficionado or not, when you sense hunger there is something deeply satisfying about eating a piece of warm bread, especially covered with salty butter. 

Second, not only does bread satisfy hunger, but it also satisfies our body’s physical needs. Good bread is filled with fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients that are vital for proper digestion, good cholesterol, normal blood pressure and other indicators of a healthy body. 

A third reason bread is so satisfying is because of its availability. There are few places in the world where bread isn’t sold or produced, thus satisfying people around the globe.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: John 5:5-16

Few difficulties in life are more dangerous than hopelessness. In 2020, Anne Case and Angus Deaton co-authored a book titled, Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism, where they researched a unique rise in death rates among white, middled-aged, American men. While life expectancy had been on the rise through the 1900s, studies revealed a noticeable decline among men, ages 45-54, since 2000 — a decline exclusive to the United States. 

In a nation overflowing with advanced healthcare, astonishing technology and accumulated wealth, what could possibly lead to an increase in the death rate? According to Case and Deaton, this unique group of men have been adversely affected by economic instability, lower education levels, joblessness, disintegrating families and other cultural maladies.  [Read more…]