In my experience we Christians tend to be pretty hard on Peter. When we read of his brief walk on water in Matthew 14, and remember how he sank when he realized how hard the wind was blowing, we shake our heads and say “There he goes again.” Easy for us to say when we’ve never ventured out of the boat.
Wisdom For Ministry
COVID: WWJD? Reflecting on Matthew 14
Doing Church during COVID-19 is a challenge. I recently had the opportunity to reflect on Matthew 14 at Genesis Church in Coralville Iowa. Jesus’ feeding the multitude teaches us not only about his power but also about our responsibilities during these difficult days.
George Floyd, the Samaritan Woman, and the Mission of God
The brutal killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and other recent racially-centered incidents have raised tensions in the USA to the boiling point. Racial animus is a sad part of American history—the “melting pot” can get very ugly. The story of Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman in John 4 shows that we can overcome racial prejudice if we focus on God’s plan to unite people from all the branches of the human family in true worship through the Spirit sent by Jesus. All humans were originally made in the image of God, and God is at work today through the good news about Jesus to create a new humanity that worships God together in Spirit and truth, not in isolated ethnic enclaves.
Nicodemus and his Kin as a Pastoral Problem
Nicodemus is not just another leader of Israel who ganged up on Jesus. He’s a complicated guy whose story leaves us with questions. His kin are still to be found in churches today, leaving pastors with difficult soul-care questions.
Corona Virus? Be the Church!
You can’t miss the headlines. It’s on cable news 24/7. The Corona Virus pandemic has changed the world. No one really seems to know how long it will last, or how devastating it will be. Thousands of deaths have already occurred, and disastrous economic consequences are beginning to be felt. Just when people need to pull together to address the many complicated problems caused by the outbreak, political rivalries, bureaucratic complexities, and racial tensions hinder the effort. It’s time for us Christians to step up.
Reformation Day and the Use of the Bible Today
Reformation Day is an opportunity for each of us to reflect on our use of the Bible. It seems clear that Luther’s 95 Theses were prompted by his careful biblical exegesis. Does anyone out there still do that sort of thing?