Author Archives: salooper57

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About salooper57

Husband, father, pastor, follower. I am a disciple of Jesus, learning how to do life from him. I read, write, walk, play a little guitar, enjoy my family.

Someday the Timing Chain Will Break

Posted on September 17, 2016 by salooper57

I own a 2007 Chevy Malibu. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s got me where I’ve needed to go. And it’s been remarkably reliable. Besides oil changes and a few minor repairs, I’ve not had to put much money into it … Continue reading →

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You’ve Got to Believe It to See It

Posted on September 10, 2016 by salooper57

There is in Christianity an emphasis on faith that is, to my knowledge, unequalled in any major religion. In most religions, faith is presupposed. In Christianity it is demanded. In general, religions can be summed up with a set of … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Faith, Spiritual life, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Peacemakers Can Change the Calculus of Violence

Posted on September 3, 2016 by salooper57

This article is not meant to be controversial, though it does address a controversial topic: guns, mass shootings, the gun lobby and the anti-gun lobby. I offer no solution to the current debates over gun legislation and am not even … Continue reading →

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The Astonishingly Complex Process

Posted on August 27, 2016 by salooper57

I came back from school one day in early September and went to my grandparent’s house. I didn’t go to our house because my parents were shuttling between home and University Hospital, where my older brother was being treated. The … Continue reading →

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Why the Universe Has Wiggle Room

Posted on August 20, 2016 by salooper57

The renowned physicist John Archibald Wheeler summed up his long and illustrious career under three headings – three thematic periods that characterized his work. He called the first period, “Everything is Particles.” This covered the time when he worked alongside … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Faith, Theology, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The trouble with living a fantasy

Posted on August 13, 2016 by salooper57

When I was in college I had a brainstorm that caused a temporary power outage in my common sense. A bunch of us were hanging out and talking about what we could do for fun. Two of my best friends … Continue reading →

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I Resent That: The Art of Taking Offence

Posted on August 6, 2016 by salooper57

Once when I was preaching, two men stood up in the crowded auditorium and marched out. They did it in a way that was meant to draw attention to themselves. They wanted everyone to know they were offended. A week … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, In the News, Lifestyle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Surprising Problem of Prayer

Posted on July 30, 2016 by salooper57

In Christian devotional writings it is common to come across the phrase, “the problem of prayer.” The fact that prayer has problems is widely acknowledged, and the one that gets the most attention is the problem of unanswered prayers. For … Continue reading →

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Don’t Ignore the Past, Believe in the Future

Posted on July 23, 2016 by salooper57

There are two kinds of people at a party. There are those whose words and actions announce, “Here I am!” and those whose words and actions say, “There you are!” The “Here I am” person might be the life of … Continue reading →

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New Series

Posted on July 19, 2016 by salooper57

I’ve been preaching a new series on prayer at Lockwood Community Church in Coldwater, Michigan. It began on June 26, and you can hear that first message (titled, “Who Do You Think You’re Talking To?”) at http://lockwoodchurch.org/media Others in the … Continue reading →

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