Category Archives: Church

Is This How Christians Can Reach the World?

Posted on March 21, 2026 by salooper57

We want to keep our dignity in place and our options open—and dignity and options are not characteristic of slaves and servants. (Or so people think who have never been slaves and servants.) Continue reading →

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War in Iran: Déjà Vu All Over Again

Posted on March 14, 2026 by salooper57

…most Americans are completely unaware of the rich history of Christian thinking regarding what constitutes a just war. And that nearly guarantees that we will keep finding ourselves back in the same unhappy place. Continue reading →

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When Jesus Blew the Apostles’ Minds (John 4)

Posted on January 31, 2026 by salooper57

As she lowered her container into the well, she would have kept an eye on him. You can’t trust a Jew, she would be thinking. Continue reading →

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I Wasn’t Seeing Myself Accurately

Posted on January 24, 2026 by salooper57

Most of the photos were candids, though a few were posed. It was at least a month before I saw the pictures and, when I did, I was surprised by what I saw … of myself. Continue reading →

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Closer to those Outside the Church

Posted on November 30, 2025 by salooper57

Watch a TV sitcom and see if that is how married couples are portrayed. My guess is that you will find just the opposite: the women treat their husbands like fools and the men don’t know their wives at all, and don’t want to. But that’s not just TV; it’s real life – your neighbors’ and coworkers’ lives. Continue reading →

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Closer to Each Other (Ephesians 4:25-32)

Posted on November 26, 2025 by salooper57

In the Bible, the Holy Spirit is especially concerned with/connected to/impacted by how a person speaks. If a Christian is unaware of the Holy Spirit in her life, the first thing she should do is check on what kind of speech is coming out of her mouth. Continue reading →

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Should We Drop the Confession of Sin (and Buy a Hazer)?

Posted on November 1, 2025 by salooper57

From within my own body, looking out of my own eyes, I can appear spotless—or at least “good enough.” But I do not see myself as I really am. For that, I need your eyes, and especially God’s eyes. Continue reading →

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Is the Church Even Necessary?

Posted on October 4, 2025 by salooper57

A church that is united in love will dislodge the devil, conduct itself with assurance, convince doubters, know Christ by experience, and change the world. Continue reading →

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Divided We Fall: Paul, Romans, and a Fractured Faith

Posted on September 20, 2025 by salooper57

Do we feel about the divisions in today’s church (between black and white, old and young, female and male, left and right) the way Paul would, or do we regard division as something we’ll just have to live with? Continue reading →

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Baptism: Is it Really Necessary?

Posted on August 23, 2025 by salooper57

Both the emu and the kangaroo can only move forward, not back. The emu’s three-toed foot causes it to fall if it tries to go backwards, and the kangaroo is prevented from moving backwards by its large tail.
People who are baptized have chosen the emu and the kangaroo for their coat of arms. Continue reading →

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