Category Archives: Church

Fasting or Feasting: Spiritual Nourishment at Church and Home

Posted on August 17, 2024 by salooper57

It is the men and women who have learned to nourish themselves on Scripture during the week who derive the most benefit from a sermon on Sunday. They have discriminating tastes. They recognize artificial ingredients, spit out poisons, relish a hearty meal, enjoy a satisfying after-dinner treat. Continue reading →

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Prayer: It Doesn’t Need to Be Boring

Posted on August 13, 2024 by salooper57

If prayer is boring, it is because bored people are praying about things that have little to do with “real” life. Continue reading →

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Who Is Your Favorite Apostle?

Posted on August 10, 2024 by salooper57

Jesus didn’t choose Philip because he was brilliant. He didn’t go looking for him because he couldn’t get along without him. There was nothing extraordinary about Philip, at least nothing that other people could see. Jesus chose Philip because he wanted him. Continue reading →

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Baptism: What Is It All About?

Posted on July 25, 2024 by salooper57

Note: We are changing the way we post videos, so I will wait until that is completed before I post the video of this sermon. I will post the manuscript (which always differs a little from what it actually said) … Continue reading →

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Antinomianism in America: Adrift on a Perilous Sea

Posted on May 18, 2024 by salooper57

We have a problem. Americans have been infected by antinomianism, and it is modifying their behavior, impacting their relationships, and weakening social bonds. If antinomianism is a disease, it is not a physical one. If it is contagious, it is … Continue reading →

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Ascension Day: It Matters More Than You Know

Posted on May 11, 2024 by salooper57

In 1925, Pope Pious XI introduced “The Feast of Christ the King” into the liturgical calendar. It came on the last Sunday of October which, metaphorically speaking, is the no-man’s land of the church calendar. In 1970, Pope Paul VI … Continue reading →

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Churches: Go Small to Get Big Results

Posted on May 4, 2024 by salooper57

My wife and I have worshiped in some very large churches over the past six months. Thousands of people flood their campuses each Sunday. Their worship leaders are professional musicians. Their pastors are great communicators and exceptional leaders. I enjoyed … Continue reading →

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Faith, Politics, and the Problem of Selective Sight

Posted on February 24, 2024 by salooper57

Another election year, and it’s going to get ugly. As the citizen of a liberal democracy, I know we must have elections, but as the pastor of a church I came to dread them. People I have known to be … Continue reading →

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A Biblical Model for Handling Church Conflicts

Posted on December 30, 2023 by salooper57

Anyone who has been around the church for any length of time has heard about church fights and church splits. Christians, it seems, are not much better than anyone else when it comes to handling conflict. They might even be … Continue reading →

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Christian Nationalism: The Seduction of a Different Gospel

Posted on December 2, 2023 by salooper57

In an article from 2019, Newsweek summarized a Pew Research Center Study this way: “While Americans largely have a positive view of the role of religion in public life, they overwhelmingly want religious institutions to stay out of politics.” I … Continue reading →

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