Category Archives: Christianity

God Speaks Your Language

Posted on September 23, 2023 by salooper57

He speaks to the poet in meter, to the architect in blueprints, to the child in games and laughter, to the wise in wisdom, to the fool in folly. He speaks to Isaac Newton in mathematical formulae, to Francis Collins in ribonucleic acids and to fisherman in fish. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Spiritual life, Theology | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Did Christianity Support the Institution of Slavery?

Posted on September 16, 2023 by salooper57

Though Christians like the Apostles Paul and Peter accepted slavery as a societal institution, they also recognized the dangers inherent in it. They insisted that Christian masters treat their slaves justly, and offered counsel to slaves that would make their lives better. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Worldview and Culture | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Finding a Place to Stand in the Culture War

Posted on September 9, 2023 by salooper57

The culture war has left little space to stand, but there remains the higher ground of Jesus’s lordship and biblical teaching. Those who stand here must refuse to allow cultural battles to force them to retreat or to move them to antipathy for those with whom they disagree.   Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Theology, Worldview and Culture | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Vital Attraction (Titus 2:9-10)

Posted on September 3, 2023 by salooper57

In Leviticus 19:2, God says to his people, “Be holy for I, the LORD your God, am holy.” More than one famous Bible scholar has pointed out this could be translated, “Be different for I, the LORD your God, am different.” Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Mission, Sermons | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lighter or Darker: You Are the Switch

Posted on August 19, 2023 by salooper57

Poets and novelists have always made symbolic use of light and darkness, with light representing good and darkness representing evil. It could be argued that Shakespeare reverses this in Romeo and Juliet, but clearly the Bard relied on those traditional … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Truthfulness | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Yours, Mine, or Ours: Morality in the 21st Century

Posted on August 12, 2023 by salooper57

Western cultures are undergoing a shift in moral priorities…The resulting moral earthquake has fractured the social landscape and left us standing on disparate tracks of moral ground. Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Worldview and Culture | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

How to Get Caught Up (1 Thess. 4:13-18)

Posted on August 6, 2023 by salooper57

Writers have used lots of ink and preachers have spoken millions of words to talk about “the rapture.” This is the passage behind all that teaching. Paul did not write this to satisfy people’s curiosity about what will happen in the future, but to encourage people in the present. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Encouragement, Sermons | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Chatbots: Coming to a Pulpit Near You?

Posted on July 15, 2023 by salooper57

In June, hundreds of people attended a service at St. Paul’s Church in Fuerth, Germany. Curiosity was high as people joined in a worship time planned almost entirely by artificial intelligence. Four young-looking avatars, two females and two males, directed … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Church, Church Life, Sermons, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Life-Changing Principle for a Better World

Posted on July 8, 2023 by salooper57

The Golden Rule is not a moral instruction that can be followed thoughtlessly or, in most cases, acted on spontaneously. To follow the Rule, I need to put myself in someone else’s shoes and this requires thought, intelligence, and imagination. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, relationships, Spiritual life | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

First Stone in an Avalanche

Posted on June 13, 2023 by salooper57

Easter celebrations frequently focus on the fact that we will continue to live after we die. As true as that is, it’s important to realize that most people believed that before Jesus rose from the dead. They believed that humans … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Encouragement, Holy Week, Sermons, Theology | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment