Category Archives: Faith

A Mother’s Worthy Life

Posted on May 7, 2022 by salooper57

He later apologized and asked for the chance to make it up to her. They went out on a second date, and then a third. He eventually asked her to marry him, and she said yes.

I only learned about how he proposed after he died. According to my mother, he said: “If you’ll marry me, I’ll change.” When she told me this, I blurted out, “And you said yes? What were you thinking?” Continue reading →

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Biblical Theology Class #15: The Kingdom Is Near

Posted on May 1, 2022 by salooper57

In this class, we explore what Jesus meant when he said, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” The Bible cannot be understood apart from “kingdom.” It is the lens through which so many other things come clear. Enjoy … Continue reading →

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God Speaks Your Language

Posted on April 30, 2022 by salooper57

What the Gospels do best, however, is offer a captivating portrait of Jesus. Albert Einstein, when asked about Christianity’s influence in his life, answered: “I am a Jew, but I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the Nazarene.” He went on to say, “No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life.” Continue reading →

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Is the Holy Spirit Optional? (Wide Angle)

Posted on April 27, 2022 by salooper57

(Reading Time: Approximately 3 minutes) Sometimes Christians get the idea that the presence of the Spirit of God in our lives is an option, something we can take or leave, like heated leather seats and dual zone climate control. It’s … Continue reading →

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Storms of Doubt (Sermon: John 20:19-31)

Posted on April 25, 2022 by salooper57

A hopeful sermon to share with doubters, deconstructors, and those who care about them.

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20 Years Later: Peter and John Reminisce About Jesus’s Resurrection

Posted on April 24, 2022 by salooper57

Enjoy this skit that takes us back to that first Easter Sunday!

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Celebrating Hope at Easter

Posted on April 16, 2022 by salooper57

(Reading time: approximately 4 minutes.) The first time I heard the quote (attributed to Dr. Johnson), “Men live in hope, die in despair,” I was not in English class but in the Student Union. I was playing ping-pong with my … Continue reading →

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Behold You King (Palm Sunday 2022)

Posted on April 11, 2022 by salooper57

Today, we remember and celebrate what has come to be known as “The Triumphal Entry,” Jesus’s highly symbolic entrance into Jerusalem just days before he was betrayed and executed. We know the broad outlines of the story. Jesus rode into … Continue reading →

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Death: Its Denial and Defeat

Posted on April 9, 2022 by salooper57

In 2013, Google launched “Calico,” a company headed by Arthur Levinson, whose goal is “to solve death.” The biotech company hopes to use technology to combat aging and, in Time Magazine’s words, “defeat death itself.” Google is not the only … Continue reading →

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The Coming of the Spirit: An Essential Part of Salvation (Wide Angle)

Posted on April 7, 2022 by salooper57

(Reading time: 4-5 minutes) Today we’ll use our wide-angle lens to focus on the strange events that took place on the Jewish Feast of Pentecost during the same year that Jesus was crucified and resurrected.  The word Pentecost is a … Continue reading →

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