Category: Blogs
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Date Your Spouse
For those of you who are married, do you remember your wedding vows? Having had the privilege of marrying several people (no, I’m not a polygamist, I’m a minister) I kind of have them memorized. “I (so and so), take you (so and so), to be my husband/wife. To have and to hold from this day…
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Spiritual but not Religious?
Like me you’ve probably heard someone say they’re “spiritual but not religious.” Maybe it’s a friend; maybe it’s you. No one has told me they’re “religious but not spiritual.” And let’s hope that’s not the case! But I’m sure it is sometimes. What does it all mean? An oil-tanker of ink has been spilled about…
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The Earliest Drawing of the Crucifixion in History?
The cross is at the centre of Christianity. No cross, no anything. Jesus outstretched on the ancient torture device is his open-armed embrace of humanity. His pain because of our depravity. But it has been long held that the picture of Jesus on ancient-version-of-the-electric-chair was a “stumbling block” in those early years of the faith.…
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What Does Our Culture Value?
What does our culture value? Or, for that matter, what do you value? I heard a story about a woman who had a family wedding ring she wouldn’t have sold for a million dollars, especially after 50 years of marriage. But she died and they had to auction off her things to pay for taxes and bills.…
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The Health of the Minister (A follow up to my talk to the General Assembly)
The health and well-being of leaders is hugely important to the vitality of congregations but it is very rarely talked about. (Pause) A few months ago I was invited to speak to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. (It’s kind of like a national AGM). In light of some of the good things…
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How to Not Worship the Bible
The biggest “issue” in the church is how to interpret the Bible. That’s how I see it. Think of conversations about the environment, or homosexuality, or how science intersects with faith, or evil happening to good people, or human rights, or the church or whatever. At the heart of it all is what the Bible “says”…
