Muslims, Christians and Jesus by Carl Medearis Gifted to us by life-long Bible translators, this book offers personal insights in how Christians can meet and build relationships with their Muslim neighbors. The author speaks with confidence and experience in this regard, sprinkling the book with real life anecdotes about interactions with a variety of people in… Continue reading Book Review – Muslims, Christians, and Jesus
Category: Bible
Reading Ramblings – October 17, 2021
Date: 21st Sunday after Pentecost – October 17, 2021 Texts: Ecclesiastes 5:10-20; Psalm 119:9-16; Hebrews 4:1-13(14-16); Mark 10:23-31 Context: A challenging group of readings in a culture where earning and buying is how we are taught to define our worth. In a culture where display of what we have accomplished (or what we want others… Continue reading Reading Ramblings – October 17, 2021
Reading Ramblings – October 3, 2021
Date: Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost – October 3, 2021 Texts: Genesis 2:18-25; Psalm 128; Hebrews 2:1-13; Mark 10:2-16 Context: Life is a blessing from God. We do not own it, and we are mistaken when we believe we are free to arbitrarily create or end it on our terms. Disengaging life from the Creator is… Continue reading Reading Ramblings – October 3, 2021
Book Review: The 3D Gospel
The 3D Gospel: Ministry in Guilt, Shame and Fear Cultures by Jayson Georges This book was recommended by my friend and colleague JP. It’s a short read (74 pages), but it is likely to give lifelong Christians more food for thought than many much longer books. The author worked overseas in Central Asia for close to… Continue reading Book Review: The 3D Gospel
Reading Ramblings – August 29, 2021
Date: Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost – Texts: Genesis 12:1-4; Psalm 96; 1 Corinthians 7:17-24; Mark 5:1-20 Context: Something different this week. I’m preaching in two small congregations in Northern Arizona on Sunday and the pastor serving them both is preparing a sermon for the previous Sunday (8/22) entitled Go When God Calls. Since he’s setting… Continue reading Reading Ramblings – August 29, 2021
Reading Ramblings – August 22, 2021
Date: Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost – August 22, 2021 Texts: Isaiah 29:11-19; Psalm 14; Ephesians 5:22-33; Mark 7:1-13 Context: Whenever this reading from Ephesians 5 comes up I feel compelled to focus and preach on it because it is so misunderstood in our time. The readings as a whole today have a theme of the… Continue reading Reading Ramblings – August 22, 2021
Reading Ramblings – August 15, 2021
Date: Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost ~ August 15, 2021 Texts: Proverbs 9:1-10; Psalm 34:12-22; Ephesians 5:6-21; John 6:51-69 Context: Pastors are trained to interpret Biblical texts. It ought to be a lifelong practice of not just personal reflection but also continued study in the art of exegesis, with reference to how others have interpreted the… Continue reading Reading Ramblings – August 15, 2021
Reading Ramblings – August 1, 2021
Date: Tenth Sunday after Pentecost ~ August 1, 2021 Texts: Exodus 16:2-15; Psalm 145:10-21; Ephesians 4:1-16; John 6:22-35 Context: In 2012 I noted how switching the Gospel readings to John 6 for the next three weeks provided a more in-depth reflection on the feeding of the 5000 we read a few weeks ago in Mark. While I… Continue reading Reading Ramblings – August 1, 2021
Reading Ramblings – July 25, 2021
Date: Ninth Sunday after Pentecost ~ July 25, 2021 Texts: Genesis 9:8-17; Psalm 136:1-9; Ephesians 3:14-21; Mark 6:45-66 Context: God is the Creator of all things. This means God is master of all things. There is nothing that happens without God’s either direct will (the Flood) or permission (Job). This is how we are to… Continue reading Reading Ramblings – July 25, 2021
Reading Ramblings – July 18, 2021
Date: Eighth Sunday after Pentecost – July 18, 2021 Texts: Jeremiah 23:1-6; Psalm 23; Ephesians 2:11-22; Mark 6:30-44 Context: Just starting the reading at Jeremiah 23:1, we might be inclined to interpret the words as directed towards the priests as shepherds of God’s people. However if you start at Chapter 21 you see this is… Continue reading Reading Ramblings – July 18, 2021
The Nelson Family Indonesia 