Devotionals
Please enjoy our weekly devotionals written by our pastors
Unapologetically Odd
In the movie Gladiator, the bloodthirsty crowd fell silent after a protracted, violent battle in which the protagonist, Maximus, unexpected slayed his opponents. Exhausted, he threw down his sword and cried to the stunned onlookers, “Are you not entertained? Are you not entertained? Is this not why you are here?” The iconic quote has even come to be used in memes and comedy sketches, but [...]
Evangelize and Trust
I met Yancey about three years ago. After an introductory discussion about work, the topic of the Lord came up and, as Christians do, we began to share excitedly about what God was doing in our lives. After a matter of minutes he revealed something incredibly personal. A few months earlier he had been diagnosed with a rare form of Leukemia accompanied by a [...]
Hearts and Minds
“Hearts and Minds” is a psychological operation employed by an invading military designed to gain the confidence of the people being invaded. While brute force may be used to gain initial control, subsequent actions benefit the populace such as the provision of electricity or clean water where there previously was none. A popular representation of that effort is the image of a fully outfitted [...]
Required Reading
Early in my college career a professor gave his advice, intending to save students money. (At that point in my life I was highly receptive to any tips that would reduce my expenses.) He told the class that teachers often don’t use supplementary books that the college schedule indicated were required. He recommended against purchasing all of the (rather expensive) books before class, and to wait until [...]
Thought Wasps
My wife and I have had TSA pre-check for many years. As I was telling a friend about the convenience of shorter and faster moving lines at the airport, I made a confession. I admitted that there’s something in me that likes it when the regular line is extra-long. The amount of time it takes me to negotiate the checkpoint is unaffected by the [...]
Run to the Rock
“Petrofilia” is the term for someone who loves rocks. More commonly known as a “rock hound,” these amateur geologists are always picking them up during a walk, turning them in their hand and, after passing inspection, dropping them in their pocket. Perhaps the most well-known set of rocks in all the world is Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England. It’s likely you’ve seen pictures in movies [...]