Tag Archives: Jesus

The Pentecost Paradigm Shift

Posted on April 21, 2018 by Mark

For several weeks the fifth chapter of John has haunted me. This chapter tells of Jesus confronting the Pharisees after he healed the man by the pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath. Jesus enrages the Jewish leaders by saying, “My … Continue reading →

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Unstuck by Jesus

Posted on March 27, 2018 by Mark

Here is a surprisingly religious way to get stuck in our walk with God: meditate on the transcendent divine attributes of God. God is infinite, omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. His ways are not our ways. Who are we to think … Continue reading →

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Common Grace: My Dad, Harry James, and All That Jazz

Posted on January 18, 2018 by Mark

My dad loved jazz. Growing up, I never thought this strange even though in those righteous days Nazarenes didn’t smoke, drink, attend dances, or go to movies. It seemed there were more things we didn’t than did. Jazz, of course, … Continue reading →

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The Cold

Posted on January 6, 2018 by Mark

Recently I wandered the grounds of the Heartland Center, near Kansas City Missouri, in 7-degree weather. The sun was shining but the grass crunched beneath my feet. At night it dropped below zero. I had been thinking about the cold … Continue reading →

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Vampires and Running Water

Posted on March 22, 2017 by Mark

In Bram Stoker’s Dracula one of the Count’s limitations is an inability to cross running water. I find this comforting and instructive. Comforting because I live on the coast of Oregon where water is running everywhere. Three forks of the … Continue reading →

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Ahhh

Posted on November 16, 2015 by Mark

So I love this paradox about following Jesus: the more we become like Him, the more we are ourselves. This means Jesus is a refuge for our individuality, uniqueness, and identity. And honestly, Jesus is a refuge against the pressures … Continue reading →

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Tearing Off the Roof

Posted on November 15, 2015 by Mark

One of my favorite stories in the gospels is about the guys that tore the roof off the house and lowered their paralytic friend into the presence of Jesus. It has moved my heart since my days in Sunday school … Continue reading →

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