When your church’s alternative to Halloween prohibits ghosts and ghouls, you can dress as a Bible character and still have scary fun! Should Christians Celebrate Halloween? While many Christians object to celebrating Halloween, it has always been one of my favorite holidays. One of the churches I served used to open up their parking lot for Trunk or Treat every year. It was one of the biggest annual outreaches to our community because it reached such a diversity of people.... Read more
In the Quoir/Patheos book, Sitting in the Shade of Another Tree I discuss the influence Neopaganism has had on my Christian faith. Here’s a secret not many know: A quarter century ago, this Baptist pastor could have been put on trial as a witch. Of course, they’d never have convicted me, because I wasn’t a witch. But many things about my personal spiritual practices looked like I was one. They say, “If it looks like a duck and quacks... Read more
Sure, your church has worship services. But does it have service-worship? Here’s how your congregation can celebrate AND serve on Sundays. In “Why is a church service called a ‘service,’” Anthony Smith says that many believe it’s because we serve God through our time, treasures, and talents. However, he points out that… The shocking answer is that, when the church gathers for worship, it is not a time when we serve God by giving things to him, but a time... Read more
You can’t gain by losing. We all know people who try to improve their lives by focusing on what they don’t want. It doesn’t work. Instead, Jesus offers the One Thing that will make you happy. Some people you and I know decided that it was best to lose some weight. They told themselves, “I hate all these extra pounds. I need to lose all these extra pounds.’ But the more they told themselves that, the more they focused on... Read more
When we put the right mental, emotional, and spiritual energy into things, we get to participate in supernatural manifestations of love. For our wedding, Christina and I wanted a bit of country flair. So, we each wore boots to the ceremony. Beneath her white dress, Christina wore a pair of Brown Justins with pointed toes and western hills. I chose a black pair of biker boots with western heels and square toes. They had straps with O-rings at the... Read more
January 6 is the new September 11. You don’t even have to say the year—people know what you mean. Here’s what the two have in common: Like everyone else that September Tuesday (who was old enough to really be aware), I stared in horror at my television screen. I was outraged. I was grief-stricken. I was traumatized. Yes, even though I was safe on my couch in Virginia, far from Ground Zero in New York, the Pentagon, or... Read more
Jesus’ betrayer Judas ended his life with a rope. But what if his death were preventable? Suicide prevention means asking good questions. Judas didn’t have to die. I know, some will quote Acts 1:20 where Peter said his death was inevitable and another had to take Judas’ place among the disciples. But this was Peter’s interpretation of vague scriptures and not a clear indication that God planned or willed Judas’ death by suicide. In fact, it’s dangerous to suggest... Read more
“I know it’s a sin to gamble,” she said. I told her, “I’ll bet you $100 you can’t find a Bible verse to back that up!” So…Is it a sin, or not? Gambling in the Ancient World There are exactly zero verses in the Bible that have to do with gambling for money. This isn’t because gambling didn’t exist in ancient times. In fact, gambling dates to the dawn of time. Click here to read, “The First Forms of... Read more
Bed Bath and Beyond has gone to the Hereafter. But is there an afterlife for dying churches? What can we learn from the bankrupt megastore? The Death of Bed Bath and Beyond By now, you’ve heard that megastore Bed Bath and Beyond (BBBY) has gone belly-up. According to financial and news sources, there were several factors that led to its bankruptcy: Becoming a Category-Killer. On Knowledge at Wharton, Angie Basiouny writes: “Their whole core concept of ‘killing a category’ with... Read more
Try calling Jason Aldean a heathen in a small town! If you don’t know the historical meaning of that word, it sounds like an insult. What is a Heathen? The old English word “heath” means “country.” So, his song “Try That in a Small Town” is a heathen song. According to Etymonline, the word “heathen” has connotations of both “unchristian” as well as “rural.” In that case, it’s definitely a heathen song! Old English hæðen “not Christian or Jewish,” also... Read more
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