Ah, yes. The topic everyone has an opinion on, and a topic most people even agree on: churches should spend a whole lot less time talking about and asking for my money. But why do churches take offerings, preach about giving, hold "Stewardship" Sundays and even hold fundraisers? The answer has to do with two … Continue reading Why Do We Do That: Churches and Money
I’m on vacation this week. Lent was a long and challenging six weeks, broken up by some tremendous worship services. It was time to shut off for a while. Time alone. Time with God. Time with my family. No schedules, no email, no appointments. Time outside. Time reading a book for fun. Staying up too … Continue reading Away.
This is the final post in a series on death and dying, and looks at the question, "How should a Christian view death?" Why Do People have to Die? Because of the curse that happened after humanity’s fall into sin, even Christians must pass through death to receive everlasting life. This is because our bodies … Continue reading Should a Christian Mourn?
This is the sixth in a series of posts about issues of death and dying, looking at the questions I receive as a pastor. In this week's post, I take a look at the end of life, and the decisions that we can sometimes face. Before We Begin Let me first say that this is … Continue reading When Death Is Imminent (or Not)
This is the fifth in a series addressing some of the questions people have that center around the topic of death, based on what I hear as a pastor. This week's question has to do with suicide, and what to believe about someone who takes their own life. I am often asked whether someone who … Continue reading Is Suicide an Unforgivable Sin?
This is the fourth in a series of posts answering questions about death that I am frequently asked as a pastor. Previous posts involve death, the dead, and final arrangements. This week: what do you say to someone whose world has fallen apart? How can you find the right words - and how can you … Continue reading What to Say to a Grieving Soul
This is the third in a series on the topic of death, in which I address some of the most frequently asked questions I get as a pastor, including what happens when we die, and whether or not people become ghosts or angels after death. Oddly, I think the question about whether or not cremation … Continue reading Can I Choose Cremation?
This is the second in a series of posts on the topic of death and dying, looking at some of the most frequently asked questions I encounter as a pastor. Last week, I answered the question of what happens when we die. This week, the follow-up: do the spirits of people who die ever "hang … Continue reading Ghosts, Saints and Angels
This is the first of a series of questions I am addressing on the topic of death, something all of us have to face but none of us want to. And the most logical place to start is with the most frequently asked question: what happens when we die? What is Death? We were created … Continue reading What Happens When We Die?
Death is one of those topics everybody is interested in, even if nobody wants to think about it much. As a Pastor, I come face to face with death often. I have done roughly 100 funerals, and assisted, spoken at or simply attended maybe a hundred more. I have been blessed to sit with families … Continue reading Presenting: A Series On Death?
