Sun Worship

I watched the sun rise this morning. It was beautiful. It’s hard to notice any kind of beauty at 6:20 in the morning, but I did. Just a few hours—I thought to myself—and beaches throughout the world would be littered with people soaking up rays. Pools would be surrounded by vacationers fighting over the lounge […]

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Vampyre Alternative

[ Note: This post appeared in the Lawrence Journal-World. I was asked to write it for the Faith Forum section. ] As a religious professional, what’s your take on vampires as popular figures in entertainment? Why wouldn’t vampires be popular—don’t we all have friends who drink blood? Aren’t all popular kids in school murderers? I […]

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Can Prayer Heal?

[ Note: This post appeared in the Lawrence Journal-World. I was asked to write it for the Faith Forum section. ] Can prayer really heal people? No. Prayer cannot heal anyone. Prayer doesn’t heal because prayer is simply making a request. If a man prays to Polaris, Mount Olympus or the family dog, he will […]

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New Year’s Resolutions?

[ Note: This post appeared in the Lawrence Journal-World. I was asked to write it for the Faith Forum section. ] Do You Make Spiritual New Year’s Resolutions? Yes and no. Yes to “spiritual” resolutions. A resolution is “a firm decision to do something.” So, resolutions can be good or bad. Every day, people make […]

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Graduates, Remember!

[ Note: This post appeared in the Lawrence Journal-World. I was asked to write it for the Faith Forum section. ] What advice would you give this year’s graduates? How about some advice from the wisest man who ever lived? No, not me. I’m talking about King Solomon—son of David. The Bible calls him the […]

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Dumb Question?

[ Note: This post appeared in the Lawrence Journal-World. I was asked to write it for the Faith Forum section. ] “Why would God favor one football team over another?” “Sure, Journal-World Editor, I’d love to answer a question for the Faith Forum. What’s the question?” “Why would God favor one football team over another?” […]

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The Best Way to Share?

[ Note: This post appeared in the Lawrence Journal-World. I was asked to write it for the Faith Forum section. ] What do you think is the most successful way to share your religious beliefs with strangers? There are many popular methods for sharing one’s faith: The media blitz—radio, television, mailers. Street preaching and knocking […]

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Ready to Jump?

[ Note: This post appeared in the Lawrence Journal-World. I was asked to write it for the Faith Forum section. ] Are There Defined Stages of Faith? Many people mock faith. But, the Bible tells us God is pleased by it (Hebrews 11:6). So, it’s important to understand four stages of faith: The first stage […]

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Pray for … basketball?

[ Note: This post appeared in the Lawrence Journal-World (Lawrence, Kansas, the home of the Kansas University Jayhawks). I was asked to write it for the Faith Forum section. ] Is praying for a March Madness win proper or greedy? Interesting question with many possible answers: The Northern Iowa answer: Probably greedy, but it works! […]

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Misunderstood Ministers

[ Note: This post appeared in the Lawrence Journal-World. I was asked to write it for the Faith Forum section. ] What is the most misunderstood aspect of your job?” Two big misunderstandings come to mind. First, I’m not after your money. Some people think ministers prey upon sincere, but naïve believers so they can […]

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Is Astrology Okay?

[ Note: This post appeared in the Lawrence Journal-World. I was asked to write it for the Faith Forum section. ] “Is it OK for people of faith to be involved in astrology?” Allow me to dissect the question first. “Is it OK…”? If you just want someone to affirm your choices, you can easily […]

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Belief or Faith?

[ Note: This post appeared in the Lawrence Journal-World. I was asked to write it for the Faith Forum section. ] “What’s the difference between belief in God and faith in God?” You know airplanes take off every day. All around the world people fasten their seatbelts and let a complete stranger take them 32,000 […]

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Historical? Jesus?

[ Note: This post appeared in the Lawrence Journal-World. I was asked to write it for the Faith Forum section. ] Is it important, or possible, to differentiate between the historical Jesus and the Jesus of the Bible? Is it important? Depends on what you want. If you want a religion and a Jesus you’re more […]

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Isaiah Therapy

Do you ever feel like a nobody? Like just another fish in the lake? Just another frog in the pond? Just another dog in the alley? Do yourself a favor. Give yourself something I call “Isaiah therapy.” According to Isaiah, we should pick a clear night, go outside and, “Look at the night skies.” Ask […]

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What is Truth?

What is Truth? Many are asking this question. Maybe you are asking this question. Many have given up on finding truth—they tell us, “We can’t know anything for sure,” which quickly leads to, “We can’t know right from wrong.” What do you think? Are you an honest doubter—someone who is willing to listen to a […]

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Meetings Matter

What makes for a good meeting? It depends on the purpose, right? Some meetings are designed to dispense information—like a press conference or university lecture. It’s okay if the attendees are passive. If the information gets out there, the meeting fulfilled its purpose. Some meetings are designed for interaction—town hall meetings or brainstorm sessions. If there is no […]

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