Some signatories, though they emphasized the importance of religious leaders’ endorsing same-sex marriage, sought to distance the issue from religion. “This has nothing to do with doctrine”… “This has to do with how families live and how families exist and how families come together today. All are God’s children, and we are all worthy of... Continue Reading

Many years ago, my wife convinced me that we needed to find some personal way to give at Christmas…of getting our children personally involved, in the exercise of giving…we found Miss Edith…an elderly woman who has outlived her family. Her brothers are all deceased; her sisters are all deceased. She has no children. She has... Continue Reading

The problem is Unchurched Joe isn’t looking for a 5-minute Christian infomercial. His need is not for information about Christianity; he needs a demonstration of it. He knows about the scandals surrounding evangelical celebrities… He hears that evangelicals get divorced at about the same rate as the general population. He may be aware that in... Continue Reading

We know there is something wrong in our world that a man would murder children like he did.  Our grief over the way things are points us to the reality of a perfect world that is yet to come.  The consummation of all of Jesus’ work will be when he comes to restore the world... Continue Reading

The Two Kingdoms doctrine asserts that God rules all human institutions and endeavors, but in two very distinct ways…God rules his church as Redeemer through Jesus Christ. Thus, the church is God’s “spiritual kingdom.” He also rules the state and all other social institutions outside the church. However, he rules this “civil kingdom” only as... Continue Reading

Every generation of Christians has tried to redeem the holidays and every generation has come up with a slightly different approach.  All I hope to accomplish here is to explain those various approaches…each one of them was a sincere attempt at obeying “redeeming the time.” Our fathers in the faith acknowledged that the days are evil –... Continue Reading

The court wrote in Monday’s 4-3 decision Monday that a lower court was within its discretion when it earlier dismissed the request. In that earlier decision, a Helena district court judge dismissed the six couples’ case last year after state prosecutors argued that spousal benefits are limited by definition to married couples. A voter-approved amendment... Continue Reading

Any properly functioning society needs justice. Knowing when to temper it with mercy can be a challenge for societies and individuals. The proper balance helps make civilizations civilized. Which world would you rather inhabit: one tilting toward Valjean’s mercy or Javert’s legalism?     Could receiving a healthy dose of kindness and mercy help transform... Continue Reading

The angel decreed that Christ’s work of redemption was a sure thing, not a probability; Jesus would not only be able to accomplish salvation for the elect, but it is certain that He would.  This can be said because redemption was predestined by God’s eternal decree.   “She will bear a son, and you shall... Continue Reading

Simeon did not see this Child from heaven as simply a means to an end, but as the end and object of all faith. That explains the joy and satisfaction that he expressed when cradling Jesus. At Christmas we have an opportunity to be just as joyful and satisfied as Simeon was; just like him,... Continue Reading