One day, John looked up and saw Jesus walking toward him. I’m not sure that he recognized his relative. As far as we know, they hadn’t seen each other ever. But we know that John had been given instructions on how to recognize the king. How to recognize the one he had been pointing people […]

A few years ago, I wrote a sermon for our Sunday morning chapel service at the hospital. (Actually, there are a bunch of sermons. I’ve been doing this for seven years. But I’m talking about a specific one.) The texts are from Romans 14:1-12 and Matthew 18:21-35. You can look at them. In one Paul […]

God. We want you to tell us what to do. We want it as clear as a contract. If we do this, you will do that.If we eat this and abstain from that, you will do what we ask.If we vote this way or support that one, you will make us great.If we buy this or […]

In the old days, when I was a pastor, a big part of my job was giving people permission. Not in the sense that I held the keys and made the rules. Not in the sense of making people raise their hands and ask permission. More in the sense that people would describe what they […]

I’m writing a course. I’ve told you that before. It’s a course in pastoral care. We’re going to be talking about being helpful in all kinds of situations. But we’re starting with theology. Not in a stuffy academic sense. But in the sense of how our understanding of God and us and each other and […]