Blog

Deeds and Creeds, part 1

Deeds and Creeds, part 1
A movement in our society could be summarized with the popular slogan, “deeds not creeds.” This has become entrenched in many of our churches too. The desire to serve our communities, fueled by a right motivation of loving them, has been accompanied by a diminished value of doctrine and theology. This growing lack of theological…
Read more

I AM here

I AM here
There is a verse in Isaiah that holds a deep mystery for me. In that passage, God says to His people, “Hineni, here I am.” That seems backward. I should respond that way to Him. Hineni implies availability and a willingness to act. He is deserving of my full attention, availability, my all. But it's…
Read more

Present of Presence

Present of Presence
Many of my friends and I currently find ourselves amid too much “stuff.” We are cleaning our garages, weeding through piles, and overall de-cluttering. When birthdays and holidays roll around, I’m hearing more often, “I don’t need any stuff” – and we are celebrating one another with gifts of activities, experiences and our time. The…
Read more

When God calls

When God calls
Soldiers immediately run into formation at the call of their commander. Present and accounted for, they wait for their instructions and are committed to follow orders whatever they may be. God called Abraham and his response was “hineni,” or “here I am.” This Hebrew word says, “I am present,” but not just physically. It includes…
Read more