For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in […]
Today’s reading from Ezekiel is all about good and bad shepherds. It is Ezekiel’s pronouncement of doom on Israel’s bad shepherds, those leaders who lead for their own personal gain. And it is his promise that God will be their shepherd, protecting and caring for them. In fact, it was this reading that was read […]
While so many of our popular Christian authors are writing books about how to grow your church, save the next generation, and be effective in ministry, most of the original church fathers and mothers, as well as many of the mystics of today, are writing about how to grow ourselves, how to save our sanity […]
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. In 1988, I went to CHIC (“Covenant […]
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. While every holiday has food associated with it, none in my tradition is so taste-focused […]