Bay area basketball fans are having a great time right now. The Golden State Warriors are the current winningest team of this season. As I write they just secured their 40th win, with only four losses. And in the middle of it all is reigning MVP Stephen Curry. He’s a believer in Jesus, and he …
I was reading an article in Bible Study Magazine about Ara Badalian, a pastor currently serving in Baghdad. He grew up in a Christian home. His grandfather was an ethnic Armenian who had found safety in Baghdad from Turkish persecution after World War I. The following description of his growing up years caught my attention: …
It’s hard to ignore. It’s all over the news and social media. The biggest public mistake of the season: Steve Harvey’s erroneous announcement of the winner in the just concluded Miss Universe beauty pageant. No one wants to be in Mr. Harvey’s shoes right now. To his credit, he owned up to his mistake. From …
There are many followers of Jesus who object to the whole idea of the Christmas festival. Some are wary of the beginnings of this celebration, which probably started as a correcting alternative to a pagan feast. The apprehension has to do with the danger of the non-Christian elements swallowing up the Christian meaning. Perhaps there …
“Meet the Futurists.” Perhaps it is a rather obscure online CNN article. But I found its topic interesting when I chanced upon it. It’s about a group of people, or maybe a “kind of social movement,” described as those who “live in the future.” Here’s a basic explanation: “Futurists say they look at life with …
In a recent piece, sportswriter Mark Purdy is quite unimpressed by the Warriors’ recent historic 16-0 achievement. It appears the whole article is about sticking a pin to the celebratory balloon. His opening words: “Congratulations to the Warriors for going 16-0 out of the gate. Let me express my overriding sentiment about the achievement in …
“Christianity has become too much of a spectator sport. Like football, it’s 22 players on the field desperately in need of rest, being watched by thousands who are in need of exercise” (Dennis Rainey). This quotation comes from a book published in 2007. The idea of “spectator Christianity” is not entirely new, yet the concern …
We praise God for the recent rains. And for the forecast of more rains coming. Yet California’s water crisis is far from being solved. It has been estimated that it will take something like thirteen seasons of significant wet weather before California can fully recover from the current drought. A recent investigative report on California’s …
I just read a recent report by the Pew Research Center concerning America’s religious landscape. It appears that general belief in a supreme being has been declining in the nation. For example, to the question: “Do you believe in God or a universal spirit?” an affirmative answer decreased from 92% in 2007 to 89% in …
Grace and I had our very first experience on a cruise ship. Much of what we’d been told is generally true—the fun activities, the interesting places, and the food … lots of food. And many who share their experiences tend to focus on these high points. But that’s not what this reflection is about. What …
