August 2021

Baptism is a common word in the Christian world. It comes from the New Testament into our language. Let’s look more completely at what is Baptism according to the Bible. Jesus’ public ministry begins with his baptism. The Gospel of Mark begins with Jesus’ baptism and ends with the empty tomb. Somehow baptism has a big place. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: …

I have started a mittful of Bible studies in the US and China and a handful of house churches and Bible studies in China. With the shrinking church in the US, it is time for a new model. Is it time to start a house church? In the book of Acts, there were no seminary led churches in each city. House churches were a standard model. The Apostle John refers to us as a kingdom of priests, and the Apostle …

What is fair? Fairness or one love one another? My family is starting to send kids to college in quick succession. As such, we are liquidating the rental house we own to help pay for it. I am thrilled by how it has gained in value even while we sometimes could rent it out these 8 years. But here is the hitch. I like things to be stable and not change.  Um, my 2 younger children and wife like change …

Life is no picnic. Not only are there sinners all around us, but we have devious sin within us. The result is, when things go wrong, that we often feel life is too hard. After, we realize a lot. When Things God Wrong, God is With Us Let’s look at Proverbs 3:11 which My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,     and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines God loves us enough to turn the screw tighter and tighter on us. …

My teenage kids remarked to me that they got scarred by Genesis as children. Genesis is not G Rated and neither is the rest of the Bible. Spreading the Good News in China, I also had this experience of people getting hurt and driven away by Genesis. Lot and his daughters is the biggest problem.   However, those of us who have looked closely at the text know the Bible has even more non G issues. It is not just that …