Judith, God Saves Through a Woman (another Legendary Woman on the Family Tree)

Legendary Women on the Family Tree: Judith Judith is another semi-biblical lady that has suffered the same fate among modern conservative Christians as Susanna. Judith is found in the Apocrypha and like Susanna was quite popular among early Christians. The book itself was written in Hebrew between 200 and 100 B.C. with most scholars preferring mid-century. Modern scholarship has classified the story as historical fiction but that Judith was likely...

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Susanna: Legendary Woman on the Family Tree

Over the next week or so I will be continuing my posts on “Women on the Family Tree.” I will be looking at the stories of semi-biblical women and women from the history of Christianity. Most of these women are unknown among modern Christians especially those in the Churches of Christ. My intention is to expand our horizons by seeing that women have always been powerful servants of the Lord and I seek to honor that legacy. Perhaps there is a little...

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Women on the Family Tree: What Does the Bible Say Women DID??

Women on the Family TreeThe only subject that will engender controversy and division faster than the issue of "women in the church" is unity! Both subjects are laden with passion but passionate love for those of another view is usually absent from discussions of either subject. Thus it is with a certain amount of trepidation that I respond to a series of questions about women.It seems the moment one offers any opinion on the subject of women in...

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The Jesus Prayer

In the nineteenth century a Russian peasant traveled around his country seeking spiritual wisdom. The peasant does not even tell us his name because that was unimportant to him. What mattered was learning how to pray. He traveled from village to village and monastery to monastery to be taught how to pray without ceasing. Thankfully he left his journey for posterity in the classic of Russian spirituality called “The Way of a Pilgrim.” ...

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Birthday Wish List

Birthday Wish ListI hate to admit it but I am getting older. Does this mean that (like good wine) every day I am getting better and better in every way!? August is the month of my birthday back in 1968. I am getting used to my daughter Talya telling me how old I am (but I don't feel old!!). But I was told to make a "wish" list for my birthday and since it is my birthday I can wish for some big things, :-) I have no real needs so ... except I wish that I could replace Rachael's eye that we recently found out does not work (she is beyond legally...

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Quest for THE Pattern

Quest for the Pattern One particularly disheartening consequences of Modernism has been a disdain for history. History is either ignored or skewed. This is especially true of Christian history and how it has been presented in and to the Churches of Christ. I recall the shock I had as I began to read works by Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli and many other heroes of faith and learned how serious they were about following God and obeying his word....

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On Becoming Theologians 2

On Becoming Theologians, 2Part One may be read HEREEvery year there is a small forty-one page book that I read. If my memory serves me I was first introduced to this book by Jim Martin or Stephen Broyles while in college. The book is called, A Little Exercise for Young Theologians by Helmut Thielicke. It is a treasure. Theology has to do with life and Christians stand at the intersection of life and God’s message for the world … thus my contention that all Christians are theologians. The only question is are we good ones or bad ones. The question...

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On Becoming Theologians

On Becoming TheologiansWhen the word “theology” enters a conversation many Christians simply tune out. Perhaps the figure of an ivory tower hermit comes to mind or a person who has little interaction with the real world. Whatever the reason, it seems to be a fairly common opinion among some that the most irrelevant people in the world are theologians. This opinion is astonishing when we realize that some of the most intense "real world" folks...

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VBS at PaLO VErde

VBS at Palo VerdeFriday night, Saturday and Sunday morning has been or will be VBS here at PV. There have been crews of people -- young and not so young at 651 Kolb all week long. Dr. Brendon Holt, who is used to guiding Tomahawk cruise missles, has ably guided all of us through the maze of digging for truth. Our VBS is for all ages: preschool to 99 as he says! It has gone off with hardly a hitch so far (this is Saturday night and I feel as if...

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