Recent Posts
Keep the Fire Burning - The 10-10-80 Rule
Over the years, a number of well-intentioned parishioners have asked me some version of this question: “Does the Bible teach that I have to tithe?” This question is usually accompanied by wondering, “And does that mean tithing on my gross income or net?”
The Bible definitely talks quite a bit about the practice of tithing, which can be simply defined as offering “1/10th of one’s produce or earnings” back to God...
"Aim Small, Miss Small"
“Aim small, miss small.” That was one of the catchphrases of my high school golf coach who was obsessed with transforming his scatterbrained young charges into focused, intentional athletes who could ignore all external thoughts and concentrate solely on a small, precise target in order to execute a golf shot with maximum confidence...
Keep the Fire Burning
Every fire starts with a simple, small spark. Through last year’s Hearts Ablaze campaign, so many good, new sparks...
The Secret Lives of Salmon
Every autumn, as daylight diminishes and water temperatures in the Great Lakes start to sink, a switch goes off within countless thousands of salmon which shouts, “It’s time to go home.”
As a native Michigander, I have a much smaller switch that functions in a similar way. The arrival of autumn calls to me to return to places like the Sable river, the Platte, or Otter Creek where I’ve seen, admired, caught, and eaten so many of these beautiful fish as a result of their annual migration back to their natal waters...
The Power of Forgiveness
My thoughts and feelings have been all over the place during these past few weeks. On a personal level, I’ve attended and taken part in some funerals, which always leave me in a hopeful, but depleted and somewhat vulnerable spiritual state. Simultaneously, there’s been a lot stirred up in the USA because of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. As a proud American, I have stubbornly clung to the belief that what unites us as Americans is significantly stronger than that which divides us. But the last few weeks have shaken that confidence.
Speaking of Charlie...
I’ve had so many conversations and messages about Charlie Kirk in the wake of his assasignation last week. So much so, that I’ve had a few daydreams about chatting things over with him. They’ve gone something like this:*
Me: Hey Charlie.
Charlie: Hey there. Have I been here before? This place seems vaguely familiar.
Me: I’m pretty sure you were here at our church once, maybe back in 2012…
Charlie: That’s it! I came to Elmhurst CRC for an exploratory meeting when I was thinking about going to Baylor University in Texas...