Article: 10 Things I Wish Everyone Knew About the Bible

We are moving closer to the Labor Day Retreat… and revisiting the theme, “Practice, Not Perfect.”  This was the same theme that our high school group “Common Ground” explored on their musical tour. There is no doubt that some believe that being a Christian means striving for perfection. You know, be a really, really good…

We are just a few days from the beginning of Holy Week. We will remember:  Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem (he is from Nazareth), how Jesus disrupted the business of the Temple (called the cleansing but he didn’t do any cleaning) how Jesus taught daily in the Temple courts (outside the Temple building)  Jesus celebrating Passover…

By the time you read this, I will be back in the Bay Area! (I hope that brings joy!) I have just spent my 33rdyear at a “camp” called Leadership Lab ( http://leadershiplab.net). It is joy to equip youth with leadership skills as well as be instrumental in helping them discover the love of Jesus….

According to my count “hell” or “hades” is mentioned 21 times in the New Testament. The Apostles’ Creed also states that “Christ descended into hell” or at least it used to say that. The newer translation says, “he descended into the dead.” We Lutheran’s don’t like to talk about hell. It is like the elephant…

Sometimes I think we are wired to ask the question, “What’s in it for me?” We are motivated by advantage. We might weigh the benefit of doing something selfless before we act. The benefit might boil down to, “Will this act make me look like a good person in the eyes of others?” Not everyone…

If you have worshipped with us in the past two weeks you heard me announce that we are doing work on discovering the Core Values of Community Lutheran Church.  Our Core Values are separate from but complementary to our Mission Statement of: Real People, Inclusive God, Radical Grace, and Inspired Growth.  Our Core Values already…