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Article: Why People Reject Goodness: What Plato, a Nazi-Era Psychiatrist, and the Cross Have in Common
Let’s take a trip through time through four different time periods. There are four different witnesses who all come to the same conclusion. 1. Plato 375 BC Plato once wrote, “If a perfectly moral man entered this world, he would be humiliated and impaled.” This quote comes from Plato’s Republic, centuries before crucifixion became a…
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Pentecost Song: You Came Down
We climbed so high to find a name,We built our towers in the sky,We thought the higher that we went,The closer we would be to light. But higher up the air was cold,And higher up we were alone,Our languages turned into stones,Our pride was all we had to hold. Come down, Lord, won’t you come…
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Article: When Faith Gets Used: The Church, the State, and the Devil’s Bargain
I was re-reading a biography on Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the events leading up to World War II. Here is what I found most interesting. In the early 1930’s Germany was struggling. Their economy was bad. People were struggling. They thought their government had let them down. Their future appeared bleak. It was in this moment…
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This is Us: Inspired Growth
Mary Magdalene was a hot mess. Jesus didn’t look the other way — he healed her, included her, and sent her to be the first voice of the resurrection. This sermon is about what that means for the rest of us who are still figuring it out.
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Article: Moving Forward: How God’s Grace Frees You From the Past
When you hear the words “RADICAL GRACE” you might think that is a cliché or a marketing ploy to get someone’s attention. But radical grace from Jesus is real. It is as real and available today as it was when Jesus walked the earth. Radical grace erases the past, smooths out the present and gives…
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Article: Being Real
This past weekend, we began our annual sermon series on our mission statement at Community Lutheran Church. Our mission statement is in four parts. We are REAL PEOPLE, who follow an INCLUSIVE GOD, who gives RADICAL GRACE so that we can be on path of INSPIRED GROWTH. This past week, Pastor Brian preached on the…
Author: Ben
Lead Pastor at Community Lutheran Church of Las Vegas. Writing and preaching at the intersection of scripture, grace, and real life. Plain-spoken Lutheran theology for people who don’t have time for “complicated”.
