Authentic Christianity
Living the Word of God in our daily life.
Related topics: Bible Literacy, Book Reviews, Theology, Worldviews
ananias of damascus: a sermon on a reading from acts 9
The Reading: Acts 9:1-20 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might...
a letter to the people of the Church in my community
As a student of the Living Word, a faithful servant of our Lord Jesus Christ, and a seeker of Truth, I, Dan, write this to the people of the Church in my community. Whether you attend casually, serve in the church at any level, or shepherd over any part of the...
the Church’s attachment disorder: finding peace in our relationship with God
"He's such a loving little boy," the caseworker told us. Before we met the boys we would eventually adopt, we got the quick personality rundown on each of them. The younger of the two brothers was described as one who just loved everyone. "He's so sweet!" And that...
some things aren’t worth compromising
“Dan, I know you love spending time with your family, but don’t let that get in the way of your career.” He flew me one thousand miles across the country to sit me down and tell me this. I knew that moment was the beginning of the end of a decade-long relationship...
shifting blame
It's fairly common in a situation to want to shift the blame to the other person. Instead of looking for solutions, we are busy saving face. My first reaction is to point the finger. It's a knee-jerk reaction. When I have had time away from the situation, I think...
the chameleon kid
For sure and for certain, I am a daughter of the King of kings, a princess of the most high God. My eternity is set, I don’t doubt that for one fine frog’s hair second; but, my here and my now, in this current stance, right smack-dab where I am, this earthly...
lessons from the slum congregation
"There is not an honest pastor in the land who is not deeply aware of the slum conditions that exist in the congregation and, therefore, the unending task of clearing out the garbage, finding space for breathing, getting adequate nourishment, and venturing into the...
like something trying to get born
It's bright this morning, crisp and early. The kind of morning you feel that something new is trying to get born. Last night, we rifled through the backpacks at Wal-Mart and after much deliberation, picked out four of them. They are still stiff, smelling of that...
the aerodynamic mystery of you
I sit in the porch rocker and soak up the silence. It’s a discipline I’m learning is essential to embracing the mysterious wonder of God but it does not come naturally to me, leaving room in my life for encountering the quiet without distraction. At home, the phone...
will you refuse to do nothing?
You must be the change you wish to see in the world. That quote by Ghandi is written on my heart - imprinted on my heart. Like a tattoo. God has gifted me with a huge passion for making a difference in the world. Not just an ordinary difference, but a big...
surrender the bone
Before I say a word about this month’s theme of “free,” you should know that I lived as a secret slave to alcohol for more than twelve years. By day I wrote Christian books on topics like marriage and prayer, and by night I got blotto drunk. I can’t think of...
he smells like mouthwash
Each Sunday he shows up. He stumbles in, unkempt and a little noisy. Typically his daughters come with him. (They love our children's ministry.) He sits in the metal folding chairs in our little church plant startup meeting at our local VFW Bingo Hall....
free from not measuring up
I flip through pages, thousands of them, all tissue thin with an ink everlasting. They tell the stories, this Holy Book of books; these living, breathing words unfolding the hearts of saints and sinners, words that mark the law of Moses and the ministry of Jesus,...