When You are Abused
In Matthew 15:18-20, Jesus gives a three-step process for confronting people who have wronged us: 1) Go in private and speak to them one on
September 2, 2026
Box-cutting Thoughts
Previous Weekly Word Blogs
From 2012 through the spring of 2020, I faithfully did a blog every Tuesday just to keep my hand in the grind of preparing to preach every week. Then my website caught whatever virus was going around back then. I pride myself in being computer savvy, and with the extra time I had on my hands (COVID 19) canceled the workshops I had planned for the year, you would think I would fix it quickly. Instead, I bought the domain name www.morethantheflu.com and built a new website focusing on the transition we Americans, as well as our local churches, were going through. Only with the spring of 2024 did I get back to publishing a weekly word. Hope you find it fun.
Moses Learns Discernment
Moses at the burning bush is what Christian educators call “a teachable moment.” There are memorable times in life when we experience something that teaches
August 25, 2026
All Patriotism is Local
The lectionary’s Old Testament scripture this week should give our country’s leaders pause. The central narrative of the Jewish people begins with a lesson in
August 18, 2026
What defiles a person?
I learned in counseling school that married people rarely have many arguments; they instead have the same argument over and over. Jesus often argued with
August 12, 2026
Translation matters, but context matters more
Forty years ago, I butted heads with those who insisted on only using the King James Version of the Bible. “People need to hear the
August 5, 2026
Waist Deep in the Jabbok
In1968, Pete Seeger sang a ballad about a platoon of Marines in basic training who were commanded to ford the “Big Muddy” river. They wore
July 29, 2026
Jacob at the Used Car Lot
About 4700 years ago, Jacob was haggling with his future father-in-law about the price of the daughters he had for sale at his slave auction.
July 22, 2026
Don’t Demonize Your Enemies
“Never attribute to malevolence that which is merely due to incompetence.” – Arthur C. Clarke (3001: The Final Odyssey) I take Arthur C. Clarke’s words
July 15, 2026
9 Paths for Seeds
Jesus’ parable of the Sower, Seed, and Soil (Matthew 13:1-9) can be interpreted in nine different ways, as well as the one given later in
July 8, 2026
Rebekah’s Story
At first, I found Rebekah’s story in Genesis 24 absurd. What’s with Abraham’s head servant going off to Haran to find a bride for Isaac?
July 1, 2026
The Sacrifice of Isaac
The story of Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac is, for me, the most troubling story in the Bible. The philosopher Kierkegaard and the artist Caravaggio urge
June 23, 2026
Abraham; slave holder
Over my thirty-five-year run of my preaching ministry, the manner in which I use and interpret the scriptures has shifted dramatically to the left. Week
June 18, 2026
Healing like Jesus
This is how Christianity is defined: Not by theology, but by compassion. Not by spires dominating the skyline, but by places of healing transforming our
June 9, 2026
For the Next Generation
I believe that there are four distinct stages in life: 1. Childhood is for learning the basics and discovering that we are loved, not for
June 4, 2026
The Other Trinity
On Trinity Sunday we consider the new normal of Christianity. Religion at the time of Jesus was mostly a local affair. Most people alive then,
May 26, 2026
Building Babel
Many note that the Day of Pentecost story (Acts 2) mirrors the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11) event in the Old Testament in reverse. I
May 20, 2026
Action!
I’m up at 4 am. It’s Tuesday and two things are colliding in my mind. The first is the story of Jesus’ ascension into heaven,
May 12, 2026
Spirituality vs Materialism
The Apostle Paul in Acts 17:28 gives us a one-liner that captures what religion is all about: “In [the Creator God] we live and move
May 5, 2026
God’s Green Card
Jesus may have been born in Bethlehem and raised near Galilee, but this earth is not his home. He’s like an alien with a green
April 28, 2026
The Occasional Beating
When the war in Iran started, I was working on my taxes. My first impulse was to withhold the percentage that went to the military
April 21, 2026
For the Children
IIn Acts chapter two, Peter preaches: The promise [of God] is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom
April 14, 2026
Habakkuk and the Whitehouse
I am departing today from my usual easy stroll down the Lectionary texts, in order to bring you a message from Habakkuk: H: Dear Lord,
April 7, 2026
Leave the Light On
In Sarah Ruden’s translation of the Gospels, Jesus says, “In my father’s house, there are many places to stay.” It reminds me of the Motel
March 31, 2026
Palms, Kings, and what the street says
The crowds who will take to the streets this Palm Sunday weekend to protest the Trump administration are likely to be 100 times larger than
March 24, 2026