Money Matters

“It is well with those who deal generously and lend, who conduct their affairs with justice.” (Psalm 112:5). Money matters, and the careful and strategic use of money is a necessary (though often neglected) ingredient for effective leadership. Money...

Centering Prayer

Dear Friends in Christ, “Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him…”  (Psalm 37:7a) It is good to be back in Ohio, after time away in Houston, Texas, for the National Youth Gathering. I will write more about the Gathering in the weeks to...

Augsburg Confession

Dear Friends in Christ, “but all things should be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40) On June 25, 1530, the Augsburg Confession was presented to the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, at an Imperial Diet, in the city of Augsburg. Emperor Charles...

Discouragement

“So, we rebuilt the wall, and all the wall was joined together to half its height; for the people had a mind to work. But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going...

Criticism

“Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he mocked the Jews. He said in the presence of his associates and of the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore things? Will they...

The Jesus Prayer

“When he [Bartimaeus] heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:47). In one of my past e-mail blasts, I mentioned praying the “Jesus Prayer” during my...