It was a spectacular display. Fireworks and the sound of a violent wind took the people by surprise and turned a typical celebration into an unforgettable event. Today we are still drawn to those amazing signs of Pentecost, and reenact them in our worship …
… These are difficult words to hear. It’s not the part of the Bible I necessarily enjoy reading. Such passages create a picture of a harsh reality of toeing some narrow line of good behavior …
The documentary, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, is quite a contrast to the usual left-leaning videography produced by the likes of Michael Moore. Narrated by Ben Stein, host of Comedy Central’s cable TV game show “Win Ben Stein’s Money,” it explores the premise that “freedom is what made America great … ” but some secular institutions of higher education are limiting scientific exploration and academic freedom …
It’s planting season in South Dakota, and this time of year reminds me of my dad’s story about the evolution of farm machinery. Dad grew up when fields were tilled and planted with horse-powered implements. When his father changed to their first tractor, it was difficult …
If we drive our cars less, poor people will have more food. That seems to be the cause and effect relationship that implicates most of us …
Let me awaken with fresh resolve to face the day with courage and purpose, determined to maximize the 60 minutes that comprise each hour of the day. Let me not shrink from intense, purposeful labor, defer the exacting task or rob my employer of an honest day’s toil …
Do the terms “Mennonite peace church” and “army ammunition plant” belong in the same sentence? The congregation was Madison (Wis.) Mennonite Church. The facility was the Badger Army Ammunition Plant, which provided powder and propellant for the rifles, machine guns, artillery and helicopter rockets of three international wars but was now considered surplus property by the government …
Did Jesus practice violence? The fact that some people think he did illustrates our difficulties in defining and visualizing violence. It may be a case like the Supreme Court Justice who famously said about pornography: It is difficult to define but “I know it when I see it.” Unfortunately, we do not all see the same thing …
