The Church today presents a fairly complex panorama. Many different organizations each claim in their own way to be the true Church. But there are various flavors of culture and to some degree flavors of doctrine. Consequently, it is important to help young people figure out how to navigate the Church landscape today. There is a chasm between what the Church is and what it’s supposed to look like. It’s difficult for all of us. But it is especially problematic for young people who are … [Read more...] about Navigating Church Dichotomy Without Cynicism
God
The Search for Significance
Today, the entire world finds itself in a time of vast, uneasy change, where economic, social, political, and religious turmoil are the rule of the day not the exception. And now, we hear about the advent of AI. Our minds can only imagine how much that’s going to accelerate or increase what is already uneasy change. Already, the constant bombardment produces a toxic environment of unresolved stress. Unresolved stress leads to disconnected lives. Disconnected lives lead to helplessness. … [Read more...] about The Search for Significance
A Place to Dwell
What does a home mean to you? I think if we are like most people, our homes are extremely important to us, and they take a tremendous amount of our time and resources to acquire and maintain. There is a popular saying which says, “the home is where the heart is” and I think that’s a valid statement. Our hearts crave certain things for our homes. There is a practical side of it all where we try extremely hard to create and operate within a framework that provides … [Read more...] about A Place to Dwell
The Necessity of Stress
The Biosphere II project was an innovative research tool for scientists to study earth’s living systems. It provided a controlled environment for scientists to experiment with farming and innovation without damaging the planet. One of the most surprising findings from the project was the role wind and rain played in the growth of trees. Scientists observed that trees inside the dome grew more rapidly than those outside. They also fell over before reaching … [Read more...] about The Necessity of Stress
The Cycle of Dysfunctional Families
It is sad to read so often of people who see no purpose in living. At the point in time, when they should be rejoicing in their youth, even many teenagers see no purpose in living. No doubt, mind-altering substances are often involved. However, often, the state of mind that has led to a young person’s suicide is a result of relationship issues. Sense of worth is developed within a family that functions in a manner designed by God. Such a family will have a structure created by the family … [Read more...] about The Cycle of Dysfunctional Families
Is Jesus God?
Jesus Christ came to pay the penalty for our sins in our stead. He sacrificed Himself that all humanity might be reconciled to God the Father. Reconciliation is necessary because our sins have separated us from God: “Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear” (Isaiah 59:1–2). However, if Jesus was only human, … [Read more...] about Is Jesus God?
Focus on the Goal
The weekly Sabbath is a representation of entering into the Kingdom of God. Its very interesting that God has made the high point of the week, the focus on His Kingdom. But why does God want us to be reminded of this so often and so strongly? An interesting experiment called the “invisible gorilla experiment” by Daniel Simmons and Christopher Chabris will help us understand why. It is very important for followers of Christ to capture it’s meaning. In the experiment there were … [Read more...] about Focus on the Goal