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Around the Table

The Weekly Post Have you ever noticed how often Jesus asked questions? Simple questions like: "Have you caught any fish?" Probing questions: "What were you arguing about as we walked along the way?" Easy questions: "Who do men say that I am?" Personal questions: "Who do you say that I am?" Difficult questions: "Why did you doubt?" Challenging questions: "Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?" Liberating questions: "Woman, where are your accusers?" Conversation among Christians should edify, encourage, and "spur one another on toward love and good deeds." But we often spend an entire evening talking about sports, current events, children, restaurants, and movies but never go deeper, and we waste opportunities to fortify one another in the Christian life, and unfortunately we can miss opportunities to share the gospel. Throughout the Old Testament God encouraged the Israelites to remember... October 4, 2026

Does Clothing Matter to God?

The Weekly Post Three weeks ago a neighborhood Bible study asked me to model the garments of a High Priest. They were studying Exodus 28 which gives details of what the Jewish high priests were commanded to wear when performing their sacred duties. Moses was told, "Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron, to give him dignity and honor". (Exodus 28:2) The rest of the chapter details what the high priest was to wear when he led worship in the temple. One of the women in the Bible study had taken hours to sew precisely the elaborate apparel God prescribed for the designated mediator between God and man. That's me, in the photo, complete with a fake beard, wearing all the accessories of a high priest. Prior to the lesson I was reading in a side room and forgot to take off my "cheater"... September 20, 2026

When Crime Goes Unpunished

The Weekly Post In January 2023, Lindsay Clancy strangled her three young children—Cora (5), Dawson (3), and Callan (8 months)—in the basement of their Duxbury, Massachusetts home. This past week her trial ended in a mistrial. Her defense attorney said eleven of the twelve jurors were prepared to declare her not guilty on the grounds of insanity; the prosecutor disputed that reading of the jury's notes. While Lindsay Clancy admitted she murdered her children, her defenders argued that she was over-medicated and in the grip of postpartum psychosis—that perhaps the drugs she was taking, or the illness itself, caused her to lose her mind and commit such a horrific deed. Only one member of the twelve-member jury stood firm in opposition to that argument. As a result, the weeklong deliberation ended without a verdict and the judge declared a mistrial. Lindsay Clancy could be... September 7, 2026

There Be God

The Weekly Post There is an old sermon illustration I heard again recently that explains why dragons are pictured on some ancient maps. Terrifying experiences were thought to lie in wait at the far edge of the ocean, so cartographers would sometimes paint dragons or demons on their charts to mark the regions no one had ever explored. "Here be dragons" became the shorthand for unknown territory. But the famous explorer Sir John Franklin refused to be intimidated by the unknown. Franklin was a devoted Christian, a man of faith and prayer. His ability to suffer hardships with patience, courage and joy is well documented. Legend has it that Franklin took a copy of one of the "Here be dragons" maps, crossed out the ominous warning, and wrote, "Here be God!" He was determined to trust the Lord and continue to explore God's creation. He... August 30, 2026

Whatever Happened to Sin?

The Weekly Post Recently, I received an amazing photo of my newest great-grandchild, John Luke Russell. Our family gushed over it. We studied his facial features—his little nose and Cupid’s-bow mouth. What makes the photo all the more extraordinary is that John Luke has not yet been born. It was taken during our granddaughter-in-law’s ultrasound. The image is so spectacular you can’t help but marvel at the miracle of life. Just a few weeks later, the governor of Massachusetts signed a bill into law that makes it legal for a mother to abort a baby just like John Luke, right up to the day of delivery. A number of legislators who sponsored the bill stood behind her, smiling, clapping, and celebrating the right to kill a fully developed, totally innocent little child. How decadent can our society become before the wrath of God falls... August 23, 2026

Evangelism Essentials: Good Deeds + Verbal Testimony

Tom Ferguson served as the CEO of a Fortune 500 company for 25 years.  On the day of his retirement, he sent an email to the company’s 11,000 employees, thanking them for their support and explaining his retirement plans to become more involved in his church and take a few mission...
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Christian Voters Should Consider the Spiritual Issues This Election

I was once given a book titled The Patriot Preachers of the American Revolution.  It is a collection of sermons that were preached on the American frontier in the last half of the 18th Century. Leading up to the American Revolution in 1776, ministers courageously preached about the principles of...
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Living Securely in a World of Uncertainty

The New York Jets entered the 2023 football season with high expectations after signing all-pro veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers as a free agent in the off-season. Coaches and fans eagerly anticipated the season and were sure this would be their year to go to the Super Bowl. However, the pre-season...
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The Secret to Contentment

Josh Rosen dreamed of playing football in the NFL. He became an all-American quarterback at UCLA and, in 2018, declared for the NFL draft after his Junior year. The Arizona Cardinals drafted him as the tenth pick in the first round and offered him a contract worth over $11 million....
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When the Church Endorses Drinking

A recent invitation to a church’s small group was titled “Bible and Beer.” Another church group invited members to join them for a tour of Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail. These invitations for church-sponsored activities illustrate the dramatic shift that has occurred toward the use of alcohol since I started in ministry...
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