Posts Tagged ‘Church History’
Two Faced Christians
For years I have witnessed with frustration Christians welcome visitors, even invite visitors, only to reject visitors who may want to join the Church. Its one thing to visit. Its another thing to join. So long as visitors keep a safe distance, we’re happy to welcome them. Just keep a distance. Brethren, when Peter came…
Read MoreExcel in Love
We often wonder what genuine love is, how we show it, or how we feel it. We say it all the time. “I love you.” Just because we say it doesn’t mean it is genuine. Most of the time the love we express and the love we feel is not genuine, but worldly and shallow.…
Read MoreKnow Your Family
For many of us the very name we use is a testament to our family history. I was named after my grandfather and my son is named after my father. Our last names tell the world what family we belong to when we meet strangers. Everything we do, our family is a part of it,…
Read MoreCommon Life
In every Divine Liturgy we proclaim our common life in Christ when we pray, “Let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.” We do not commend our unison lives to Christ. We commend our life, singular, to Christ. That should mean something. Brethren, let any one who thinks…
Read MoreGift for the Future
For most Christians, at least for most Christians living in America, dwelling on the past is considered closed minded. We are taught to look to the future. Sayings such as “The youth are the future of the church,” draw our attention to the future but we cannot have a future without a past. Brethren, all…
Read MoreDivision is the Devil’s Work
There is no doubt that our society has become extremely fragmented in recent years. This is nothing new in the life of the Church. That doesn’t mean we should be ‘ok’ with division. The only one who celebrates division is the devil. Anyone who creates division does the devil’s work. Brethren, I appeal to you…
Read MoreTime to Come Back
There is a concept in American Christianity referred to as ‘Christian Nomadism’. A nomad is one who moves from place to place, never ‘putting down roots’ for long. For Christians, this takes the form of ‘church hopping’ never being satisfied with one particular church. It’s time for a change. Brethren, I am speaking to you…
Read MoreFaith is not the Opposite of Reason
Have you ever been challenged by someone about what you believe? Have you ever heard the words, “Oh yeah? Prove it!” when it comes to your Christian beliefs? Have you ever been at a loss for words in the face of these and similar charges? Have you wondered if faith is real? Paul, a servant…
Read MoreSeparation is Death
It’s just one Sunday. I’ll go to Church next week. Weeks become months. Months become years. The next thing you know, you can’t remember the last time you were in Church. Sound familiar? May as well be true if you just replace attendance with Holy Communion. The Lord said to his disciples, “Let not your…
Read MoreSpiritual Warfare
I’m sure you’ve heard about spiritual warfare. The devil has been at war with the Church since the beginning. Throughout the centuries just when everything seems to be going well for the Church, something disrupts our progress. Peace doesn’t seem to last long in the Church. IN THOSE DAYS, Paul went on with Barnabas to…
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