When I first started backpacking, some 20 years ago, I was immediately drawn to it. I loved my time in the woods. I loved walking. I loved physically pushing myself and climbing difficult ascents. I loved the pressure of a pack on my back. To this day, I still feel that I am at my best […]
Where Did God Come From?
This question was recently posed by an inmate during a Bible study. Actually, the inmate was asked the question by another inmate. He didn’t have an answer, and so he wanted to hear what I might say. Since this is a question that I have given considerable thought to in the past, I felt like […]
Why Would God Order the Execution of a Sorcerer?
A good friend recently offered this question. It comes out of Exodus 22:18. In that verse, God plainly said, You shall not permit a sorceress to live. Old Testament passages like this have disturbed a lot of people. They see Jesus of the New Testament as the kind of person who would stop a stoning, not start […]
Send Me Your Church Membership Application!
I’m a follower of Jesus. I am committed to keeping His word. I am a student of the Bible, and I have been baptized into the Body of Christ. May I join your church, please? That’s right. I’d like to join your church. If you are a follower of Jesus then you are a brother […]
Hammock Stealth Camping – Failed!
Ever since the spring of this year, I had been dreaming of doing some hammock stealth-camping at a particular spot. The site is located along one of my favorite trails. I’ve walked past the spot many, many times, and have always loved it. It is a secluded location. The trail winds across the breast of two, […]
Should Churches Display the American Flag?
My wife and I recently were guests at a wedding. As we sat down in the church, we both immediately noticed a large American flag hanging on the left side of the front of the sanctuary. On the right side was a large Israeli flag. Both flags were draped boldly in front of worshipers. They weren’t […]
Is the Bible the Inerrant Word of God?
Inerrant means “free from error.” For many evangelicals this is an important part of their belief system. They would say, “If God inspired the Bible, and God cannot commit error, then the Bible cannot contain any errors!” For this reason, critics of the Christian faith enjoy targeting the Bible. They believe that if they can […]
Why Do We Go to the Woods?
When I first started backpacking, I didn’t have the Internet. I didn’t have any decent gear. I didn’t even own a backpack – I borrowed one. GPS wasn’t available, and, the only fabric I had ever heard of was cotton – which I smothered myself in during all seasons. In spite of these “handicaps,” I backpacked. […]
Wives Submit to Your Husbands; Husbands Love Your Wives
Few passages in Scripture have caused as much emotion and disagreement as Ephesians 5:22-23. Few passages have also been as abused, and as a result, inflicted such grief to families as this passage. Yet, in spite of often being misunderstood and feared, the passage has also ushered great harmony into Christian marriages when it is recognized for what it teaches. I suspect that […]
Is Jesus Literally Present in the Eucharist?
“And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” These are the words of Jesus as found in Luke 22:19. He spoke them in the Upper Room just prior to […]