Christians and Muslims agree that God is one. Christians believe in a triune God: one being in three persons. But Islam’s understanding of Allah as a monad – monolithic and non-relational – creates two significant challenges to a consistent doctrine of God in Islamic theology. First, how do Muslims reconcile their belief that Allah is eternal and self-existent with their belief that the Qur’an also is eternal? It seems either that the Qur’an came into being, or there are two eternally … [Read more...]
‘Practicing radically ordinary hospitality’
Butterfield, Rosaria. The Gospel Comes with a House Key: Practicing Radically Ordinary Hospitality in Our Post-Christian World. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway. 240 pp. $19.99. Rosaria Butterfield defines radically ordinary hospitality as “using your Christian home in a daily way that seeks to make strangers neighbors, and neighbors family of God” (31). Such hospitality makes your home a hospital, a place where people can find healing and grace, physical and spiritual good. It makes your home … [Read more...]
Tell me about it
Resurrection Sunday is the greatest day for local churches. If I had a wand, I would wish that every church, every Sunday, had a celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. As soon as the day was winding down, I sent out an email blast to about 100 pastors, asking them about their day. Several responded: “We baptized 15 people in Shoal Creek today. Air temp: 31 degrees. Heart temp: off the charts!”— John Swadley, Joplin, Forest Park “Baptized a 35-year-old newly married man today. A 30-year-old … [Read more...]
No end in sight for battle over religious freedom
Conflict over religious freedom will continue for future generations of Missourians. Many observers feel the U.S. Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges decision in 2015 that legalized same-sex “marriage,” repeated the mistake it made with Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion. Rather than let the people sort through the issue, the high court – like a blunt instrument – cutoff public debate, triggering yet another decades-long struggle – this time over religious freedom. In the last decade … [Read more...]
Generous retirement plans
A pastor gave this advice about retirement: “Don’t simply retire from something; have something to retire to.” It is important to have a plan for life after retirement. Retirement can be a wonderful time to generously give of one’s time, talents and treasures. Here are some things to consider as you head into retirement. 1. Have an estate plan. By taking the time and effort necessary to plan your estate you will be able to provide for your family, transfer your assets to beneficiaries … [Read more...]
How to handle ‘bossy’ kids
“Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders.” Acts 3:17 Some kids are just bossy! They seem to be always barking out orders to those around them. It can be annoying! What is behind this behavior? What are they trying to accomplish? What should we do about it? At one time education students were taught that children were born like a blank page, and what they became depended on their environment. Thankfully, now we know better. Children are born … [Read more...]
Rhonda Rhea: I’ve got some feelings
What if all our deleted selfies are actually saved up somewhere? It’s a horrifying thought. I took a selfie the other day that somehow looked like I was photobombing my own picture. Is that even a thing that can happen? Either way, I’m feeling a little uneasy thinking about where old selfies go to die. I actually started down this line of thinking when someone took a surprise photo of me and it looked disturbingly like one of those proof-of-life photos a kidnapper would send. I was even … [Read more...]
Understanding the Trinity
This is the third in a series of articles contrasting Allah and Yahweh. The doctrine of the Trinity sets Christians and Muslims apart. In fact, to suggest to a follower of Allah that God has a Son, or that God exists in tri-unity, is to commit the unpardonable sin of shirk, which damns a soul to hell. Islam is unwavering in its belief in Allah as a singular being – monolithic, distant, and unknowable. He only relates to people in acts of the will, not out of an eternal nature that is … [Read more...]
‘Death is swallowed up in victory’
As I walked into the hospital, I looked on a visitation card at the name of the man who had requested that I visit him. He was dying of cancer and wanted me to come and pray with him. I was honored to do so. When I walked into his hospital room, I was taken aback by his appearance. His body was thin. His skin was darkened. His teeth were shattered. All of this was the result of endless rounds of chemo. Yet in spite of all the doctors could do, Jim was dying. He was on the brink of … [Read more...]
‘Paul’ movie sticks to Scripture, but lacks his energy
JEFFERSON CITY – “Paul: Apostle of Christ” is tastefully acted, nuanced, possesses decent production values and – most crucially – is biblically sound. That right there sets it up to be better than most “Bible” or “Christian” movies these days. I’m just not sure that makes it a good movie. The movie covers Paul’s last days while he is a prisoner in Rome. Played by British actor James Faulkner (“Downton Abbey”), he is tired and near the end of his life and ministry. Yet, he remains … [Read more...]
How do you stop a revolving door?
When I approached the revolving door with my luggage, I thought to myself, “This might not be pretty.” The door was spinning at an abnormal rate. And this wasn’t a single-person revolving door. It appeared that each section could host one and 3/4 of a person. How you dealt with 3/4 of a person in a revolving door was not a problem I preferred to solve at the moment. I did calculate that getting in the revolving system was an easier proposition than getting out. That is, getting out with … [Read more...]
Protecting the unborn, voting, digging wells
Missouri has become one of the nation’s strongest defenders of the unborn, and that reputation will be enhanced if the General Assembly passes the “Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act.” The bill will soon be debated in the House of Representatives. It will prevent abortions on preborn babies over 20 weeks gestation, when science and medical practice confirm that preborn babies can feel pain. We join Missouri Right to Life and other pro-life organizations in urging its passage. It would … [Read more...]
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