There’s no optimism like that which a new year brings. Ok, I get it, that’s not true for everybody. But its true for a lot of us. And if a new year brings a lot of hope, how much more does a new decade bring! But (and I’m not trying to rain on your Rose …
Author: Stephen Hopkins
John Wesley is my boy. I don’t know if he feels the same way about me, but I’m a big fan of him. He was short (only about 5’2″) but he was a spiritual giant. He helped to birth a movement that changed the landscape of the entire British Empire and without question shaped the …
Good morning friends! There’s this neat story in the book of Acts (Luke’s story of the earliest disciples of Jesus). Philip, one of the early leaders in the movement was heading south from Jerusalem towards Gaza when he came across a court official from the Kingdom of Ethiopia. It’s a crazy scene, packed with meaning, …
Once we begin to understand what the Bible is and where it comes from, one of the natural questions folks ask is, “Well, why are there so many different translations? Which one is right? How do I know which one to use? Are there any that are wrong?” All fair questions, I think. Maybe you’ve had …
What’s up with all the different Bible translations (and which one is right)? (Part 3)Read More »
Last week, we touched on the question, “What is the Bible?” Hopefully, that was a little bit helpful. But, it begs another question, “Where does the Bible come from?” At the outset, I’d like to make a disclaimer… I cannot begin to scrape the surface of this question in 500 words. But, I’ll give it …
Where does the Bible come from? (Part 2 of…a few more)Read More »
I’ve always liked to read. From as early as I can remember, books were a part of our family. But the Bible was always one book that I struggled with. Honestly, I just really didn’t know what to do with it. I would sit down to read and I’d make it through a few chapters before I’d start to …
Ah love! What a beautiful thing it is! It comes in all shapes and sizes, colors and creeds. It is blind, but also in living color. It’s applied to everything from spouses to hot dogs to football. We celebrate it, market it, applaud it, congratulate it, belittle it, and write songs about it. But what is love? …
Good morning church family! Wow, what a few weeks it’s been. Maybe you’ve missed my posts – I’ve missed writing them. I enjoy traveling, but I like being home even more. There’s just something about settling into a steady rhythm that I seem to really enjoy. But, isn’t it funny how when God wants to …
1886 was a pretty interesting year. Sears & Roebuck Co. was founded; Robert Louis Stevenson published his acclaimed novel, “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”; the first ticker-tape (i.e. confetti) parade was held in New York City after the commemoration of the Statue of Liberty by then President Grover Cleveland; God raised …
“That’s not fair!” Ever heard that one? If you’ve ever been around little kids (or even some folks who are maybe not so little anymore), I know you’ve heard it. And I don’t know about you, but I know I’ve feltthat one before. I can’t remember too many people ever telling me this, but the common …
One of the things I love about the Bible is that it is full of stories of real people with real lives and real problems. Not everyone in the Bible is a hero or a moral example to follow. Some are neutral…some are downright awful. Some are held up as heroes of the faith. The …
We all need a little help sometimes…or a lotta help.Read More »
Happy hump day! As many of you know, our Fall Prayer Week kicks off on Sunday. Some of you are probably anxious for me to stop talking about it – which is fair. I’ve kinda brought it up a lot recently. And, to be honest, I’ve done that for good reason. So, can we have an …