When an elder or a deacon is ordained in the United Methodist Church, the resident bishop lays hands on the clergy person and says, “Take thou authority” (and I’m paraphrasing) to...

Rejection is, unfortunately, a universal human experience. I certainly wish it weren’t, but I bet you can think of multiple times that you’ve experienced rejection. Maybe it was from a romantic...

If you have read much about the church community in Corinth, you know it wasn’t an easy one. Some of Paul’s firmest words and most famous teachings are in his epistles...

On the most recent election day, we took very seriously introducing our four-year-old to our civic duty of voting. She came with me before school and went with my spouse after...

Last fall, my family and I visited Rapid City, South Dakota, on a bit of a whim. The plan was to see Mt. Rushmore, hike in the Badlands National Park, and...

Tennessee, my home state, released a new state license plate in 2022. The old plate showcased the rolling hills that meet the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern part of the state....

I have a dear friend who is a chronic over-packer. His wife and I enjoy laughing together as they prepare to go on trips. Recently, they were preparing for an overnight...

Jesus knows when we reach out to him in faith, and he is never too busy to provide his healing touch. Such is the case of the sick woman in today’s...

Jairus’ daughter’s illness and subsequent death all happened so rapidly that Jesus, it would seem, had not acted quickly enough. “Why trouble the teacher any further?” Jairus’s family and friends asked,...

In today’s text, the apostle Paul gives some practical instruction concerning the relationship between faith and good works. While faith in Christ is the ultimate avenue by which we are saved,...