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‘We don’t own God or the gospel’

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What is Intentional Authentic Evangelism? How is it being practiced in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)? And how has your understanding of evangelism changed during your time in ministry?

Finding a spiritual practice that enlivens your soul

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I’ve been on an intentional spiritual formation journey for most of my adult life. As a young person, I struggled to find a prayer routine that felt right for me — body and spirit. I followed the more traditional ways to nurture spirituality: worship services, prayer groups and Bible studies. I even tried to establish a personal devotion routine. For guidance, I looked into the practices of the most spiritual people I knew — my abuela, Jovina, and my abuelo, Edgar. My grandparents’ prayer routine included reading the Bible following a book of devotions and kneeling beside their bed to pray silently. I was convinced that, with some modifications, this would work for me. It did not. My attempt to follow this routine ended up with knee pain, wandering thoughts, climbing into bed and falling asleep, prayer unfinished. I woke the next day feeling frustrated with “my lack of commitment” to a life of prayer.

It’s time to right the wrongs

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He entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.” … All who saw it began to grumble and said, “He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.” Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.” Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham.” — Luke 19:1–9

Poet in the pulpit

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As the Rev. Crawford Brubaker began working on what would be his new book, “Alas! A Lament for the United States of America,” he remembers tossing page after page of paper into the garbage. Each piece — squeezed into a ball — contained some of the pain he felt due to the pandemic.

What I’ve learned in seven decades

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What have I learned? An approaching birthday, one that ends in zero, has me thinking, not so much about academic knowledge, but more about the life experience sort of learning. The kind of observation-based wisdom I find in the book of Proverbs. The kind of practical stuff I might pass on to a grandchild or share with a friend. So I made a list. And here’s a sampling:

Fellowship is not just social time

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Years ago, I had the pleasure of talking with Bruce Joel Rubin, a screenwriter who won an Oscar for his screenplay of the romantic thriller “Ghost.”

‘Showing people God by our action’

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Abel Perviez says he talked to God and asked for 19 more years to complete his life’s work. He started the Presbyterian mission in a tiny Cuban town dominated by a large sugar mill in January 2015 with just six worshipers. The mission is now up to 30 members and is still growing.

When Americans say they believe in God, what do they mean?

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A Pew Research Center survey of more than 4,700 U.S. adults finds that most Americans — 80 percent — say they believe in God, but only about half of the respondents (56 percent) believe in God as described in the Bible.

Wisdom Journey: A Declaration of God-Dependence

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The Declaration of Independence was an incredible document. For the first time in history, or at least for the first time in a history that lasted, it was declared that people have inalienable rights, endowed by God, that a government should protect and defend.

“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” — Luke 23:42

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