If you've heard the phrase, “cheap grace,” you know something about the one who made it famous, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He coined the phrase in his book, The Cost of Discipleship. As he looked at the churches in Nazi Germany, he found many that relied on the grace of God but [...]
Great speeches have always been one of the mediums that disseminate information, provide guidance, and mark seminal moments in history. Histories of ancient cultures often provide speeches to help understand the issues in wars and other significant events. Think of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus' most important description of Christian [...]
William Wilberforce was a member of the British parliament at the turn of the nineteenth century. Though a man of small stature, he pulled off one of the greatest accomplishments in the history of the British empire: the abolition of slavery. Defeating such an evil institution required a stamina and [...]
I consider three mistakes of writing to be my unholy trinity: incorrect grammar, clumsy sentence structure, and verbosity. Don't criticize my title for this last mistake; I'm making a point. Bad writers as well as bad speakers clutter their communication with too many words. Redundancies and Extraneous Words “Killed dead” [...]
(Author's note: if you are new to The Lazarus Chronicles, you will be surprised that I talk with Lazarus [see Gospel of John, chapter 11). Of course this is simply my way of exploring issues through dialogue. This regular feature of the blog is called “Coffee with Lazarus.” I hope [...]
(Last week I introduced “Economics According to Judas.” Judas was one of the twelve Apostles. He was their treasurer, and of course we know him as the one who betrayed Jesus to the authorities. Even though Judas is one person, by the things that drove his life, he represents how [...]
Several years ago I published an article in a magazine affiliated with a Christian family magazine in New Jersey. It was titled “Economics According to Judas.” I thought it would be appropriate to resurrect it for The Lazarus Chronicles. The Bible has a lot to say about money as well [...]
The biggest change in your life, like with the Apostles, has occurred: you believe that Jesus rose from the dead. Consequently, you believe that everything he claimed about himself, everything he taught, and every miracle he performed is true. Now you face major changes in your life: a new spiritual [...]
The disciples are fishing. They've had no luck, but someone on shore tells them to cast their nets in a certain spot and they catch a large number of fish. Realizing it was the Lord, they haul in 153 fish. They eat a silent breakfast. I suggested in my last [...]
The Gospel of John 21 describes one of the occasions when the risen Jesus appeared to the disciples. They seem to be in a state of uncertainty. Jesus had appeared to them immediately after his resurrection, but although Christ's rising impacted them, they haven't figured out the new direction of [...]
