By Ross Engel - You know the scene. It is the end of the date. Boy and girl, face to face, nervously rocking back and forth, inching closer, fumbling about, both wanting to, but neither one quite bold enough to make the final move for the first kiss. Someone needs to be courageous and pucker … Continue reading Go On and Kiss the Girl!
By Paul Koch – “Will you instruct both young and old in the chief articles of Christian doctrine, will you forgive the sins of the those who repent, and will you promised never to divulge the sins confessed to you? Will you minister faithfully to the sick and dying, and will you demonstrate to the … Continue reading A Constant and Ready Ministry
By Joel A Hess - Dear parents, your kids will be catechized whether you like it or not. For many churches, autumn marks the beginning of confirmation classes for young people. The season also witnesses many a pastor’s struggles to convince families to make instructing their children in the faith a top priority. Understandably, after … Continue reading Inevitable Catechesis
By Cindy Koch - Just a scroll through Pinterest, and that was all it took. I was simply looking for a new Sunday School craft and I was suddenly distracted by a fun object lesson involving water. You have probably seen it. A jar of dirty water, representing our personal mess of sin. But along … Continue reading Pinterest Repentance
By Paul Koch - The gathering together of God’s people in one place for worship is one of the most beautifully complex and misunderstood events that regularly happens in any given week. I suppose it was somewhat different for ancient Israel, when they gathered around the Tabernacle or the Temple in Jerusalem. There they had … Continue reading Dividing Truth
By Tim Winterstein - Amid recent high-profile defections from formerly prominent Christians, one would think films would have long begun to move away from religious—and specifically Christian—imagery. But as we discussed on a recent episode of Saints and Cinema, with the Reverend Scott Stiegemeyer, horror movies in particular continue to focus on the religious aspects … Continue reading Good vs. Evil (Again)
By Ross Engel - In the 1997 film, Starship Troopers, which pits humanity against bug-like aliens, there are several strong cultural and political messages buried both subtly and boldly into this classic film. One theme is that Federal service guarantees citizenship within the Federation. The idea behind this is two-fold. First, nations become unstable because … Continue reading Privilege and Responsibility
