During a recent morning devotional, my wife and I encountered this question: “What significance does baptism have in your life?” I responded, “Baptism marked the beginning of my public stand as a Christian (or to use a less culturally-loaded term: a follower of Christ).” It’s been more than 43 years and yet I can remember…
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With major television networks, cable news channels, YouTube, Amazon, or social media outlets as options, chances are not many of you listened to election results Tuesday night via radio. I understand. I didn’t either. Yet with the ever-present prospect of electricity outages—we have two or three a year—we keep a battery-powered radio at the ready.…
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Outside of Philadelphia and coverage from Religion News Service (RNS), I doubt few people noticed this news item. However, when a church in the City of Brotherly Love recently lived up to Philly’s nickname, the story had a “man bites dog” quality to it. As RNS reported, Tenth Street Presbyterian Church voluntarily gave up its…
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Lately I’ve been to more visitations and funeral services than I care to attend. It can take the wind out of your sails. There was the friend who battled cancer for a year before a brain tumor claimed him. A former pastor felled by a stroke last November eventually died of colon cancer. A young…
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Other than triathlon competitors or extreme enthusiasts, it’s hard to imagine many people being willing to ride a bike 300 miles in three days. But that’s what happens every November. Leaders from the South Georgia District of the Church of God (Cleveland) cross the state on bicycles to raise money for missions. They’ll be making…
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Because my wife and I have family members and friends who live in Florida, I started texting some a couple days before Hurricane Helene hit to ask if they were threatened. Fortunately, the path landed a bit east of one friend’s Gulf Coast home, sparing him from damage. Another friend in Gainesville talked of heavy…
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Just when I thought social-media-driven rumors had gotten out of hand, the current presidential campaign ratcheted them up to a new level. Those who are buying into the notion that Springfield, Ohio has been overrun by immigrants allowed in by President Biden need to read this article by freelancer Steve Rabey, a native of the…
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While the major political parties’ presidential tickets are set after a summer of speculation, the next five-plus weeks will feature what I call “silly season.” Namely, claims aired on social media and elsewhere that to elect the candidate the writer favors is sure to bring prosperity and blessing. To choose the opposition will mean destruction…
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When it comes to humorous moments in the current presidential campaign—and heaven knows we all need some chuckles—none is better than the story that broke in mid-August about Tim Walz. Seems the Minnesota governor missed the initial contact from presidential candidate Kamala Harris because he didn’t recognize the number flashing on caller ID. While I…
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Alarmed as many of you were by the recent news of a gazillion Social Security numbers leaked to the dark web, I decided it would be wise to sign in my identity theft plan. Actually, two accounts. One runs through January and the other next May, offered by separate providers who had already fumbled away…
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