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Why Our Work Matters to God
“The Christian shoemaker does his duty, not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship.” — Martin Luther Work. It greets us at the dawn of each new day. Whether you serve in a church or para-church organization, business community, or at home, much of our life is consumed with work. It causes us to rise early and stay late. It compels us to do more, get better, grow stronger. Occasionally, we sense the glory of work as God intended it. We feel as Eric Liddell did during his Olympic training when…
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Start November by Giving Thanks for the Reformation at 500 Years
What does the first post to go viral mean to us personally? Suppose you wanted to know God and follow him. How might you get to know him? Where would you begin? Maybe you’d like to read what he said…500 years ago your only option would have been a Latin Bible. Maybe you’d like to go to church…500 years ago your only option would have been a Latin mass. You could pray…but suppose you felt unworthy. You wanted to come before God but felt you needed to begin by confessing your sin to him. You would need to confess to a priest. Rather than merely listening to…
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This Changed Everything: Documentary about the Protestant Reformation
This year marks the five-hundredth anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. Reformers have existed throughout church history, but a professor in Wittenberg, Germany, named Dr. Martin Luther created 95 talking points listing what he thought needed to change in the Roman Catholic Church. It is said that in 1517, he nailed these discussion-starters to his local bulletin board—the church doors—and many mark this event as the start of the Protestant Reformation. The influence of Luther and his followers led to many changes. Here are a few of the more subtle ones: People shifted holiday gift-giving from St. Nicholas Day (December 6 in most Western countries) to Christmas Eve. Church art…
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Protestants at 500: The Best-Known Female Reformer
In this year, which marks the five-hundredth anniversary of the start of the Protestant Reformation, many are focusing on the male reformers. But Germany is also focused on some of the females. Though quite influential, they are often forgotten. And we can learn much from their lives. I'm thinking of one in particular. Come back in time with me to about 1499 in what we know today as eastern Germany—then called Saxony. And picture a girl born to a noble family. When she turns five, her mother dies and her father sends her to a cloister. There she receives a nun's education. When she is about 24, she and some of her friends—aware of…
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Wittenbery Tales
Since long before Geoffrey Chaucer wrote of people making pilgrimages in the late Middle Ages, Christians have been journeying to holy sites, engaging in travel that aids their spiritual contemplations. And this year is no exception, as thousands are headed to Germany in this the five-hundredth anniversary year of what is considered the start of the Protestant Reformation. From the three E’s of Eisenach, Erfurt, and Eisleben to Torgau (left), Wittenberg, and many other cities, they will see outstanding museum after excellent exhibit after amazing church. They’ll find content that appeals to all ages, information presented through the five senses, creativity that incorporates the latest technology, recognition of women…
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101: Martin Luther and MLK and The Reformation (at 500 Years)
Not long ago, I was getting my hair cut, and I mentioned to my stylist—someone I love who has faithfully attended good Bible studies for two decades—that I was embarking on a press junket to Germany this month. My reason: to visit some of the “Martin Luther” sites, with a view to writing some religious-travel articles. Why now? Because in 2017, we'll mark the five hundredth anniversary of Luther’s nailing his 95 theses to the Wittenberg (“Vittenberg”) Door. In the time that followed with my stylist, she asked some good but basic questions that made me realize how little church history we teach. So here’s a tutorial to read and…
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Halloween or Reformation Day?
It seems that our world is head over heels in love with Halloween to the point that you can go to almost any store and find all kinds of paraphernalia. Halloween has become big business and the merchants are using their “trick or treat” to drain our pocketbooks and fill theirs. If you have looked closely these days the merchants are also promoting the death culture with the ghouls and goblins dripping with blood. Our public schools spend the month of October in preparation for the party centered around Halloween, costumes, candy and spooky music! Have we become so enamored with Halloween that we have forgotten about what happened on…
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Spiritually Bipolar
Here’s another confession. I’m bi-polar when it comes to my spiritual life. On the one hand I can be very self-condemning: I’m a rotten worthless sinner who can’t do anything right. I wrote a song once called Failure the lyrics to which expressed how I often feel: I confess that I’m a failure This sober truth, it haunts my life Decisions made that were unwise I’ve messed up my own, and others’ lives Too many times… Yes, I beat myself up a lot. And, yes, I know Jesus loves me, but I have often asked, “But does He like me?”
