Opinion

I remember it like it was yesterday. The year is 2011, and the day is Feb. 6. My family and I have been watching together as our beloved Green Bay Packers played the Pittsburgh Steelers in a game you might have heard of called the Super Bowl. It had started off well for us, the Packers...

I have been reading the book of Daniel lately, and I believe that just like Daniel did in his day, Christians today can live distinctively and authentically Christian lives under any form of earthly government. In the United States, we are privileged to be living in a context of religious...

As I was sitting down to write this pastor's viewpoint during this Lenten season, I began to reflect on the Lenten disciplines of repentance, prayer, fasting, and works of love. All of these help us to grow closer to Christ. As I reflected on repentance and our need to seek forgiveness...

As Easter approaches, I never cease to be amazed at the difference that the hope of the resurrection makes in our daily lives. The way we live today, is directly related to what we believe about our future. I recently read a true story about two soldiers who were captured as prisoners...

The morning after the Minnesota Vikings lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship game, my sports crazy oldest son texted me. In addition to a bad cold and several, unappealing approaching tests, he said he felt "dead inside." He had lost his zest for everything he was...

"It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood, a beautiful day for a neighbor." (Theme song from Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, PBS) Last week Tom Hanks was cast to play Fred Rogers in a biopic about Rogers life, "You Are My Friend." Personally, I am thankful that they are bringing Mr. Rogers'...

Whether we are priests, pastors or ministers, we share a lot in common — including listening to people. Often we are called upon to listen to people's problems, among which are folks' sins. In some churches there is formal opportunity for this to happen through a rite or sacrament...

Have you ever looked for something and felt so frustrated about not finding it that you just gave up your search? A few days ago my oldest son Ethan was looking for a Lego so that He could finish building his Star Wars creation. As I sat there helping him look for the Lego, he said...

My brother once referred to pop as "trinkle" for almost an entire year of his life just because he thought it would be funny. That alone should tell you all you need to know about him, but I'll continue. He once drank an entire container of boysenberry syrup at a Perkins at midnight...

The January magazines with all their ideas for improving my life are finally on the newsstands. I am always grateful to get to this week of the year for this one big silly reason. After all, who doesn't want to improve their life? It is so easy to thumb through those pages and imagine...