Category: Christianity and politics
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Crisis in America
Over three years separates our spring of 2017 interview with Os Guinness and where we are today, and yet, without changing a word, my resulting Catch reads as if it were written yesterday. Because his challenges are so prophetic and so important, it is necessary for us to revisit these words and refocus our attention…
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‘What is truth?’
Our frustrating experience last week in doctors’ offices and the hospital concerning Marti’s yet-to-be-diagnosed symptoms was not unlike what we are all facing today in our own fact-finding processes in the complex culture in which we find ourselves. The big question today is the same question Pilate put before Jesus when he questioned Him as…
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Dealing with dystopia
The year’s at the spring And day’s at the morn; Morning’s at seven; The hill-side’s dew-pearled; The lark’s on the wing; The snail’s on the thorn: God’s in his heaven— All’s right with the world! – Robert Browning Someone described America in the paper today as a dystopia and I had to…
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Are we generating life or strife?
Why is it that so often I return from social converse with a spirit worn, a lack, a disappointment—even a sting of shame, as for some low, unworthy thing? —George MacDonald Have you noticed how these days, almost every conversation, much of social media, articles we read and many presentations we watch end up…
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The challenge of being a Christian in a world with a Christian subculture
This is a challenging time to be a Christian. There is a big difference between what is culturally Christian and being a Christian in culture.
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Jocelyn announces pool party
My four-year-old granddaughter has the solution for the pandemic as well as the racial tension that now has so much of the country in its grip. “When the world gets better, we’ll have a pool party, and everyone’s invited.” That’s word-for-word what she said. It’s a brilliant suggestion.
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The army of the Lord
So I published yesterday’s Catch on the local Neighborhood Watch which was starting to get rather nasty between the-government-is-keeping-us-safe people and the-government-needs-to-get-its-nose-out-of-my-business people. It was nice to see 13 positive reactions to my article, and a few thankful comments. This is just indicative of the war that is going to go on at many different…
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Against the wind
This has been a monumental year so far. With this being an election year, and a completely divided electorate throwing contempt from pole to pole, and evangelical Christians sought after by both sides — not for their faith or their wisdom, but merely for their voting power — there couldn’t be a more critical time…
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Put out the welcome mat
It’s voting day here in California. Out and about you find voting signs and there are police warnings on my emergency app about possible congestion around polling places. We’ve been talking a lot about politics lately here at the Catch because it is such a big part of our culture right now. And though on…
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Moving on up!
In an election year the future of America will depend on how well people lose. So get ready, some of us will have to apply this to ourselves. But of course, it’s just as important how we win. Maybe even more so. We certainly don’t need “Told you so,” winners. We need non-gloaters. If ever…
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Thank you, Neil Young
I don’t blame the people who voted for you. I support their right to express themselves, although they have been lied to, and in many cases believed the lies, they are true Americans. I have their back. – Neil Young, in an open letter to Donald Trump Contrary to what it might look like, this…
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Becoming friends with your enemies
So now that we have all of you with boots on the ground refusing to enter into gossip, rumors, and negative talk with friends about perceived enemies — now that there are so many of you, as Bob has suggested in his comments yesterday, being “loving, gracious, humble, and forgiving until the very end –…
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Looking for contempt
“We have to be the people we want everyone else to be.” (see yesterday’s Catch) We could spend weeks on this, but given the current climate, at least a few days would be good. John sent us an arresting video of Michael Jackson’s song “Man in the Mirror,” a song that says the same thing.…
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The justice of the Creator to His creatures
In honor of Presidents’ Day, I thought I would share a quote from one of our greatest presidents, Abraham Lincoln, that might speak into the place we find ourselves today in this country. While searching, I found out that the principles drawn from the word of God were always relevant to today, only because they…
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What does your worldview do for the world?
Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. (1 Corinthians 9:22 NLT) Worldview is critical to our thinking if we want to reach everyone, everywhere with the gospel of welcome — grace turned outward. So it’s important that we check in from time to time on how…
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Sticking out like a sore thumb
How does it feel to be a sore thumb? Notice I said to be a sore thumb? We’ve all had a sore thumb before but I’m talking about being one. If you care for the hurting, the hungry and the homeless, you will stick out. If you care for the immigrant, you will stick out.…
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Burning (Straw) Man
I’m having a hard time getting rid of something I don’t want anymore. I may need your help. It’s my evangelical awareness. It haunts me like a small cloud that follows me everywhere, or like a straw man who whispers over my shoulder when I’m writing, “Don’t say this.” “Don’t even imply that; they…
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Big Game Rivalry Week
Rivalry week has come a little early here in southern California. Most of the west coast intra-state rivalries (Washington vs Washington St., Oregon vs Oregon St., Arizona vs Arizona St.) are having their games next weekend. But here in southern California (and up in the San Francisco bay area where it’s Cal vs Stanford), it’s…