In the first centuries after Jesus died, rose and ascended into heaven, his followers were persecuted. Part of their underground communication (still popular today ICYMI) was an acronym: ICTHUS. “Icthus” is the Greek word for fish. The Greek words Iesous Christos THeou Uios Soter mean Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior. And the acronym formed by the first letters of …

When did we start celebrating Christmas with trees and lights? The first documented use of a tree at Christmastime is in Estonia or Latvia in the 1400’s. Local merchants displayed a decorated evergreen tree in the town square.  Before that, evergreen trees or branches were used for pagan religious rituals, as well as people decorating their homes to help think …

What does God look like? If God was waiting on your living room sofa when you got home, and you walked in the door, what would you see?  A room filled with smoke and fire? A typical handsome-looking American Jesus?  In ancient times, a person couldn’t look at God and live. His glory and holiness was too much.  So, when …

Would you decorate every house on your street for Christmas like this man did? John Reichart, 74, loves Christmas, loves his wife, loves his country (he’s a Marine veteran), and loves his neighborhood. That’s a lot of love, and it shows. Christmas is shining brightly in John’s neighborhood because every year he helps to decorate all the houses on his …

Records from both secular and religious history document early Christians using different symbols to represent Jesus, but the one that developed most prominently was the cross.  As early as the second century, Christians would often pray standing up with their arms stretched out in the form of a cross, make the sign of the cross on their heart, or impose …

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran pastor in the first half of the 20th century. He was a sound theologian, author, and known for his resistance to Nazi dictatorship. He saw a lot of injustice and wickedness, even as its victim himself. And he sought to connect it all to God. So I leave you with a quote of his today …

Maybe your garage at home has a light sensor so that when you step from inside your house into the garage, the light comes on.  What if the light doesn’t come on? Do you take a few steps into the darkness of your garage, wave your arms and jump up and down, hoping it comes on? I do this. Why? …

I had to stop installing my new Christmas lights.  Yup, I took the plunge this year and got a set of those permanent lights. I’m attaching them to the soffits along my roof line. And I’m leaving them there. Forever.  These LED lights do more than the typical Christmas lights people string onto their gutters or shingles. They glow down …

Do you know Jesus? Most everyone does in some way. What do you think of Jesus? Are you willing to let Jesus be himself with you? When you pray, is it more about your own outcomes than Jesus’ higher ways? Can you explain seven steps to success, or the threefold office of Christ, or the doctrinal differences between denominations but …

Giving thanks is just better when it’s shared. When Americans plan a Thanksgiving dinner, we envision a bigger table than normal, with more people sitting at it than most other days.  Over 80 million Americans are projected to be traveling this weekend at least 50 miles or more to connect with loved ones. That results in about 46 million turkeys …