The movie “Daddy Day Camp” tells of two dads named Charlie and Phil who take over a summer day-camp for young children. Armed with no knowledge of the outdoors and a dilapidated day-camp facility, the dads soon realize they’ve taken on more than they can handle. Just the beginning moments of camp are chaotic: Read More »Simplify: A Word from the Steeple About Cutting the Chaos and Complication of Life
The Three Most Important Relationships
Imagine that you are sitting in a chapel and a memorial service has just started.[i] There are faces in the crowd you recognize. Coworkers. Former classmates. Friends. Family members. Neighbors. A minister strides to the podium and reads the eulogy. Suddenly you realize this isn’t just any funeral—it’s your funeral. The minister indicates that several will be sharing thoughts about you this morning: a family member, a close friend, a coworker, and someone you worshipped with. What would you want them to say about you? What would you have hoped to accomplish in life? It’s likely that your hopes, regrets, or thoughts will revolve around these three areas: the quality of your relationship with others, the depth and authenticity of your relationship with God, and a perspective on material things which enabled you to be generous toward others.
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Politics and religion. Church and state. They are often the two topics which many people refuse to talk about. And people are especially wary of attempts to combine the two. A 2008 study by the Pew Forum found a significant increase in the number of people who say that churches should not get involved in political issues.[i] In 2004, 37% of conservatives felt the church should stay out of politics. In 2008, that number rose to 51%. The same study found that a growing number of people are uncomfortable with political candidates speaking about religion. In 2004, 40% said they did not want political candidates talking about religious issues. By 2008, that number rose to 46%.
Last summer Kendra and I baptized Jordan at Highland’s summer camp. Leading up to Jordan’s baptism, we had many discussions with her about life with God. There were many other parents at Highland who had similar conversations with their kids this year.
Read More »Impractical Presents: Giving First and Best Instead of Last and Worst (Prov. 3:9)