Another title for this blog post could easily have been “Rules & Fools Like Me.” I’m a rule-follower. When I cook, I like to start with a recipe. When I buy something, I like to know the return policy. When I sign a contract, I focus on two things—what I’m expected to do and the cancellation terms. Come to think …
God Goes Where God Is Needed
Dr. Ellen Charry, a professor I once had, explained the incarnation this way: “The story of God in Jesus is not the coming of God to us … rather, in Jesus, God comes as us, so precious are we to God.” Prior to Jesus, God came to humanity through Israel (through Abraham, Jacob, Moses, the prophets, and others). For that …
Why I’m Striving To Be A Shrub
By Beth Demme When you hear the phrase “the kingdom of God,” what do you picture? Do you picture a throne room with a powerful ruler? Do you hear a loud booming voice? What if it is much more … unassuming? What if the kingdom/reign of God is simultaneously so big as to be beyond description, and yet somehow also …
Do I Need a Jesus Realignment?
Do I Need a Jesus Realignment? Or, Why It Matters to Me that Jesus Healed on the Sabbath By Beth Demme Was Jesus a rabble-rouser? Was he a rebel with a cause? Is that why Jesus broke the rules about the Sabbath? When Jesus allowed his disciples to pluck grain and when he healed the man with the withered hand …
The Irony of How We Use John 3:16
The Irony of How We Use John 3:16 By Beth Demme 16For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. There are different opinions as to how many verses are in the Bible, but everyone agrees there are thousands of them. One …
Pentecost Reminds Me To Breathe God In
We all know there are four seasons—winter, spring, summer, and autumn. I live in the northern part of Florida, just on the border with Georgia. Unlike our friends further south in Florida, we are lucky enough to get at least a taste of each of the four seasons. Some of them are fleeting, but we enjoy them while we can! …
Keeping Up With God
Keeping Up With God, Who Is Always A Step Ahead By Beth Demme In the New Testament, right after the four Gospels, we have a book called “Acts.” Sometimes it’s called “Acts of the Apostles” because it’s the story of how the apostles began to teach, preach, and heal after Jesus ascended to heaven. Sometimes it’s called “Acts of the Holy …
You and the Ethiopian Eunuch
Yes, You Are Like The Eunuch By Beth Demme Sometimes we read about an incredibly beautiful moment in the Bible, like the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch, and we think “good for him!” without understanding it’s really about us, too. And while it can be potentially dangerous to make everything in the Bible about y-o-u, maybe that’s a risk …
The Power of a Shared Meal
The Power of a Shared Meal By Beth Demme I love sitting down at a table with people and sharing a meal. Whether it’s a holiday meal with the family that has loved me my entire life, or an evening out with new friends, I always enjoy “breaking bread” with people. “Breaking bread” has a special meaning in Christianity. If …
Why I Love Doubting Thomas
When you hear the story of “Doubting Thomas” do you think of him as a failure or do you, perhaps, feel an affinity for him? (If you don’t know the details of his story, pause for a minute and read how he got his nickname at John 20:19-31.) On the one hand, I feel compelled to argue for a new …