I was painfully shy in my younger days. The only child of older parents, I wandered the hills of our farm anddeveloped a lively imagination but felt inhibited in communicating with adults or in a large group. In high school we had to give speeches once a year. I was good at researching and preparing … Continue reading Tongue-tied no more
Echoes of invention
The Church of God (Anderson, Indiana) gradually began to downplay some of the distinctive teachings of Daniel Warner, leading some of those who believed strongly in those teachings to leave the church. In 1980, Daniel Layne left the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana) and assumed the leadership of those who had separated from that group. … Continue reading Echoes of invention
How to invent a church
Let’s say that I am a young man on fire for the Lord, thrilled by what God has done for me and eager to share this good news with others. But I can’t find a church that sees things exactly the way I do. What shall I do? Well, if my name is Daniel Warner, … Continue reading How to invent a church
Reading each other’s mail
How long does the honeymoon last when Christians marry? How long does it take for the husband to realize that his bride isn’t submitting to him like the Bible teaches? How many days does it take before the young lady becomes aware that her husband isn’t giving himself for her like it says in the … Continue reading Reading each other’s mail
A sense of wonder
There are sober and serious Christians who object to C.S. Lewis’s Narnia books and Tolkien’s Hobbit books on the ground that they are not real life stories. To which I would ask “Is this visible world all there is to real life?” Children are aware that there are unseen forces influencing the events around them. … Continue reading A sense of wonder
Jezebel
These things saith the Son of God, . . . I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to … Continue reading Jezebel
The strait way or the straightaway
Which road are you on? The straightaway is a wide, smooth road with gentle curves and gradual slopes. Multitudes are travelling down this road, pedal to the metal, hellbent on getting to . . . well — hell. Where else would you expect to get to on this road? Jesus tells us that a lot of … Continue reading The strait way or the straightaway
Christianity: it’s not all about me
Nine years ago we were living in a little village north of Saskatoon. One day early in the year the phone rang and when I answered a voice with a pronounced southern accent said, "My name is Jay Bullock and I hear you are having Vacation Bible School up there this summer and I wonder … Continue reading Christianity: it’s not all about me
The bugs of summer are here
We congratulate ourselves sometimes that we live in a country where winter protects us from the kind of bug problems they have in some other places, say the southern USA for instance. Nevertheless, short though our summers may be, there are bugs that thrive in that season. Mosquitoes, grasshoppers and ticks, for instance. The vet … Continue reading The bugs of summer are here
Wicked women of the Bible
One was a Canaanite woman who disguised herself as a prostitute to seduce her father-in-law. Another Canaanite woman was a prostitute. A Moabite woman crawled under the covers with a man while he was sleeping to hint that she wanted to marry him. The fourth was an Israelite woman who bathed on the roof of … Continue reading Wicked women of the Bible
