Four brothers went to war—World War 2. Their names were Alfred, John, George, and Henry. As of last month, the last one (George) entered heaven’s gates at 95 years old. They were my uncles, my father’s older brothers. Only three brothers came home from the war. Henry J. Schaal sacrificed his life in the service…
Many people have written books and articles about the pastor’s wife. She is too often unnoticed and under-appreciated in our service for Christ. I’d like to testify on the role by the example of the pastor’s wife I know best, my own. Whatever impact I have had with people largely is due to the ministry…
Do you have one of those names that give telemarketers pause? You almost feel bad for the guy who has to cold-call a Mr. Anuszkiewicz or a Mrs. Lefebvre to try and persuade them to upgrade their cable, phone, and internet package. By the same token, there are some people out there who always gets…
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin when it is finished, bringeth forth death. James 1:5 From Reader’s Digest: You must pay for your sins. If you have already paid, please disregard this notice. There is some confusion as to what sin is. As a teenager, I learned this definition for…
The Nature of Prophecy The word prophecy in Scripture means “to speak the words of another.” A man-to-man example of this occurred in the Old Testament when Moses gave words to his brother Aaron to speak on his behalf (Ex 4:15). In this arrangement, God described Levi as the prophet of Moses because he spoke…
Separation is not always the answer. I know that statement seems contradictory to the fundamentalist ideal, but it is really not. Remaining in fellowship with people with whom we disagree and knowing how to engage in a good controversial debate has been essential to our faith and will be in the future. If our habit…
In the headlines, we occasionally see stories of abuse of power and failure of leadership. Some of these stories are of failures at a church or other religious organization. Many voices rise up when these events occur, clamoring for a renovation of church polity, denigrating the status quo, calling for change to forms of church…
Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge Thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this Thy so great a people. And the speech pleased the LORD, that Solomon had asked for this thing (I Kings 3:9-12). After prayer, have you ever asked yourself whether…
Combining famous quotations with the power of the Internet is a recipe for satire and confusion. Case in point, nowhere else can you find a picture of Joseph Stalin stating, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” Then there’s Abraham Lincoln alongside the words,…
Proverbs 13:13 “He who despises the Word will be destroyed, but he who fears the commandment will be rewarded.” There is no mistaking the importance of God’s Word in the life of the believer. However, we can easily slip into dangerous modes regarding God’s Word. For instance, our posture before God’s Word is important. By…