Posts by David Oliver
Treating Trauma with Prayer
As a fire service chaplain I have been exposed to extreme forms of crises most pastors never encounter. Frequently I have to minister to the victims of these tragedies as well as to the firefighters themselves. To better equip myself for this unique ministry, I have attended several conferences dealing with trauma and stress. The…
Read MorePoisoning America
We observe a disturbing trend in the United States in recent years – the lowering of the average life expectancy. With no major war, continual improvement in medical technology, decreasing popular acceptance of cigarette smoking, the use of seatbelts and air bags in automobiles, how can life expectancy be declining? An article in The Washington…
Read More“What Kind of Society Do You Want to Live In?”
That was the headline on cbsnews.com introducing a story, also broadcast the night before on the network’s news program, On Assignment.1 The rest of the headline read, “Inside the country where Down syndrome is disappearing.” The CBS News Twitter feed advertising the broadcast stated, “Iceland is on the path to eliminating Down syndrome through abortion.”…
Read MoreAbout Prodigals — Who is to Blame?
Some time ago, I attended the funeral of a Christian gentleman who served his church as both deacon and choir director. Eulogies from family and friends attested to the strength and consistency of this man’s Christian testimony. He was at home and in private exactly what he professed at church. Without exaggeration, his life was…
Read MoreNo judgment, just neighbors
A post card advertising a local church was delivered recently to my mail box. Printed on this card was a catchy slogan, “No judgment, just neighbors.” I can imagine that this catch phrase would have some appeal to certain people. After all, who wants to be looked down on or condemned? Apparently this church wants…
Read MoreThe Lottery Lies
As a boy, I regularly visited Birmingham Drugs on Woodward Avenue to spend hard-earned lawn mowing money on comic books and a Coca Cola. I remember vividly when the orange Michigan Lottery kiosk was installed near the cash register. What caught my attention was the workers from Jax Car Wash down the block coming in…
Read MoreCharles Homsher with the Lord
David A. Oliver Charles Brighton Homsher was born in 1925, the son of a southern Colorado rancher. As a young man he did just what his father and grandfather had done – plow, plant, and harvest the wide plains north of the Oklahoma panhandle. He was converted to Christ in his teen years while attending…
Read More