Bible and Theology on Connection

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Solving the Narcissism Epidemic

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Recently a group of researchers conducted a computer analysis of three decades of hit songs. The researchers reported a statistically significant trend toward narcissism and hostility in popular music...

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When Words Fail

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Ronald Rohlheiser

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Ronald Rohlheiser tells a true story of a Jewish boy named Mordechai who could not be coaxed into going to school. When he turned six years old, his mother forced him to go, but the process was misera...

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Cyd and Geoff Holsclaw

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Joy can be defined as the experience of being with someone who you feel connected to, someone who is glad to be with you.

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Our Relational Design

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Richard Plass and James Cofield

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Scripture

Genesis 1:27, Genesis 2:23-24, Matthew 19:4-5, 1 Corinthians 11:11, Ephesians 5:31-32

Maleness and femaleness is the fundamental way we carry our relational design. Interestingly, the English word sexuality comes from the Latin word sexus, which means “being divided, cut off, separated...

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I’ll Be There

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John Ortberg

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There’s a wonderful scene in The Grapes of Wrath, where Tom Joad says a final good-bye to his mother and assures her that his presence transcends physical boundaries—even when she can’t see him: W...

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For Whom the Bell Tolls

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Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

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While lying in bed due to a serious illness, the poet and pastor John Donne heard over and over again the funeral bells at his church, which would ring to announce the death of someone in the parish. ...

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The Way We Answer the Door

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Scott Bowerman

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The Rule of Benedict is a document that has ordered the life of Benedictine monks for 1500 years. That remarkable document, written by Saint Benedict of Nursia, instructs the monks in how they are to ...

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The Creeds Connection to The Body of Christ

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Deanna A. Thompson

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Confession of Faith

Despite belonging to a church where recitation of the creeds is an integral aspect of worship, I was for many years part of that group of moderns Pannenberg referenced who have wondered (sometimes sil...

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Annemarie S. Kidder

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Isaiah 1:18, Psalm 51:1-2, Hebrews 4:16, Romans 10:9-10, Proverbs 28:13

Locked into captivity by an airplane seat, a kindly disposition of keeping a friend company, or a telephone connection, we become ex officio confessors to those with troubled consciences and traces, o...

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Richard Plass and James Cofield

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We were created with this relational likeness and we long for relational connection because God exists in a relationship of love.

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Crisis & Peace: An Unexpected Connection

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Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

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Like many of you, I have been praying for those affected by Hurricane Ian along the Eastern shore of the United States. I've also continued to pray for Ukraine and for Russia, that peace would com...

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George Hunsinger

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Fellowship

[W]hat makes the word koinonia untranslatable, and therefore a good candidate for direct appropriation into English (or any language where it may be needed), is the profound and singular connotation o...

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Emotional Nanocrafts in the Space Between Us

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The Pastor's Workshop

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Romans 12:10, Revelation 3:20, Matthew 25:40, Luke 8:43-48, Song of Solomon 2:14, Psalm 42:7

In I’d Like You More If You Were More Like Me , John Ortberg uses an interesting analogy for an aspect of our relationships. In 2015, Stephen Hawking and Yuri Milner announced the Starshot Initiati...

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Taking Confession on an Airplane

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Annemarie S. Kidder

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Locked into captivity by an airplane seat, a kindly disposition of keeping a friend company, or a telephone connection, we become ex officio confessors to those with troubled consciences and traces, o...

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Communion in a Hostile World: Thoughts from the Founder's Desk

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Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

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Communion

In the sacrament of communion, we celebrate our union with Christ and also with the family of God. As we do this, we come up against the human struggle to live in unity, which plays out in many place...

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Sermon Prep & Self-Awareness: Austin Carty's Guide to Authentic Sermon Writing

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Paul Koptak

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Some of the Words are Theirs: The Art of Writing and Living a Sermon by is a book by a preacher who loves the craft of writing . And what is the writing of poetry, fiction, essay, but offering ins...

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Why Are Our Bibles Different? Part 2: Let's Talk Translations

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Brian Dembowczyk

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KJV, ESV, NIV, NLT, NASB, RSV, NRSV, the Message—What's the Difference? If the people we serve are to be a people of the Book, they need to be a people who know the Book. Of course...

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Elemental Claims of the Gospel by Walter Brueggemann

A Theological Giant's Final Word Walter Brueggemann’s passing on June 5, 2025 leaves a void in biblical scholarship that will last a very long time. He was still writing books and essays at age 9...

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Preaching the Bible's Stories

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Paul Koptak

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300 10-Minute Devotions For the past six years I’ve been a volunteer chaplain at Haywood Pathways Center , a Christian residential program for people working to turn their lives around from addict...

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Ephesians 6:10-24 | The Armor of God

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Bradley Long

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Scripture

Ephesians 6:10-24

Context As the letter concludes, Paul offers exhortations—put on the armor of God and persevere in prayer! This is an encouragement to abide in God’s own strength so that the church may live worth...

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Ephesians 5:22-6:9 | The Mystery of Christ and the Church

Author

Bradley Long

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Scripture

Ephesians 5:22-33, Ephesians 6:1-9

Context I had a Bible professor in college who liked to say, “All Scripture is cultural!” He didn’t mean that the truth of who God is changes in different cultures. What he meant was that our God ch...

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Ephesians 5:3-21 | Walking as Children of Light

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Bradley Long

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Scripture

Ephesians 5:3-21

Context We continue through the body of the letter as we move into a different image for practical, Christian living. Next week will become much more specific in Paul’s exhortations for living in re...

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Ephesians 4:17-5:2 | Living the New Life

Author

Bradley Long

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Ephesians 4:17-32, Ephesians 5:1-2, John 17:14-16

Context— Looking Ahead The next 2 weeks (Week 5 – 4:17-5:2; and Week 6 – 5:3-21) move into more of the practical application of what we’ve seen thus far in Ephesians. The week after that (Week 7 – ...

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Ephesians 4:1-16 | Unity in Christ and Gifts Given to Build Up the Body

Author

Bradley Long

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Scripture

Ephesians 4:1-16, Psalm 64:18

Context — Community First It’s important to remember that, like many cultures in the world today, Paul’s context is community-oriented. This is often hard for Americans to truly grasp. We are focuse...

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Ephesians 3:1-21 | God’s Grace, Power, and Love are for All Peoples

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Bradley Long

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Ephesians 3:1-21

Context The body of the letter continues in chapter 3. If it were not for chapters 4-6, we could even believe that Paul was about to close this letter after we read what appears to be a benediction i...

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Ephesians 2:1-22 | From Death to Life in God’s Family

Author

Bradley Long

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Scripture

Ephesians 2:1-22

Context Standard Letter Format Recall the Greco-Roman letter form that Paul uses in Ephesians: Salutation and Greeting Thanksgiving Body Exhortations/Encouragements Closing/Farewell...

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Ephesians 1:1-23 | Blessed to Glorify God

Author

Bradley Long

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Scripture

Ephesians 1:1-23

Context Standard Letter Format In all of Paul’s letter there is a basic format, which is based on the Greco-Roman form that was common at the time. Paul’s letters almost always include: Salutat...

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Discernment: Distinguishing the Real from the Phony

Author

Ruth Haley Barton

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Scripture

1 John 4:1, 1 Corinthians 12:10, 1 Kings 19:11-13 , Genesis 41:15-40 , Isaiah 30:20-21, Matthew 4:1-11, 1 John 4:1-3, Psalm 42:5-11

Scripture also speaks of “discernment of spirits” and encourages us to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” This aspect of discernment helps us to distinguish the real from the phony, ...

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Decended from Royalty

Author

James Merritt

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Scripture

Matthew 1:

The actress Brooke Shields has quite an impressive family mosaic. Hanging from her family tree are the likes of Charlemagne, El Cid, William the Conqueror, the royal houses of virtually every European...

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Psalm 121 | God as Our Help and Keeper

Author

C. Hassell Bullock

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Scripture

Psalm 121:, Jeremiah 16:14-15, Matthew 6:25-34, Matthew 6:30, Psalm 91:11-12

Ancient lens What’s the historical context? Historical Background In our modern world we know so much about our universe that it is easy to forget that in the Bible there is a connection between ...

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