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illustration
The Tragedy of the Digital World
Recently a professor shared with me a college student’s reflections in response to my earlier writings on solitude and silence: I was not born into a world relatively unaffected by technology lik... -
illustration
The $20 Million Mistake
In The Last Arrow, Erwin McManus shares the story of Mark Floyd, a businessman who convinced investors to place $20 million dollars in an investment that ultimately failed. Instead of crawling into a ... -
Quote
Modernity slowly weakened spirituality, by design and accident, in favor of commerce; it downplayed silence and mere being in favor of noise and constant action. The reason we live in a culture increa... -
Quote
The good news is, you’re always connected to the office. The bad news is, you’re always connected to the office. -
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Seeking a Better Way
In the land whose founding metaphor was the mutuality of John Winthrop’s seventeenth-century vision of a “city set on a hill,” we live more and more in estranged, hostile, exclusive enclaves, linked o... -
Quote
The biggest deception of our digital age may be the lie that says we can be omni-competent, omni-informed, and omni-present. . . . We must choose our absence, our inability, and our ignorance—and choo... -
illustration
The Sacred Alters of Modern Life
Our 24/7 culture conveniently provides every good and service we want, when we want, how we want. Our time – saving devices, technological conveniences, and cheap mobility have seemingly made life muc... -
illustration
Just another Consumer Product?
One of the many technological transformations of the twentieth century took place right on our dinner plates. Because of its cheapness and convenience, most Americans quickly accepted new ways of eati... -
Quote
We were created for goodness and perfection. That’s why we innovate, progress, and change. But if our progress loses its purpose, it cannibalizes our humanity, leaving us distracted and disoriented. -
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Are People in the West Abandoning Faith or Just the Church?
In this excerpt, author David Zahl challenges the common belief that religion is “in decline.” He argues that while Westerners, particularly younger generations, may be distancing themselves from the ... -
liturgy
Sisters and brothers, go into the world
Sisters and brothers, go into the world with the mind of Christ. Go into the world to be the hands of Christ. Go into the world filled with the love of Christ. Amen. -
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Innovation or Heresy
It’s funny how sometimes members of the church can associate anything new with “heresy.” We often make the mistake of confusing technological innovations or scientific discoveries for changes to the g... -
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The CEO of Gallup on The Next Center of Major Innovation
Jim Clifton, CEO and Chairman of Gallup, points to the shrunken GDP (gross domestic product) of the United States and the vast shortfall in new job creation. What is the solution? He writes, If you w... -
illustration
Companies and Worship
Martin Lindstrom observes: When people viewed images associated with the strong brands-the iPods, the Harley-Davidson, the Ferrari, and others-their -their brains registered the exact same patterns of... -
Quote
I don’t divide the world into the weak and the strong, or the successes and failures. . . . I divide the world into learners and nonlearners. -
Quote
God created the world to be a fabric, for everything to be woven together and interdependent. “ -
Quote
The primary action of the Church in the world is the action of its members in their daily work. -
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People are the Key to Organizational Change
Here is the uncomfortable truth: Humans run to a much slower evolutionary clock than our inventions. To use an engineering term, we are the “gating factor” that keeps a process from running faster. It... -
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WALL-E and Work
The animated movie WALL-E is a cute story of a curious robot whose job is to clean up a trashed earth. While humans once inhabited the earth, we soon discover they have been evacuated from earth with ... -
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Playing Busy like a Fiddle While the World Burns
As early as April 2020, a debate raged about the responsibilities of those of us turned safely inside during this global storm. For those time privileged enough to find their calendars suddenly cleare... -
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Never Leaving Their Work
Because of the modern rhythms of work that are mediated through personal computers and phones, people, in the words of one cultural commentator, “leave the office, but they do not leave their work. Th... -
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The point of the dragonfly's terrible lip, the giant water bug, birdsong, or the beautiful dazzle and flash of sunlighted minnows, is not that it all fits together like clockwork--for it doesn'... -
Quote
Let us consider the way in which we spend our lives. This world is a place of business. What an infinite bustle...It interrupts my dreams. There is no Sabbath. -
Quote
If you see a thing whole—it seems that it’s always beautiful. Planets, lives… But up close a world’s all dirt and rocks. And day to day, life is a hard job, you get tired, you lose the pattern. You ne... -
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If innovation and change are not fulfilling our need to connect, to belong, to express, to love, to feel alive, how can they satisfy? -
illustration
An Ocean of Feedback
We swim in an ocean of feedback. Each year in the United States alone, every schoolchild will be handed back as many as 300 assignments, papers, and tests. Millions of kids will be assessed as they tr... -
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Never Stop Learning, Always Growing
The bottom line is this: never grow complacent. Never grow tired of learning. As soon as we stop learning we lose the capacity to grow and mature in our work and our relationships. This continual lear... -
illustration
Business: A Dog-Eat-Dog World?
In his book A Better Way to Think about Business, the late business philosopher Robert Solomon, a student of business jargon, speaks of having been struck by the imagery that peppers many [business] p... -
blog
Sermon Illustration Tuesday (11.13.18)
We swim in an ocean of feedback. Each year in the United States alone, every schoolchild will be handed back as many as 300 assignments, papers, and tests. Millions of kids will be assessed as they tr... -
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God’s garden, made “in the beginning,” does not lie behind us, but ahead of us, in hope, and, in the meantime, all around us as our place of work. History without gardens would be a wasteland. What th...
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A
- A Fresh Start
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B
- Balance
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C
- Cain and Abel
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D
- Danger
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- Dead In Christ
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- Death
- Death Has No Power
- Death of a Loved One
- Debt
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E
- Earthiness
- Economics
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- Existence of God
- Expectations of Children
- Experience
- Experiencing God
- Expressing Emotions
- The Earth
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- The Exodus
F
- Failure
- Faith
- Faith and Doubt
- Faith and Prayer
- Faith in Action
- Faith in Christ
- Faith of the Church
- Faith Seeking Understanding
- Faith vs. Works
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- Fallacies
- Fame
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- Firm Belief
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- Focus
- Food
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- Fun
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G
- Games
- Garden of Eden
- Gardening
- Gardens
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- Generosity
- Genesis
- Genetics
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- Giving
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- Giving Freely
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- Giving to the Poor
- Gladness
- Glory
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- God
- God Cares For You
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- Going to Church
- Golf
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- Government
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- Grief
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- Guilty
- The Glory of God
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H
- Habits
- Hands
- Happiness
- Hard Work
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- Hardship
- Harmony
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- Health
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- Heart
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- Humility
- Hunger
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- The Holy Spirit
I
- Ideas
- Identity
- Idolatry
- Ignorance
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- Illness
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- Infants
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- Invitation
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J
L
- Labor
- Labor Day
- Lack of Control
- Lack of Forgiveness
- Lack of Leadership
- Law (Torah)
- Laziness
- Leaders
- Leadership
- Leadership Challenges
- Leadership Development
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- Learning
- Learning from Your Mistakes
- Legacy
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- Lies
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- Life Story
- Limitations
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- Living
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- Living Life
- Living Sacrifice
- Loans
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- Longings
- Losing Control
- Losing Yourself
- Loss
- Love
- Love of Money
- Loving Kindness
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- The Law
- The Lord's Prayer
- The Lord's Supper
- The Lordship of Christ
M
- Making a Difference
- Mammon
- Management
- Manna
- Marital Problems
- Marriage
- Martyrdom
- Mercy
- Message of the Bible
- Messages
- Mind
- Mind and Body
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- Modern Life
- Modernity
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- Money
- Moral Choices
- Moral Failures
- Moses
- Motivations
- Motives
- Music
- Mystery of Life
- The Meaning of Life
- The Military
- The Mind of Christ
- The Morning
N
O
P
- Pain
- Palm Sunday
- Parenting
- Parents
- Passion
- Pastors
- Paths
- Patience
- Peace
- Peacemaking
- Penalty of Sin
- Perfection
- Perfectionism
- Performance
- Persecuted Church
- Persecution
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- Perseverance of the Saints
- Persistence
- Personal Agendas
- Perspective
- Persuasion
- Pharisaism
- Philosphy of Life
- Place
- Plans
- Play
- Pleasing God
- Pleasure
- Politics
- Poor
- Poor in Spirit
- Poverty
- Power
- Power and Weakness
- Power of Prayer
- Power of Sin
- Praise
- Praise Music
- Prayer
- Prayer Life
- Prayers for Funerals
- Preaching
- Preaching Christ
- Preparation
- Presence
- Preservation
- Presidents
- Price
- Pride
- Priesthood of All Believers
- Priorities
- Prisoners
- Private Faith
- Problem Solving
- Problems
- Procrastination
- Productivity
- Products
- Professionalism
- Progress
- Promises
- Prosperity
- Protection
- Proving the Existence of God
- Provision
- Pruning
- Psychology
- Public Faith
- Public Witness
- Punishment
- Punishment for Sin
- Purity
- Purpose
- Putting God in a Box
- The Passing of Time
- The People of God
R
- Rain
- Reading the Bible
- Real Estate
- Reality
- Reason
- Rebellion
- Receiving
- Receiving Forgiveness
- Receiving Gifts
- Receiving God
- Receiving Grace
- Receiving Love
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- Recognizing our Sin
- Reconciliation
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- Reflection
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- Religion
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- Religious Persecution
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- Renewal
- Renewing our Minds
- Renouncing Faith
- Repentance
- Rescue
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- Resistance
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- Responsibility
- Rest
- Rest in God
- Restoration
- Resurrection
- Resurrection from Sin
- Resurrection of the Dead
- Retirement
- Retreat
- Returning to God
- Revelation
- Rewards
- Rhythms
- Rhythms of Rest
- Right and Wrong
- Right Relationships
- Righteous Indignation
- Righteousness
- Rock of Ages
- Role Models
- Roles
- Roles and Responsibilities
- Routines
- Rule of Life
- Running from Your Problems
- Running to God
- Rural Areas
- Ruthlessness
- The Resurrection and the Life
- The Rich
- The Risen Lord
S
- Sabbath
- Sacred vs. Secular
- Sacrifice
- Sacrificial Giving
- Salt and Light
- Salvation
- Salvation History
- Sanctification
- Satan
- Satan's Lies
- Saved by Grace
- Saving Faith
- Savior
- Schedules
- School
- Science
- Science and Religion
- Screens
- Scripture
- Search
- Searching for the Truth
- Seasons
- Secularism
- Security
- Seeds
- Seeking God
- Seeking Happiness
- Self-Acceptance
- Self-Achievement
- Self-Centeredness
- Self-Deception
- Self-Discovery
- Self-Expression
- Self-Glory
- Self-Importance
- Self-Improvement
- Self-Indulgence
- Self-Justification
- Self-Knowledge
- Self-Love
- Self-Promotion
- Self-Reliance
- Self-Worth
- Selfishness
- Sending
- Sense of Humor
- Sense of Smell
- Sermon on the Mount
- Servant Leadership
- Servanthood
- Service
- Sexual Immorality
- Sexual License
- Shalom
- Shame
- Sharing the Gospel
- Sickness
- Signs
- Sin Management
- Sin Nature
- Sinfulness
- Sinners
- Sinners and Saints
- Sins
- Sins of the Church
- Slavery
- Sleeping In
- Sloth
- Slowing Down
- Social Justice
- Societal Problems
- Society
- Soil
- Soldiers
- Solitude
- Solutions
- Solving Problems
- Sorrow
- Sounds
- Sowing and Reaping
- Sowing Seeds
- Speech
- Spiritual Disciplines
- Spiritual Formation
- Spiritual Growth
- Spiritual Leadership
- Spiritual Nurture
- Spiritual Practices
- Spiritual Problems
- Spiritual Transformation
- Spirituality
- Sports
- Spring (Season)
- Staying Humble
- Steadfast
- Steadfast Love
- Stewardship
- Stillness
- Storms
- Stranger
- Strength
- Stretching Experiences
- Stronghold
- Structures
- Struggles
- Struggles with Prayer
- Stuck
- Success
- Suffering
- Summer
- Sunday
- Surgery
- Surrender
- Sustainer
- The Saints
- The Sick
- The Soul
- The Spiritual Life
T
- Tabernacle
- Taking God for Granted
- Taking Stock
- Taking Up the Cross
- Targets
- Tasks
- Taste
- Taxes
- Teachers
- Teaching
- Team
- Teamwork
- Technology
- Temptation
- Ten Commandments
- Tenderness
- Terrorism
- Thankfulness
- Thanksgiving (General)
- Thanksgiving (Holiday)
- Theological Division
- Theology
- Theology of Work
- Thinking
- Thirst
- Thoughtfulness
- Thoughtlesness
- Throne of Grace
- Time
- TIme Management
- Timekeeping
- Tired
- Tithing
- Tongue
- Town
- Tradition
- Training
- Transformation
- Transgressions
- Transitions
- Translation
- Treasure
- Trees
- True Worship
- Trust
- Trust in God
- Truth
- Turning a Blind Eye
- Turning People Away from Jesus
U
W
- The Weak
- The Work of the Holy Spirit
- Wages of Sin
- Walls
- Wandering
- War
- Warning Signs
- Warnings
- Waste
- Wasting Time
- Weakness
- Weakness of Will
- Wealth
- Weariness
- Weather
- Weekend
- Weeping
- Welcoming
- Western Culture
- Wholeness
- Wickedness
- Wilderness
- Wine
- Wisdom
- Witnesses
- Wittiness
- Women
- Words
- Work
- Work and Rest
- Work-Life Balance
- Workaholism
- Workmanship
- Works-Righteousness
- World
- World Leaders
- World Peace
- Worldliness
- Worship
- Wrath
Y
Top_level_categories by Reference
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Deuteronomy
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Esther
Psalm
- Ps 1 (3)
- Ps 2 (3)
- Ps 8 (1)
- Ps 9 (2)
- Ps 13 (1)
- Ps 15 (4)
- Ps 16 (2)
- Ps 18 (1)
- Ps 19 (2)
- Ps 23 (5)
- Ps 25 (1)
- Ps 27 (4)
- Ps 30 (1)
- Ps 31 (1)
- Ps 32 (2)
- Ps 33 (1)
- Ps 34 (9)
- Ps 37 (4)
- Ps 41 (4)
- Ps 42 (5)
- Ps 46 (9)
- Ps 49 (2)
- Ps 51 (12)
- Ps 56 (1)
- Ps 60 (1)
- Ps 62 (2)
- Ps 63 (1)
- Ps 65 (2)
- Ps 67 (1)
- Ps 68 (1)
- Ps 72 (2)
- Ps 73 (5)
- Ps 78 (4)
- Ps 82 (2)
- Ps 85 (3)
- Ps 90 (11)
- Ps 91 (3)
- Ps 92 (1)
- Ps 95 (2)
- Ps 100 (5)
- Ps 103 (7)
- Ps 104 (3)
- Ps 106 (1)
- Ps 110 (1)
- Ps 115 (4)
- Ps 116 (2)
- Ps 118 (3)
- Ps 119 (12)
- Ps 121 (1)
- Ps 122 (2)
- Ps 126 (3)
- Ps 127 (9)
- Ps 128 (2)
- Ps 130 (2)
- Ps 131 (2)
- Ps 133 (4)
- Ps 136 (3)
- Ps 139 (16)
- Ps 141 (2)
- Ps 145 (1)
- Ps 146 (1)
- Ps 147 (2)
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Ezekiel
Joel
Amos
Zephaniah
Zechariah
Matthew
- Matt 1 (1)
- Matt 2 (2)
- Matt 3 (1)
- Matt 4 (10)
- Matt 5 (19)
- Matt 6 (20)
- Matt 7 (7)
- Matt 8 (2)
- Matt 9 (3)
- Matt 10 (2)
- Matt 11 (2)
- Matt 12 (3)
- Matt 13 (5)
- Matt 14 (4)
- Matt 15 (1)
- Matt 16 (8)
- Matt 17 (2)
- Matt 18 (5)
- Matt 19 (5)
- Matt 20 (1)
- Matt 21 (2)
- Matt 22 (2)
- Matt 23 (7)
- Matt 24 (1)
- Matt 25 (18)
- Matt 26 (1)
- Matt 27 (1)
- Matt 28 (2)