ARTICLES

I recently found myself in full agreement with a tweet posted by Rep. Ilhan Omar. That has not happened very often, but this time I think the Democratic congresswoman spoke important truth. It all started with a post on X (formerly Twitter) by Lizzie Marbach, a Republican political activist from Ohio. Marbach wrote, “There’s no hope for any of us outside of having faith in Jesus Christ alone.”Her ...

As we go into the fall, there are many changes and transitions and new things that begin. We anticipate a new start for the academic year. We work hard, we serve, we try to make a difference. Sometimes we are recipients of much of it and take it all in.Again, let us be reminded of our mission statement: Chisholm Baptist Church exists to love God, love others, and make disciples. How does this happ...

“It doesn’t matter what you believe, just as long as you’re sincere.” Those words, originally spoken by Linus in a Peanuts comic strip, have been taken very seriously by many. In fact, it has become almost an anthem of American culture. However, when people embrace this philosophy and try to live it out, it can be very destructive.In November, 1987, 700 men were gathered in the town of Soroti, Uga...

Most of us think of a “Good Samaritan” as a person who did something nice to someone unexpectedly. It could be a person who helped someone in distress or even a person who put their own life at risk in a life-threatening situation. This does carry much of the meaning of the idea of a “Good Samaritan.” However, when we look at the parable (a story with a meaning) in the original account, which Jesu...

An episode from the old TV show, Fraiser, has an important lesson for us. Radio psychiatrist Fraiser Crane has had a long, rough day. Finally, when a man steals the seat he was waiting for at the local coffee shop, Fraiser has enough. Grabbing the man by the collar, he runs him out of the shop, shouting, “What you need is an etiquette lesson!”Fraiser later chastises himself for losing his temper a...

When things are not going well for a sports team (football, baseball, basketball, hockey, etc.), a captain or other key player may call a “players-only meeting.” The players on the team get together, with no coaches or other staff members allowed in the room. They express their thoughts and feelings freely, and attempt to figure out how to improve the teams play and performance. The media often tr...

I had the recent joy of being out on a lake and fishing. The weather was beautiful and calm. Okay, the mosquitos were buzzing and infiltrating, but the hats and repellent were staving them off a bit. At one point, my friend tells me to cast my line on the other side of the boat closer to the weeds. Now, I know what you’re thinking. I launched on to a whopper. Well it didn’t happen. But “we”, that ...

Coming together as a corporate church body of believers on a Sunday or other times for worship is truly important. It brings into focus the larger body of Christ to center on worship and adoration to Him, to learn from the Bible, God’s Word, and to encourage one another in the faith.At the same time, in order to be truly connected to one another and to God and to be growing in our faith, we need m...

The most common question people say they would like to ask God is this: “Why is there so much suffering in the world?” Whether it is a typhoon that kills thousands or a serious illness in one’s life, it seems only natural to ask, “Why, God? If You are all-powerful and perfectly good, why do You allow these terrible things to occur?” The pain and suffering which pervades our planet causes some to q...

“A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.”  Luke 6:40A woman invited some people over for dinner. At the table she turned to her six-year-old daughter and said, “Would you like to say the blessing?” The girl replied, “I wouldn't know what to say.” “Just say what you heard Mommy say,” the mother answered. The daughter bowed her head and said, ...

A scientist wanted to develop a fish that could live outside of water. He took some healthy red herring and put them through a long process of breeding, crossbreeding, and hormone treatments. Eventually, genetic engineering produced a fish that could exist on land.The scientist was not satisfied, however. He suspected that though the fish was capable of living on dry land, it still had a desire to...

When we look around at our world, things can look pretty dismal. We see countries fighting against countries, one ethnic people fighting against another, neighbors against neighbors, and family members fighting each other. We see bitterness, anger, and unforgiveness growing in so many people’s lives. We won’t forget. We will get even.Many have been brought up in these difficult environments of hat...

Even as Christians prepare to celebrate Easter, various folks insist the story of Jesus is nothing but a myth and maintain there is really no reason to believe He ever existed. This claim, however, flies in the face of the historical evidence. The four gospels contained in the New Testament provide a clear and compelling account. However, even if one insists on excluding these and all other Christ...

USA Today once printed a list of demands made to prospective employers by people looking for jobs. Here are a few from the files of a professional employment counselor:A three week paid vacation before starting workA paid membership to the city zooElvis' Birthday offMedical benefits for faith healer visitsItalian and Chinese restaurants close to the officeExtra pay for time thinking about work on ...

On Monday evening, January 2, millions of Americans were shocked by what they saw happening on a football field in Cincinnati, Ohio. What appeared to be a routine play  turned into a scene many found unimaginable. Damar Hamlin of the of the Buffalo Bills made a tackle, stood up, and almost immediately collapsed. Medical personnel quickly began conducting CPR on Hamlin.Players, fans, the ESPN broad...

I recently read about a man named David Goggins, a former Navy SEAL, who competed in the 135 Mile Badwater Ultramarathon. The course starts at 282 feet below sea level in the Badwater basin in California's Death Valley and ends at an elevation of 8,360 feet at Whitney portal, the trailhead to Mount Whitney. Goggins decided to do this after finding out it is one of the 10 most difficult feats on th...

When the topic of abortion or a variety of issues comes up, I sometimes hear people say, “Let’s make sure we leave God and religion out of this discussion.” That may seem like a reasonable request, but we need to realize that if God does not exist and religion is irrelevant, there is no solid moral foundation for addressing any social issue. If God and religion would have been kept on the sideline...

One of our Christmas traditions is to bring in a Christmas tree and put lights on it and decorate it. Now I know this is not unusual for many. Sometimes we will chop down our own tree, drag it in, and set it up. Once in a while, my kids will say, "Dad, that tree is looking pretty sparse." This means that the tree is looking like something that came from Charlie Brown, but we'll fire up the Christm...

An elderly man was taking his evening walk when he heard a little voice calling, “Help me! Help me!” The man looked around, but saw no one, so he continued walking. Once again he heard the tiny cry for help, and this time he looked down and saw a small frog. He gently picked it up and then suddenly the frog spoke. “I am a beautiful, young princess,” the frog said. “An evil witch placed a spell on ...

“Let everyone submit to the governing authorities, since there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God.” Romans 13:1These words were penned by the New Testament writer, Paul, when Nero Claudius Caesar was ruling as Emperor in Rome. He was known for political murders, scandal, and persecution of Christians, yet Paul had a different insight about governi...