Trouble at the Inn*


For years now whenever Christmas pageants are talked about in a certain little town in the Midwest, someone is sure to mention the name of Wallace Purling. Wally’s performance in one annual production of the Nativity play has slipped into the realm of legend. But the old timers who were in the audience that night never tire of recalling exactly what happened.   Wally was nine that year and in the second grade, though he should have been in the fourth. Most people in town knew that he had difficulty in keeping up. He was big and clumsy, slow in … Continue reading Trouble at the Inn*

TDW on Hiatus


Dear TDW Readers: I’m sure you’ve noticed that The Daily Word has been coming to you only sporadically this month. I apologize. However, I find myself buried in work. In order to catch up, I need to put TDW on hold for the remainder of the month and start it up again in the New Year. So, I’ll see you again on Tuesday, January 1. Thanks for your understanding, and may God bless you richly!  George Continue reading TDW on Hiatus

The Fear of the Lord (Proverbs 9:10-12)


  Several years ago, Rev. Billy Graham paid a visit to the seminary I was then attending. After speaking in chapel, he stood in the lobby to greet all the students. As I waited in line to meet him, I composed a little speech in my mind. In that speech, I thanked him for being such a shining example of Christian ministry, and I pledged that my generation would follow in his example.   Mercifully, I was never able to deliver that pompous little speech. When it came my turn to meet Billy Graham, I found myself tongue-tied and knock-kneed … Continue reading The Fear of the Lord (Proverbs 9:10-12)

unChristian


David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons, unChristian: What A New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity and Why It Matters (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2007).   How do people outside the church view those inside it? If you’re talking about Americans between the ages of 16 and 29, the answer is, “Not favorably.” Americans in this age range view Christians as hypocritical, too focused on conversion, antihomosexual, sheltered, too political, and judgmental. Reflecting on these results, David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons conclude, “Christianity has an image problem.”   Kinnaman is president of the Barna Group, a research firm that studies trends in … Continue reading unChristian

A Willingness to Receive Correction (Proverbs 9:7-9)


  Have you ever met someone who is never wrong, no matter how wrong he actually is?   Several years ago, I was the Christian education director at a church in Costa Mesa, California. A man began attending my Sunday school class for adults. At first, I and the rest of the class welcomed his contributions to the discussion, which were often insightful. But then he began to inject his opinions about the superiority of the King James Version of the Bible into every discussion, which he also tried to dominate.   When the man’s remarks became disruptive, I invited … Continue reading A Willingness to Receive Correction (Proverbs 9:7-9)

Christmas Is for the Upside-Down (Luke 1:46-56)


Yesterday, I began a new message series: Christmas Is for Everybody. This series will examine the four biblical "songs" of Christmas: the Magnificat of Mary (Luke 1:46-56), the Benedictus of Zechariah (Luke 1:67-80), the Gloria of the angels (Luke 2:14), and the Nunc Dimittis of Simeon (Luke 2:25-35). Each of these songs praise God for who he is and what he has done for us through his Son, Jesus Christ. The title of yesterday’s message was based on the Magnificat: "Christmas Is for the Upside Down." To listen, simply click on the foregoing hyperlink. Continue reading Christmas Is for the Upside-Down (Luke 1:46-56)