After the resurrection, Jesus leads the disciples through Witness 101—a fast-track course in how they will become his earthly successors, inviting others to join God’s realm. The twelve appear clueless. They...

Both of these psalms, placed in a category called “enthronement psalms,” describe a pattern of worship that recognizes and honors God as the Lord, the Most High, the ruler of the...

Revelation 22 is the final chapter and offers the final images in the Bible, so it seems especially important to pay close attention. Before I took the time to read this...

I live in Cleveland, Ohio, which has a rich and diverse religious heritage. The immigrants who built the city also built houses of worship to honor God. Whenever I drive downtown,...

A month ago, the man I regarded as my mentor died after a brief illness. He had given me an internship my last year of graduate school, which led to full-time...

Love comes first; keeping God’s word flows out of that love. Loving God and loving others—those closest to us as well as strangers—is the first measure of faith. With this love...

Paul has a vision of the man of Macedonia, and he immediately follows that vision. He never finds the man who came to him in a dream. Instead, he finds a...

Paul and Timothy are eager to spread the gospel but have been struggling with their next move. The Holy Spirit has forbidden them to go to Asia. The Spirit of Jesus...

Psalm 67 is clearly intended for use in worship. The psalm follows the contours of our prayer and our encounter with God in worship. We move from saying what we hope...

God continues to surprise us. In this story Peter faces several surprises. One comes in the acceptance of unacceptable people in the “in” group. A Jewish sect that is in the...