-
Joyfully Persecuted
If you want to find joy’s miracle growth then you must take on persecution. Yes, it sounds strange and even backwards, but often that’s the way that the Kingdom of Heaven works. I’ve seen this odd contradiction at play here in Jackson. I don’t know how, but some of the nicest Christians I’ve met here…
-
John Wesley Raises the Dead for Christmas
Five days before Christmas in 1742, John Wesley received word that a man by the name of Mr. Meyrick was expected to die before the next morning. Seeing as how the doctor had done all he could do, Wesley stepped in to see him that evening after having wrapped up some preaching—but it was too…
-
Theologians: We Want to Understand You
I was left pretty confused as I wrapped up a theological book this morning. It’s almost entirely my fault since I sped way too fast through it without listening very well or giving much space to pause and think. But even when I did stop, I found that I had a very hard time understanding…
-
Does God Care About Humor?
One day during my teenage years I visited the theological section of my favorite message board where someone had started a thread entitled, Does God Care About Humor? Having wondered the question myself, I was excited to read people’s thoughts. I opened the thread to find the first reply of something along the lines of:…
-
From Riches to Rags
I preached a message no one wanted to hear this past Sunday. Jesus’ words on selling everything we own and giving the proceeds to the poor are hard to take in. But it’s supposed to be hard to hear—that’s the point. And therefore, I suggested that rather than try to water down Jesus’ words, we should…
-
Imagers of God
People give all kinds of explanations as to what it means to be made “in the image of God”—often saying the Image is our intelligence. But that’s not what the original language of the Bible is trying to say to us. Being made in the image of God is not just an adjective, in fact,…
-
Do What You Agreed To
It may be different for you, but faithfulness is a sliding scale for me in which every person moves around. I know who I can trust and who I can’t. I know who needs to promise me something in order to follow through and I know who can just tell me they’re going to do…
-
Dwelling in Worship Music
Psalm 117 says, “Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!” That wasn’t just a verse from Psalm 117—that was Psalm 117. Not only is it the shortest Psalm in the Bible, but it’s also…
-
Lovelight
It doesn’t take that much light to see in the darkness. I often get dressed in the morning by turning on my iPhone flashlight and aiming it at the ceiling. It may be pitch black in the room, but just that small lightbulb makes it bright enough that I’m able to find the clothes I…
-
“What If?” Theology & Violence
For many Christians, the acceptance of using violence is not based on Jesus’ example, but on the fear of the “what-if” questions that plague their minds. I saw this firsthand in my Christian Ethics class in college. When we started having the conversation as to if violence was acceptable for the Christian, every student’s answer…
Jamin Bradley 