Tag: Questions

The Revised Common Lectionary is an ecumenical list of scripture readings for use in Sunday worship. There are many, many advantages to using the lectionary. You don’t get stuck in a rut of your favorite passages.Your congregation gets a balanced exposure to the entire Bible over a three-year cycle....

These are my personal suggestions for Protestant ministers whose denominations don’t give them guidance on what to wear while they conduct worship. I am following the general ecumenical practice in the United States. Presbyterians can use these suggestions; however, if they wish to wear the distinct...

It is customary to cross oneself when invoking the Trinity, before and after prayer, and at other times, which you can learn by observing other people in your church. You can also cross yourself when you need to pray but you are at a loss for words. If you are a Protestant, don’t get all huffy and s...

Foot-washing is a special, optional feature of the Maundy Thursday service. It exists in all the major churches, though may lay people aren’t aware of that. It is practiced, though infrequently, in eastern Orthodox churches, Anglican churches, Roman Catholic churches, and all major Protestant denomi...

No. First of all, while ultimate physical healing is in the atonement (a healing we will enjoy in our resurrection bodies), healing of our bodies while in the mortal state (prior to our death and resurrection) is not guaranteed in the atonement. Moreover, it is important to note that the Hebrew word...

Matthew 12:31-32 says, "Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to c...

There are situations in which clothing is very important. I found this out by accident once, when I walked into a furniture store, coincidentally wearing the same sort of shirt as the employees. I had to leave because the other customers expected me to wait on them. Clothing conveys a message. A bus...

Occasionally I get email from people who want my advice about what church they should attend. I can’t presume to tell anyone how to make a decision like that, but I can tell you how I would go about doing it. If I were looking for a church, this would be my scorecard. I wouldn’t hold out until I fou...

In Genesis 32:30 Jacob said, "I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared." Mormons sometimes cite this verse with a view to proving that God the Father has a physical body with a face that can be seen. This is a faulty interpretation. To begin, it is possible for a blind person to speak "fac...

In this verse we read that a woman who had been subject to bleeding for 12 years touched Jesus' garment and was instantly healed. Jesus then said, "Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me" (Luke 8:46). At first glance, it might seem that Jesus was unaware of the identity of the wo...

Jesus is well known for His continued emphasis on love, forgiveness, and "turning the other cheek." It is therefore surprising to find Jesus advising the disciples to buy a sword in Luke 22:36: "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and ...

In Mark 6:4-5 Jesus affirmed that a prophet is without honor in his home town, and in view of that reality, He could not perform any miracles in Nazareth except for healing a few sick people. The people of Nazareth were apparently plagued by unbelief and paid little attention to the claims of Jesus....