Posts by Steve Paulus (Page 3)
A Time to Reflect
And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and for years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” Genesis 1:14-15 ESV It is customary in our culture to take time to reflect during the New Year season. We consider the…
Mission Possible
The things that are impossible with men are possible with God. Luke 18:27 The original Mission Impossible was a popular cold war era spy show. I always enjoyed watching the opening scene which usually included one of the stars getting a secret, anonymous phone call or locating a top secret mini- cassette recording (high tech in those days) with instructions on how to…
Secure Enough to Serve
Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. John 13:3-5 A…
The Public Reading of Scripture
First Publshed in the Graceline Newsletter of Staunton Grace Covenant Church Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. I Tim. 4:13 NIV In many hi-tech church services today, clips from popular movies are used to get the congregation’s attention and point to spiritual lessons. In an effort to win a hearing with…
Affinity Fraud
Wall Street maven Bernard Madoff’s 50 billion dollar Ponzi scheme, the largest in history (excluding the Social Security system), has generated a spate of sensational headlines. “Scope of Alleged Fraud Still Being Assessed,” “Madoff Ran Vast Options Game,” “Spielburg and Katzenburg Get Hit,” “Impact on Jewish Charities is Catastraphic.” A Ponzi scheme, named for Charles…
Freedom of Speech Not Limited to Secularists
This election cycle has brought its share of religion-based squabbling, charge, and counter-charge. Religious speech has always played a role in the public debates of American society. This includes the sometimes volatile political theater of election campaigns and presidential politics. In the first twelve Presidential inaugural addresses, religious or biblical themes…
What is Sharia and Why Does It Matter?
Back in February of this year (2008), Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, stirred great controversy through an interview on BBC. He stated that in view of England’s growing Muslim population it would become necessary to accept some principles of Islamic sharia* law into the British system of jurisprudence. The statement provoked strong criticism throughout Britain.…
Will the Real Anglicans Please Stand Up?
Who speaks for historic Anglicanism? As a child I used to watch the television game show called “To Tell the Truth.” Three individuals would appear before a panel claiming to have had an unusual experience or to be a member of some profession or trade. They would answer the panel’s questions about their work or other relevant matters. In the end the panel would try to…
Jimmy Carter’s Shrinking Legacy
In early 1976 I participated in the mass meeting of the Democratic Party in the Mt. Vernon precinct of Northern Virginia. I voted for a little known candidate from the South named Jimmy Carter. After he won his party’s nomination I voted for him again in the November election. At the age of 23 I served as an election official at the polls that year as a Democratic;…
Under the Radar
In the midst of the election excitement here in the U.S, two events of great import are passing under the radar for most Americans. On the cultural level I think they carry as much significance as the election outcomes themselves. The first is the exchange of open letters between 138 Muslim clerics and mostly western Christian leaders. The international group associated…