May 2024
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Announcement About the Future of This Website
Since my retirement over fifteen years ago, I have been involved in mission work in Latin America. When the pandemic slowed international mission travel, online teaching and preaching opportunities multiplied. I have resumed international travel while continuing with an active online teaching schedule.
Along the way, Jan and I have aged! This year, we will celebrate our 55th anniversary and our 76th and 77th birthdays. Near the end of 2023, I announced plans to step back from my intense schedule of activities and travel. The work of LALD continues with a plan to transfer ongoing projects to local churches by 2027-2028, our 80th birthdays.
Thinking about the future of this website, I will slowly transition to a more static site fewer new posts, eventually closing the website. Read on for details....
27 New Articles Posted
The easiest way to see what has been recently posted is here: New Posts
The Primary Business of the Church is Spiritual
[Note: I write a monthly article for the church bulletin. I share the May article.]
"What business are we in?" The church is not a business but the question is helpful, "What are we about?" Where are we trying to go? What are our goals and values? How will we know when we get where we are going?
Many answers are given. We are in the people business. Our business is evangelism. Our focus is mission work, or benevolence, or education. bWe are a worshiping community, we are a nurturing community, we are a serving community.
What does the Bible say? We are in the salvation business. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. The church is God's plan for fulfilling his eternal saving purpose. Our task is to extend the kingdom, helping people find salvation in Jesus Christ and live out the reality of that salvation. Our task is to save people and keep them saved.
Read more....
How Should Christians Understand Abba?
Consider the many names or descriptions of God that appear in Scripture. (One author identifies 72.) Each description captures an aspect of the essence of God. Yet, with all the names and descriptions available, Jesus prays, "Father, I thank you…" He teaches his disciples to pray, "Our Father…" As he teaches his disciples to pray, the name that is to be reverenced and holy is "Father." Again and again, Jesus refers to God as Father.
Father is Pater in Greek, Abba in Aramaic. Both words were used by adults to address their earthly fathers. Abba is not more intimate than Pater and the claim that Abba should be translated as "daddy" is misleading.
The article continues with a survey of the three Bible passages where Abba is used. Father: Pater in Greek, Abba in Aramaic
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