The last church addressed by Jesus was in Laodicea, a wealthy city situated on a major trade road. It was famous for its woolen manufacturing industry, its banks (which held a vast quantity of gold); and a medical school which produced eye salve. The prosperity of Laodicea filled its citizens with self-sufficiency. Around A.D. 60, … Continue reading –>
We have been avoiding discussing some issues within the church that are probably the reason why we are having this series of studies on unity in the first place. We have held back comments specifically on women’s ordination because we have seen discussions in other forums on this topic descend into very unchristian verbal battlegrounds. … Continue reading –>
The early Christian church did not build dedicated church buildings. They typically met in people’s homes or in public spaces, such as the temple forecourt. They often met in synagogues, because of their close connections with the Jews. The earliest known Christian church (second century), the Dura-Europos church in Syria was essentially a house church. … Continue reading –>
Seventh-day Adventists often prefer to think of the gospel in terms of the second coming, the investigative judgement, the mark of the beast, or the nature of Christ, rather than social responsibility. However, reading through Matthew and the other Gospels recently, I find that Jesus was just as concerned about how we treat one another … Continue reading –>
Why Speaking Out on Church-Related Sexual Abuse Is Actually Witnessing Recently I have had three conversations going – one on Facebook, two on text – that involve clergy sexual misconduct. Cindy . . . Chelsea . . . Kirsten . . . I’m so sorry. These women are hurt, frustrated, angry, and lost, and they feel they … Continue reading –>
The What and How of Clergy Sexual Misconduct Hopefully you’ll live out your days never encountering the type of religious leader who makes an article like this necessary. But for the sake of those who do, and in light of the fact that you might, read on. I want to help all of us better … Continue reading –>
In several previous posts we noted that the Investigative Judgment builds on two other Adventist doctrines – Biblical Arminianism and Soul Sleep. Second, we saw that in the Sanctuary, Adventists have a solid basis for assurance. I also shared the rationale behind the Adventist perspective on the Close of Probation. In this article I want to describe a better approach for … Continue reading –>
If there is a judgment going on in heaven right now and if, when Jesus comes, His reward is with Him, it stands to reason that at some point before the second coming, those who are alive on earth will have to be judged as well. And, in developing this idea Adventists have come to … Continue reading –>
After the great disappointment of 1844, a small band of Adventists, unable to deny the presence of God in the Millerite movement, came to the conclusion that, instead of the Second Coming, God had begun what they termed the “Investigative Judgment,” now also known as the Pre-Advent Judgment, as distinct from the Final Judgment. Throughout the … Continue reading –>
A Buddhist form of meditation called “mindfulness meditation” has taken the mental health field by storm. It has produced many well-documented positive effects and has been basically touted as a panacea for most psychological ills. In terms of popularity and buzz, mindfulness is to mental health what organic coconut water is to physical health—a somewhat … Continue reading –>
