Devlyn Brooks/Contributing writer I think our efforts as faithful people would ring a whole lot more genuine with those who are skeptical of religion if we spent more time trying to “convert” ourselves versus others. Yes, our scriptures do preach to us that we are to bring the “good news” toContinue Reading
Devlyn Brooks/Lutheran Minister Every now and then, you deliver a sermon that when you leave the lectern you haven’t the foggiest idea how those words you just preached landed with those sitting in the pews. It happens to all of us clergy, I imagine. At least I hope! Preaching toContinue Reading
Devlyn Brooks/Contributing writer Young people seemingly always get a bad rap. Teenagers, especially today, are depicted as lazy, rude and disrespectful. Mass media does little to dissuade that opinion. I just don’t buy it. Reminds me of 1 Timothy 4:12: “Let no one despise your youth, but set the believersContinue Reading
Devlyn Brooks/Lutheran minister There is a reason that the Apostle Paul spends so much time writing about believers being the body of Christ. For instance, in 1 Corinthians 12:27, he writes: “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” And IContinue Reading
Devlyn Brooks/Lutheran Minister Much of the trouble with religion is that we’ve convinced ourselves that we can know an infinite God, a God who created the entire universe that is billions of years old and which still reveals mysteries to us that we cannot solve. And in our hubris, weContinue Reading
Devlyn Brooks/Lutheran Minister Another church in my hometown has been preaching a sermon series called “Jesus took naps. Be like Jesus.” The pastors at the church aren’t just being coy; they’re actually driving home an important message to their parishioners: Even Jesus rested. In our supercharged, hyperconnected, overstimulated way ofContinue Reading
Devlyn Brooks/Lutheran Minister They say that travel is good for the soul. I also say travel is good for faith as it gives you a greater perspective about what a fascinating planet on which we live. Thanks to a couple of recent work and personal trips, within 10 days, IContinue Reading