Invisible Chains
A cloud of dust rose in the west, as six hundred of Pharaoh’s fastest chariots approached, his full army following close behind. Fear filled the Israelite camp as memories of weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth flooded back. The Israelites had been spared the...
Out of Egypt I Called My Son
I still fondly remember the countless times while growing up when I would rush to our basement to play video games with my brother. Mom would give us an hour or two to play after our chores were done, and during the summer we’d spend hours together having a great...
With Him I Am Well Pleased
It’s been awkward for me to live up to all my identities. That’s a bit of a weird line, I know, so let me explain what I mean. Although my mom will quickly tell you she named me Daniel, I’ve found myself at a place in life where I get called a lot of different names....
The One Who Didn’t Fail
There are two contrasting video collections that I’ve found engaging. The first is titled People Are Awesome. These are video clips of people accomplishing fantastic feats of skill and athleticism. Some of my personal favorites involve individuals performing seemingly...
Cornerstone Network
I have always been intrigued by the passage in Mark 12:41-44 where Jesus was in the temple watching people as they gave their offerings. When Jesus observed a poor widow giving two small coins worth only a few cents, he made a point to tell his disciples that she had...
Everyone is Seeking Fulfillment
Everyone is seeking fulfillment. We may call it by different names and not recognize it for what it is, but we all seek to be fulfilled. What does it mean to be fulfilled? Here is how one dictionary defines fulfillment: to bring to completion or reality, to achieve or...
Collaboration
Families uproot their lives, seminary students begin classes in small-town Fergus Falls, Minnesota, their kids start new schools, and in the midst of the chaos, seminary women invest in a weekend get-away to bond together, along with seminary faculty wives. Women’s...
The Story of One North American Mission Disciple
I have a deep personal connection to the family of congregations that we call the Church of the Lutheran Brethren. You might think the reason I feel this way is because I’ve been a pastor in the CLB for many years. That is true, but that really isn’t the source of my...
Taiwan: Bamboo and the Church
As I enjoyed a hike with Ethan and Sandy Christofferson in the highlands of western Taiwan, I was in awe of the local grass that towered over my head. That’s right… grass! Bamboo is the most common grass on the planet, boasting over 1,400 different species! It is the...
Between God’s Two Words
You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father” (Luke 3:7-8). This is the warm greeting of John the Baptist to the crowds coming to hear...
Sent to My Neighbor
I am a missionary. Where, you ask? Everywhere, but mainly in Parker, Colorado. The Lord called me from Lutheran Brethren Seminary to Arvada, Colorado, where I would serve eight years at Community In Christ Lutheran Brethren Church. Having grown up in the Midwest, a...
Mission of God
I was in the middle of my first year of seminary, sitting next to my wife Sonja during a J-term presentation by Dan Venberg about LBIM’s mission work, when I first really heard about the work our Church has been called to and the need for missionaries. Afterward, as...
Grafted In
When I was a teenager, I had a close friend who was adopted. He had been told about his adoption when he was just a child, but didn’t fully process what it meant until he was much older. His adoptive parents showered him with love and affection, provided security and...
Created to Bear Fruit
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”—John 15:1-2 Pruning is a horticultural practice involving...
Abide in Jesus
“Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.”—John 15:3-4, ESV In the movie Knight and...