Hotly contested topics being adamantly discussed, often with incomplete information in an environment of fear and distrust. Does that sound familiar? Surprisingly enough Jesus wasn’t afraid to make groups of people confused and conflicted. Their opinions about what he said ranged from mildly interested to totally ignorant to angry. John 7:43 says, “So a dissension…
Hey Church Family! Here’s the pastor’s weekly executive summary for you busy Valley Church-ers. Let’s worship Jesus the King on Sunday with our voices, Scripture, and ultra-warm connection with our brothers and sisters. Please don’t come late and don’t rush off! (Cecil C. says we shouldn’t do that. We’re a family.) Let’s elevate Jesus by…
Dear Aliens, Do you consider yourself to be an “alien?” I was chatting with a young man at 24 Hour Fitness recently and our conversation drifted into how the universe came into existence in the first place. I said to him, “Who made this iPhone?” His response was, “an alien.” Well, he did answer my…
Dearly Beloved, I have a book entitled, “Your God is too Small.” Everyone has a quote, “god”, in their life whether they believe it or not. The tendency of fallen men, women, boys, and girls is to conjure up a “god” in their imagination. We live in a fallen world and thus our view of…
In 1972, the New York Times reported that more than 3,000 people in the U.S. choked to death that year, making it the sixth most common cause of accidental death. A Cincinnati surgeon began to search for a better way to rescue a choking victim. He conceptualized using air that was compressed in the lungs…
Who doesn’t love bread? It’s a staple of life the world over. The varieties and shapes of bread reflect the diversity of world culture: Jewish challah, Russian rye, German pumpernickel, French baguettes, Italian focaccia, Irish soda, Arabian pita, Indian chapati, Mexican tortilla, American Wonder. The point? EVERYONE eats BREAD!!! Each American consumes, on average, 53…
Dear Sojourners, Has your storm made landfall? It has been said that we are either in a storm, just come out of a storm or will be in one shortly. Does that sound like “good news?” We all must deal with reality whether we like it or not. I suppose you could be in the…
How are you with taking tests? Are you the kind that breezes in without a worry in the world, having briefly looked over the material the night before? Or are you one of those who prepares for weeks ahead of time, stays up all night before the test, and still sweats every minute until the…
Dearly Beloved, When is the last time you lied? Note the word “when” – not if! Who did you lie to last? What was the lie about? How did telling the lie work out for you? Why did you lie in the first place? Just questions of course, however most of us are very adept…
When I was growing up in Santa Clara, our neighborhood was full of kids – probably 10 kids about my age who all went to the same elementary school. We’d play kickball, dodgeball, and hide-and-go-seek as long as we could on those warm Fall nights. It was great fun to play on our street and…