Each of us do and say things because of the culture we grew up in. Is that wrong? No. However, we as God’s children need to look beyond our culture and try to look through other cultures’ glasses. God is not bound to culture, and all of us can be thankful that the Bible is not culturally bound. John 3:16 says: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

We need to offer the gospel to the world. We need to offer the gospel without contaminating it with our own culture. We need to offer truth that will inform, confront, and change every culture. There is nothing wrong with our culture as long as we do not make it the gospel. The gospel will change individuals, and it will change entire cultures. 

Roseanne’s experiences challenge each of us to be the Good Samaritan to others even when it is hard. Jesus showers love and mercy on us even when we are unlovely; we as His children should do the same.

Essay originally published 08/2020. Audio narration just released.

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God delights to pardon and save. He delights to bring life from death. But we are sometimes tempted to mock God and to think that we can claim the benefits of pardon while opting out of God’s plan to free us from the actual grip of sin.  

In this first essay of a 3-part series, Roseanne Bauman speaks from her personal experience about teaching an ethnically diverse group of students. While Roseanne was the teacher, she quickly realized that she was also a student. In this post, you will read about the many valuable lessons that Roseanne learned from her students.

Essay originally published 08/2020. Audio narration just released.

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Many faithful believers rejected the sword and positions of earthly rule because they were convinced from the Scriptures that these were not part of God’s design, whether in the Garden of Eden or in the establishment of Christ’s church. If we choose to depart from God’s ways, we become like killdeer birds suddenly deciding to nest in the trees. It seems, then, that we have two traditions to choose from: the true, original design God created, or pervasive, normalized evil.  

A business person should steward his business abilities and roles. Stewardship is not limited to managing profits that may be gained through business. Marlin Sommers reflects on job creation, business investment in general, and concludes with a few words about the steward mindset in business.

Essay originally published 04/2020. Audio narration just released.

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We want the entire world to understand who Jesus is. But what are we to be doing and how is this message supposed to spread? Is serving the poor part of Jesus’ commission to the church? Or is humanitarian aid a second-class ministry or, even worse, a distraction from our real mission? Gary Miller reminds us that God wants people to flourish, both physically and spiritually, and that this should be our desire as well. Like Jesus, we are representatives of the character of God. Like Jesus, we should be known for doing good. 

What does it mean to be a steward of business giftings and abilities, and of business roles and opportunities?  Marlin Sommers explores some biblical points, focusing on business applications, and encouraging business people to recognize themselves as servant-managers of both a set of giftings and abilities and of certain roles and opportunities.

Essay originally published 04/2020. Audio narration just released.

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“Our own attentive openness to the world around us and the generations before us is what prepares us to educate. If we are not attentive, humble, and learning, we are left either neglecting education or simply trying to pass on what we think we know.”