Should a Christian Even Go to Church at All?
This might sound like an odd question, particularly from a pastor who’s trying to grow a new church, but it was one I was asked: Where does a Christian go to worship and serve God in Starnberg, or even Munich? It’s not easy to find a church that fits with what we were raised with, our style, or our schedule. This is true. If we were to choose a church of a mainline denomination, we might not understand the language or we
Ascension: Not Just Another Holiday!
Dear Friends, This Sunday, the sermon title will be “Ascension: Not Just Another Holiday!” Using Scripture verses from Psalm 121:5-8 and Acts 1:1-11, we’ll be discussing God’s Providence and what it means for us in the here and now. The word “Providence” isn’t self-explanatory—it sounds a little technical, and maybe even be a bit too ponderous to draw our attention. So the best way to answer the question is to start with real-life examples of it: An elderly man in his car
From the Pastor: The Challenges in Your Marriage/Relationship as an Expat
Dear Friends, Since the Expat in the City Fair, Shirin and I have been blessed to meet with several team members of different organizations represented at the Fair. We’ve discussed the idea of working synergistically with them to expand our services to the expat community. A founder we connected with is Birgitte Kaps of only1life. She shared with us one of the most startling and surprising statistics of expat relationships. According to studies, expat relationships (be they married or partners) end in
Resurrection? I’ll Believe That When Caterpillars Fly: Ten Reasons to Believe in Resurrection
“That’s just impossible! Since it flies in the face of everything we know, you’d have to be an idiot to believe in the resurrection.” I hear this sort of thing all the time, and it’s often spoken as though it’s the very essence of bear-trap logic. The only sensible response I can think of is something like this: “You’re right, you’d have to be an idiot to believe in the resurrection or any of miracles of the Bible, but only if
From the Pastor: Don’t Waste Your Time
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me. He
Rejoicing…and Suffering
Dear Friends, This Sunday, we’ll be completing Chapter 3 of Philippians and looking at Chapter 4 and what it means to “Rejoice in the Lord.” In 1 Peter 4:12-13, the apostle Peter says something similar about rejoicing, too. Actually, rejoicing…and suffering! Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory
Wait for God
Dear Friends, Many of us went to sleep last night or woke up this morning to the horrific news of another terror attack. This time in Nice, our hearts and prayers are with the people there—for those who have lost their loved ones, those injured, and for the people of Nice and France. This Sunday’s sermon will be Wait for God, and the Scriptures we’ll be considering are 1 Samuel 16:1; 10-13. If ever there was some tough advice to swallow, it is:
Prayer
Dear Friends, Many thanks to Werner and Janice Lehnis and their great team from Care in Action for sharing their inspiring ministry with us. If you missed being with us last Sunday, you may read more about their ministry here: Care in Action. This Sunday’s sermon is A Friend at Night. Scriptures we’ll be considering are Luke 11:5-13; 18:1-8. Think about this: It’s Saturday morning at 3:00 a.m. You’re newly arrived in Munich, got off at the wrong stop, and walked in
Life on Fury Road
Dear Friends, Think you’ve got problems? It could be worse! But thank God for his mercy and grace. This Sunday’s sermon is Life on Fury Road, and we’ll be looking at Isaiah 43:18-19. This is one of those passages where God is explaining to Israel that, even though they have acted disgracefully and been profoundly unfaithful to him, he is still faithful to them and intends to restore all that was lost when they turned away from his goodness. The is good news
Culture Shock: Living Your Best Life in Munich
Dear Friends, Our family is very happy to have Shirin back with us again! Many thanks for your prayers. My Dad is doing very well for his age and he enjoyed having Shirin take care of him these past two weeks. This Sunday, we'll begin a new sermon series focusing on facing with faith all the challenging circumstances in life—fear and anxiety, abuse—emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical, financial difficulties, and death and disaster. Every one of us faces problems. If we view
