Hagar and Ishamael run from Abram and Sarai's house. Rachel Held Evans teaches us to not forget their story as we search for the magic of the Bible.
Acts concludes with Paul's implicit charge to future followers: go forth among the Gentiles. In our world, we are the ones to heed his call to examine our own hearts…
As we welcome new members into Ankeny UCC, we look to Paul's outreach to followers of John the Baptist and understand how the diversity of our faith journeys changes us…
Sometimes, the stories are just a little bit funny, and we have to lean into the reality that we present our whole lives to God and one another.
Paul's message to Athens is not only that God has always been with them, but also that we are called to do more than just talk.
Psalm 137 shows grief and humiliation at its most raw. It reminds us always to remember the choice to be kind, or not, and the consequences of exercising our power…
Lydia, who ran into Paul on a business trip, saw in the message of Christ an opportunity to change her life by risking her reputation and providing Paul a place…
Peter's vision completes the work God is doing with the early church in the wake of Jesus's resurrection. This time, God reminds us that no matter what direction the church…
We often talk about Saul's "Damascus Road" conversion. But of course, his mind, heart, and actions don't change on the Damascus Road. For that, he needs to be subject to…
The story of the early church is one of unlearning assumptions and learning the power of the Holy Spirit. When Philip ran into the Ethiopian eunuch on the road, the…
In this somewhat idealized vision of the early church, we see what the Holy Spirit can do when the church is trying to build something together. In the midst of…
On the birthday of the church, the Holy Spirit gave the disciples a gift that helped them overcome their fear, build relationships, and leave a place of familiarity.
The first chapter of Acts reminds us that Jesus's time on earth ended, but that the church went on. In the wake of Easter, what will we do to bring…
Entering Holy Week, Jesus is up all night struggling to face our final fear: certain death. What do we discover about ourselves in his anxious hours?
The work of reconciliation begins with recognizing the discomfort that comes from recognizing that the stories we have told ourselves about the world, and ourselves, do not match up with…
In moments of urgent need, we do what we can. If that means anointing one about to die, we do that. If that means giving to the poor, we do…
In these linked stories from Jesus's ministry in Jerusalem, we see the message: preaching sacrifice for others while using their sacrifice for your own ends is the opposite of holiness.
The Psalmist reminds us that the first step toward reconciliation and the work of building God's world together is repenting of our sin. In America, to build the nation we…
