The South Steps of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem (courtesy of Wikipedia) One of the things I enjoy watching from time to time are video clips from Witness to War and other sites. These sites feature veterans recounting stories of their experiences in war. Some are tragic, some humorous, and some touching. Each one of the veteran's stories provides not just information but also detail, dimension, and color to events that we may feel are otherwise familiar to us. They allow us to see things...

As I sit in my office at the church, almost every day I have my five-year-old golden retriever, Winston, next to me. Most often he is sleeping within arms reach, but whenever I move or get up, he perks up and looks at me as if to say, "What's going on? Are we going somewhere?" If I go to the church office, he's right there. If I'm standing around talking to someone, he's sitting on my foot. Regardless of where I go, he is never far away. Although he likes nearly everyone he meets, he wants to...

One of my all-time favorite movies is "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade." As the film reaches its climax, Indiana must face three tests: "The Breath of God - 'Only the penitent man will pass'"; "The Word of God - 'He who walks in the footsteps of God'"; and "The Path of God - 'Only in a leap from the lion's head will he prove his worth'". This last test provides a good illustration of biblical faith. Faith is not a blind leap into the unknown based on ignorance. Instead, it is a confident...