Who doesn't love trivia?

I'm a sucker for any sort of challenge. I like to compete, I love to win. Sometimes I'd be better served by conceding defeat. In a hotly contested game of 'Apples to Apples', a game where people assign random adjectives to people, places, or things in hopes of being selected the best response, I thought I had played a real humdinger. My wife Jess was the proctor for the round and she chose some poor effort another person had made. I told her that was a poor choice, mine was obviously better. (Smart married people see where this is going...) She said, "Well, that's my opinion." To which I promptly and imprudently replied, "Well, then your opinion is wrong."
We like to be right. We like to win. We like knowing the answers. Since I write this blog with a mainly Christian audience in mind, then I need to share my point from that perspective. A recent study asserts that Christians, both Protestant and Catholic, white, black, and hispanic, don't know much about religion. (I won't get stuck here on the importance of religion, but a common ground understanding is essential for conversation) From Hinduism to Mormonism to Judaism to one's own faith tradition of Catholicism or Protestantism, ignorance seems to be in full effect.
Please be careful to understand I'm not advocating that we alleviate ignorance so we can best win religious arguments. Instead, we are creating the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversation with our fellow man about what is near and dear to their hearts. Life together starts with a conversation. That said, I challenge us to learn the basics about the other religious traditions, and dig in to our own with a renewed passion. God calls us to Grow Deep and Reach Out. Here is a place to start.

Pastor Luke

Need vs. Want

I’m working on the concept of “need” and “want” with Kate, my four year old daughter. Kate recently won the grand prize at a local fall festival, a shiny new bike! (For a 14 year old boy…) They included the gift receipt thankfully, so I told Kate we’d take it back. When asked what she’d do with the money, she said, “Can I put it in my bank? Piggy is hunnnngry.” I couldn’t say no to that so I gave her some cash and kept the $130 gift card of store credit.
What? We’ll buy groceries and necessities with it. We provide for her needs and a reasonable amount of her wants. But when her wants become extravagant or unhealthy, we have to say no. As parents, Jess and I know what is good for her and what is too much. Switching gears, I find myself in the same situation as Kate, only with different “wants.” Shouldn’t I be able to decide what is appropriate for me? God has some input on that question. Wouldn’t you like to why God doesn’t give you everything you want, or even some of the things you think you need? Find the answers to that and more in our upcoming ACTS series called “Keep Climbing.” It starts October 3^rd at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Brooklyn Park and runs for four weeks on Sunday mornings during each of the worship services. If you worship at 9, attend at 10:30. Worship at 10:30? Start the day off great and join us at 9… Walk with a large and small group as you discover how God works with us through the challenges in our lives. Grow Deep on Sunday mornings!

Blessings,

Pastor Luke