During the earthly ministry of Jesus there were two very influential rabbis, Hillel and Shammai. Both having a large number of followers, two schools of thought were formed that shaped Jewish law and tradition for centuries. Hillel was known for his humility, patience, and compassion, leaning more toward inclusiveness and leniency. Shammai was known for being strict, disciplined, and exacting in his interpretation of Jewish law. Although the two schools disagreed on many legal and ritual matters (over

When my girls were young, we were headed to what I believed would be a time of financial challenges. Seeing this as a teachable moment, I sat them down, preparing them for the changes that may occur. I could tell by Stephanie’s expression she was too young to process what I was saying, but Sara listened intently. Evidently there was a word I’d used repeatedly because when I finished, Sara looked at me and asked, “What does 'sacrifice'

St Augustine said, “In the essentials unity, in the non-essentials liberty, but in all things charity.” If you count the number of major, nationally recognized church denominations the number is estimated between 200 and 300. If you include independent and non-denominational groups the number may well exceed 1,000. That’s a lot of “liberty.” When it comes to the non-essentials of the Christian faith, we have a hard time getting along. I’ve seen churches split over everything

This month marks the 5 year anniversary of my move to Sun City in Georgetown, TX. A 55+ “golf cart” community with three 18 hole golf courses, and all the amenities you could want. With a population of 15k+, it’s considered “resort-style” living, where I put more daily miles on my golf cart than I do my truck. Rick Idell drove back with me after my recent trip to California. To say he fell in

What if you lived your entire life believing a lie? Your faith and trust misplaced. What if others were concerned, but kept silent fearing you’d find offense? How would you know? Personalize the passage of scripture below. Let the words penetrate your heart, transcend your traditions, and stir your spirit. You may find the words of Jesus unsettling. I did. I hope you do too. At least for a moment. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will

When I came to Christ in my early twenties, I lived in a small one-bedroom house. I rarely cooked and didn’t frequent the kitchen much. Wendy, Jack, and Mickey D prepared most of my meals, resulting in the occasional food bag or wrapper lying around. One night, as I flipped on the light, several cockroaches scampered across the kitchen counter, quickly disappearing somewhere in the cabinets and drawers. Though they all ran in different directions, their destination was