Church

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ODJ: good religion


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As a pastor, I get interesting responses from people when they discover my vocation. Some will immediately apologise for the language they’ve used. Some offer a forced smile and then come up with an excuse to change the subject. One line I hear often is: “Well, I like Jesus, but I don’t like religion.”


I understand the sentiment. People are suspicious of the church and religi

ODB: No Loose Laces

One person’s actions can affect an entire group. This truth became clear to journalist Sebastian Junger as he followed a platoon of soldiers. Junger watched a soldier accost another soldier whose bootlaces were trailing on the ground. He didn’t confront him out of concern for his fashion. He confronted him because his loose laces put the entire platoon at risk—he couldn’t be counted on not

ODJ: the body of Christ


Two nights before I moved to Africa 5 years ago, I panicked. As much as I believed the Lord was calling me to Uganda, I feared that by going there I would forfeit my friends back home. I thought they would forget me and that we’d quickly share nothing in common after I journeyed to a new continent, culture and life.


To take my step of faith I had to cling once again to Romans 15:13

ODJ: commoner to royalty


It is estimated that 3 billion people watched PrinceWilliam, heir to the British throne, marry KateMiddleton. If true, nearly one out of every two people on the planet tuned in to watch the well dressed duo tie the royal knot. While the actual number of viewers was probably much less, still the London wedding was watched by millions across the globe.


Why all the hype? I suspect it wa

ODJ: 65 gifts


Doug Eaton wanted to celebrate his 65th birthdayin an uncommon fashion. When he asked hisfriends how he should celebrate the big day, one suggested that he perform 65 random acts of kindness. And that is exactly what he did. At a busy junction, he handed out cash notes for 65 minutes. According to Eaton, giving to others was the best gift he could have asked for. “It’s been fantastic,” Eaton

ODJ: the big chill


Recently, scientists discovered the answer to why we 
 occasionally experience that dreaded ‘brain 
 freeze’ when eating ice cream. The piercing pain in the temples is caused by an increase in blood flow and the enlarging of the anterior cerebral artery—located in the middle of the brain behind the eyes. This phenomenon occurs when our icy, sweet treats come into contact with the roof of

ODJ: God’s garden


Last spring I planted a herb garden, even though I don’t have a ‘green thumb’. In fact I only sporadically watered the plants when their environment reached desertlike conditions. But, fortunately, I was able to enjoy cooking with the fresh produce of my work throughout the summer. A year later, though, I looked out at my garden and realised that my garden—like my life—was in a different

ODJ: why baptism?


The announcement couldn’t have been clearer: “Water baptism is not an option for the believer in Jesus. Please sign up for baptism. Baptismal classes begin in 2 weeks time.”

ODJ: correcting blind spots

In The Call to Joy and Pain, Ajith Fernando, a Christian leader from Sri Lanka, wrote: “The church in each culture has its own special challenges—theological blind spots that hinder Christians from growing to full maturity in Christ. . . . I think one of the most serious theological blind spots in [today’s] western church is a defective understanding of suffering. . . . The ‘good life’