In the summer of 2003, a Zornes family meeting was called. Mom and Dad and all the siblings were gathered together and entrusted with some exciting news. We were told it was very important to keep it secret. I as an over-literal eight year old, of course dutifully kept the secret to this day. But, on this occasion, 20 years later, I’m confident it is probably safe to reveal: Mom was pregnant. It is certainly not a secret, however, the impact Sam has had on our family. Where Ben favored guitar and ultimate frisbee, I favored spreadsheets and ultimate frisbee, but Sam…he preferred doing backflips…and ultimate frisbee. He was so different from us boys, ever the risk taker. Sam, you have been ambitious your entire life. Marriage, though nicknamed “settling down,” is anything but safe. Today, you have established your own household. You now represent Christ to your wife, your family before God, and speak as the head of your home to the world; a world that hates both God and marriage. Welcome to the front lines. Fortunately, you don’t fight this battle alone. You’ve found what Solomon calls “a good thing.” Solomon also said a wife is “awesome as […]
This has been an election cycle for the ages! Today, January 20th, 2021 Joe Biden will be sworn in as the new president of the United States. Some are saddened, even angry, others rejoice and are hopeful. The events leading up to the election and inauguration have been filled with chaos and controversy and the nation as a whole seems to have had a carpet ripped out from under its feet. But to frame the events that have happened this year, we need to rewind, before Biden, before Trump, before Lincoln, before Washington, before the Mayflower, and even before Christ. I need to go back to the sixth century BC. The prophet Daniel warned us of all this. I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven; He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches: Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass […]
In J.R.R. Tolkein’s “The Hobbit,” a tale is told of a band of dwarves who set out to reclaim their ancestor’s mountain. It was once very much like a castle mined deep into the Lonely Mountain. But many years ago a dragon invaded the mountain, displacing and killing many of the dwarves who called it their home. He claimed all the treasure for his own and dwelt there for many years unchallenged. He struck fear in the heart of all who heard his name and even when he had not been seen for a long while, the tales of his fury were widespread. When the dwarves finally arrive at Esgaroth, the lake town in the shadow of the mountain, declaring that the king under the mountain has returned, the town immediately erupts in song, laughter, and feasting. But a curious few sentences caught my attention when reading this part of the story. When the feasting is done and the dwarves set out to the far shore, their companions from Lake Town are not willing to spend more than a few moments with them on the shore for fear of the dragon. The people of the lake acknowledge the prophecy for […]
re-li-gion // noun // A specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects. “Christianity is not a religion, it is a relationship.” If you have been around the Christian faith for any amount of time, you have probably heard this phrase in one way, shape, or form. It is so widely used in the American Church, it may be the most popular modern colloquialism. This raises the question, just how biblical is this expression? Should it remain a staple in ‘Christianese,’ or should it be excommunicated along with other phrases like “God helps those who help themselves” and “God won’t give you more than you can handle?” All cards on the table, I want it to be clear I am not a huge fan of the statement at hand. However, I do not think it is entirely unfounded. Through the course of this short treatise, I expect there will be disagreements on certain points, but my hope is the net outcome is a greater love and understanding of what the Cristian faith is. I will first examine why the phrase has good intentions behind it and search out the truth of the beauty of […]
