born and raised twice in the bay, I preach Jesus and him crucified
“Weeds in zero-tillage wheat in India” by Petr Kosina / CIMMYT You have felt it. You walk into church with hope and leave with questions. You see kindness beside cruelty, faith beside hypocrisy, joy beside quiet wounds. You wonder why the kingdom of God does not look cleaner than this. Jesus tells a story that... Continue Reading →
The world surges with noise and worry while our heart tries to find a place to rest. We wake tired. We speak sharply to people we love. We wonder if the unease in our soul is simply the price of living now, or something deeper. We confess this truth at a kitchen table with a... Continue Reading →
Psalm 24 is a majestic psalm inviting us to join a procession honoring God as King. Traditionally associated with David bringing the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, this psalm proclaims God's reign in three powerful movements. “A Psalm of David. The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,... Continue Reading →
We know the feeling of standing on the edge. The next step matters, but nothing feels settled. We want movement, but we also want certainty. We want God to act, preferably in ways that make sense to us. Most weeks feel like that. We carry quiet fear. We manage our image. We wait for something... Continue Reading →
Ever wonder why Matthew opens his Gospel with a genealogy? Forty-two names. Centuries of history. Many people skim it. Matthew slows us down. He begins with roots. We live in a world shaped by questions of identity. People search ancestry records and DNA results, hoping to discover who they are and where they belong. First-century... Continue Reading →
Phillip W. Martin 