AnotherJohn.Com

  1 Kings 8:54-61 Listen to today’s devotional Some moments of worship are more memorable than others. Usually, those are the times when the sanctuary was full of singing. You saw hands lifted in surrender or tears swelling during prayer. Maybe it was Christmas or Easter, or when you remembered the Pentecost fire. Those kinds of worship moments people remember for a long time. And that is okay. Solomon had one of those moments in 1 Kings 8. The temple had finally been completed, and the people gathered to worship. The glory of God filled the place. Solomon offered a blessing to the people that began with an acknowledgment of what God had done. To be sure, that is always a faithful starting point of worship. In his blessing, Solomon tells the people to devote themselves completely to the Lord. I imagine that would have been an easy affirmation for the people to make. After all, they were in such a grand place for worship. But there's a phrase Solomon uses that points beyond that one...

  1 Peter 4:7-11 Listen to today’s devotional When we think something is ending, we tend to loosen up. Think of how the last week of school becomes movie days and parties. The last day at a job turns into long lunches and "what are they gonna do, fire me?" kind of energy. People like to imagine what they would do if they knew it was their last day on earth. Usually, it's a mix of daredevilry and exciting escapades. At the end, most people stop trying. After all, what's the point anymore? But Peter imagines the opposite. Whereas the world might treat endings as permission to coast, the gospel treats endings as a reason to become more loving. Now, there are different interpretations of what Peter meant when he wrote, "The end of all things is near." Did he mean the end of all time? A particular season? Or a general sense of coming judgment? Either way, for Peter, the end's nearness is not a spiritual deceleration. Instead, he doubles down on what matters m...

  Leviticus 9:22-24 Listen to today’s devotional Leviticus 9 marks the beginning of the priesthood. This is the moment when Aaron steps publicly into the responsibility of standing before God on behalf of the people and before the people on behalf of God. He offers sacrifices and blesses the community. As he does, the people witness the glory of God…keep that in mind. What stands out is that God's glory fulfills Aaron's role, not the other way around. Aaron’s calling was never about drawing attention to himself. His task was to faithfully serve so that the people might recognize God’s presence in their midst. The New Testament expands this priestly calling. It isn't just for Aaron’s descendants. It’s for you; you are a priest. Ministry is no longer reserved for a spiritual few. The calling is to reflect God’s presence, and that calling belongs to us all. Of course, our priesthood doesn't involve ancient sacrifices or temple rituals. But we still carry a responsibility. ...

 A few years ago, it hit me. I was asked to lead a small-group discussion on digital ministry. It was fun for me to help the group imagine ways they could connect to their churches and communities beyond Sunday morning. After we were done, someone said to me, "I like the way you do your digital ministry." That surprised me because, even with all the digital work I do, I had never thought of myself as having a digital ministry--yes, I can be dense sometimes. In every church I’ve previously served, the congregation was able to support the digital ministry work I do as part of the broader ministry of the church. That meant I could freely offer daily devotional texts, emails, podcasts, teaching, and online resources without really thinking about the monthly costs behind them. Now, I've never wanted to sound like a radio fundraiser or a TV preacher trying to sell faith. But this new season is different. Every day, I send devotional text messages, write and record daily devotio...

After an embarrassing amount of Coke Zero and Snickers, I've finished two full semesters! Saint Paul School of Theology doesn't have a mascot. I'm thinking either The Open-Table Otters, The Fighting Footnotes, or The Already/Not Yetis.  I had never participated in online classes before attending Saint Paul. I graduated before college before that was a thing, and my work at Perkins was on campus. Initially, I had more questions than I thought I would about how things would work. There were details that I worried I had wrong or misread. I did a lot of double and triple-checking to get started. Overall, it's been a good experience. Some professors take the online approach more loosely than others. But I've had a good mix so far.  After the last couple of weeks, I'm tired of looking at a computer screen. Stay blessed...john

  2 Kings 2:1-5 Listen to today’s devotional The prophets knew something we didn’t. As 2 Kings 2 opens, the idea that Elijah will be taken up by a whirlwind seems assumed. As a reader, that idea falls out of the sky. But a transition is about to happen, and everyone knows it. The Lord had already told Elijah to appoint Elisha as his successor. Now, the time for that transfer of prophetic power had come. For whatever reasons we might imagine, the younger Elisha does not seem ready. He follows Elijah as far as he can. He tells him three times, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” Along the way, other prophets keep reminding Elisha of what is coming. “Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?” Each time, Elisha answers the same way: “Yes, I know; keep silent.” It's not like Elisha is in denial or unaware or unwilling to face reality. If anything, he feels the weight of it more deeply than anyone else. He doesn't need commen...