by Christian Coon | Mar 18, 2020
My guest this week is Lyz Lenz, author of the book, “God Land: A Story of Faith, Loss, and Renewal in Middle America.” Liz is a journalist who writes for the Cedar Rapids Gazette. In “God Land,” she reports on the state of the church in the Midwest, while also...
by Christian Coon | Mar 17, 2020 | BLOG
Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end— Because I...
by Christian Coon | Feb 29, 2020 | BLOG
You set the earth on its foundations, so that it shall never be shaken. (Psalm 104:5, NRSV) I think I mentioned in a previous post that my family gave me a turntable for Christmas and I’ve been enjoying it immensely. One reason is the fun of exploring the world...
by Christian Coon | Feb 13, 2020
by Christian Coon | Jan 30, 2020 | BLOG, Forgiveness, Grace
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I am sending you.” Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:21-22, CEB) There are lots of ways to respond the question, Why do we do good things? Potential...
by Christian Coon | Jan 23, 2020
by Christian Coon | Jan 15, 2020 | BLOG, Holy Spirit, Surprise
God’s Spirit blows wherever it wishes. You hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. It’s the same with everyone who is born of the Spirit. (John 3:8, Common English Bible) A common statement (m)uttered by new pastors when they enter...
by Christian Coon | Jan 9, 2020
My guest this week is the founder of the Chicago Eco House, Quilen Blackwell. I read an article about Quilen in the Chicago Tribune in early November and was moved by his dedication to using sustainability to alleviate poverty, his commitment to the south and west...
by Christian Coon | Dec 31, 2019 | BLOG, Courage, Faith, Risk, Trust
That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. (John 21:7, NRSV) Several years ago, my family and I met up with my dad and...
by Christian Coon | Dec 14, 2019 | Advent, BLOG, Daily living, Jesus
Sometimes the Spirit takes hold while a preacher preaches and they go off script to make a point. I thought that was happening to me last Sunday as I was talking about how we love the baby Jesus, but that baby grows up to challenge and even threaten our comfortable...
