Most 4th of July celebrations in America include two things: fireworks and hot dogs. Classic, right? This year I’d encourage you to add one activity to your weekend: a one hour history lesson from Dr. Tracy McKenzie of Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL. Why? Because hovering in the background this weekend like the scent of smoldering briquettes is a simple yet compelling view of America. You know what I mean – t ...

This is a spiritual war. - Rick Santorum It’s Lent. For Christians, Lent is a time for spiritual warfare. Yup. I’m in a war. How do you wage spiritual warfare? Christians have two models for spiritual warfare: Jesus and Satan. Presidential candidate Rick Santorum warned us about one of those models in 2008 at a speech he made at Ave Maria University. The speech resurfaced this week on the Internet. Here are ...

Why did Southern states secede from the union? Between Lincoln’s election on Nov. 6, 1860 and his inauguration on March 4, 1861 seven states seceded, giving support to the theory that the South objected strongly to Lincoln and his Republican party. But in the 150 years since the war, the debate about the cause has hardly been settled. Added to Lincoln’s election, prime contenders are tariffs, states’ rights ...

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We live much of our lives in fear.  We fear being exposed as frauds.  We project to the world an image of ourselves that’s not entirely true in an attempt to gain the approval of others.  We conceal the bad, dirty, and ugly parts of ourselves and project other parts of ourselves that we think people will perceive as good, clean, and beautiful. But there is another aspect of this self-deceptive pattern that ...

Rats and All[1] A Sermon Delivered on November 13, 2011 At the First Congragional Church of Wilmette, UCC By Daniel and Adam Based on the Work of Banksy and Matthew 25:14-30 Adam – I’d like to start with a brief story.  There was once a Jewish man named Paul.  He was one of the first followers of Jesus.  One day Paul went to a place the Romans called Mars Hill.  Mars Hill was dedicated to the Roman god of w ...