Opinion

Over the last few months I’ve been asked to respond to all the messages I receive through email and social media regarding the issue of charging for the news. I’ve resisted because I don’t believe long threads of social media tirades solve anything...

Christianity is not merely 2,000 years old, but goes back to creation, where we read in Genesis 1, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” He did so by speaking all things into existence. We also find those same three words opening the Gospel of John: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ...

Human brains are genetically wired to seek and to satisfy basic survival needs. The act of seeking and realizing what we desire triggers activity in the reward network of the brain which eventually releases dopamine (reinforcing compulsive behaviors). ...

Paul, in 2 Corinthians 3:7-18, spoke of Moses wearing a veil to hide the glorious glow upon his face after appearing in the presence of God. This vail signified that the Old Testament could not be fully understood until the veil was removed. (3:14-16) Paul said about his day, “But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart. ...

When taking a drug, how many times do you think about asking your pharmacist what foods mix or go against your condition? What questions do you ask when filling your prescriptions, and what should you ask to make sure you receive the full benefit of that prescription to cure what ails you?...

I have tried over the years to encourage community involvement. One of the ways to do this is commenting on articles in the DDD. I have asked for your input and tried to start a column directing questions from you to local mayors all to no avail. Aside from a few loyal commentators it just didn’t pan out...

A fellow pastor recently told me that the average percent of men who become pastors in our Synod (church body, denomination), but do not stay in the ministry all of their working lives is about ten percent. Later, I went to my office and took down the framed photo of my own graduating class and looked at the faces and names and judged only two I would not have been shocked to find that they were no longer in the ministry. ...

Even casual readers know summer is peak season for juicy fiction, swoon-worthy romance, gripping tell-alls, hair-raising thrillers, and the kind of escapism that can carry you away from wherever you are. Even if this summer’s staycation is by the pool in your own backyard or on the living room couch with the windows open and a fan going — there’s just nothing like this summer’s new reads to make any day feel like a relaxing escape...

“And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.” (Mark 2:12) Then, as now, Jesus causes people to be amazed. Jesus is amazing!...

Bringing a hospital back to the area has, for the moment, surpassed COVID-19 as the local top news story. That’s a blessing in itself. There are also two groups engaged in this effort. They are the Billionaires Funding Group and the Healthcare Task Force, with advisor/consultant Steve Clapp...

Years ago, while driving, I passed a church where the sign displayed a message immediately underneath the name of the church, which is also long forgotten, but the message under the name read, “Where Every Day is Lent.” Lent is the forty days (minus the Sundays) before Easter where we recall our Lord’s victory over Satan, rebuffing the devil’s temptations. ...

Last week as I began dumping junk emails one just would not go away. I tried moving it to the trash. Nothing happened. Finally, I clicked on the email, and what danced across my screen was a colorful swirl and then horoscopes (which I never read). The message for my birthdate or sign was a promise of great abundance. ...

By the “good stuff”, I don’t mean as many country songs suggest, alcoholic beverages whether whiskey, beer, or watermelon wine. With more people staying home due to COVID-19, statistics report that drinking alcohol is on the rise. Let me assure all alcohol drinkers that the “good stuff” will never be found in a booze bottle. In fact, that is the quickest way to destroy the real “good stuff” in life...

During the last six to eight weeks, Americans have experienced mandatory isolation because of the rise of the corona virus. Although many individuals were complaining about being alone for so long, isolation is common among older Americans and it creates several negative issues physically, mentally, and financially. ...

A much needed hospital may be coming back to Kennett. I use the word ‘may’, because this venture is still in the early stages of development. According to the press conference on Thursday, it would appear all systems are go, however there are still some hurdles to jump...

A historian described the city of Athens in the first century A.D., specifically in the days of St. Paul: “Athens taught the world the concept of democracy, the rule of the people. It had been the great center of philosophy, the love of wisdom…but its glories had dimmed, and it was no longer the chief city of Greece.” Luke recorded in Acts 17:16ff that St. ...

Historical fiction appeals to me. I love to read stories based on significant historical events and a story woven around the facts provides a better understanding of the human emotions and motivations surrounding that time period. My reading experience is so much richer than reading non-fiction. ...

In the Bible, we observe times when God asked men questions. God’s questions help men correct their thinking and actions. We will look at a couple of examples. In Genesis 3:9, we hear God’s first question to the first man. “And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?” Of course, God knew where Adam was, and what Adam and Eve had done. They had sinned by eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:16-17)...

Most everyone who has a 401(k), a pension, or owns stocks for retirement has seen what can happen in the blink of an eye. American’s have seen their paychecks, as well as their retirement savings, disappear without any fault of their own, and without help from the government through a stimulus, many would have been in dire straits with no savings. ...

I am a huge fan of the Andy Griffith Show. Huge. I’ve watched the episodes time and time again and continue to be entertained by the citizens of Mayberry. I used to compete in Andy Griffith Show trivia contests. Did you know the Andy Griffith Show was a spin-off from the Danny Thomas T.V. series?...

The president of the church body through which I am so blessed to serve the Lord recently shared something Martin Luther wrote to a fellow believer while the black plague was striking his hometown of Wittenberg (Germany) in the near-mid 1500s. We are not facing anything as horrendous as that scourge, but his counsel sounds a lot like what we are advised today. ...

Jesus used parables to teach spiritual lessons. A parable draws a parallel between something from earthly life and something from spiritual life so as to teach a spiritual lesson. Jesus utilized a farmer sowing his seed to teach a spiritual lesson about four different types of hearts hearing the word of God. ...

In part one of a three part series on “Saving for that rainy day,” how one prepares for retirement will determine their future and how they live out their senior years. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown why the suggested three to six months of living expense saving is so important. ...

As Missouri prepares to open with restrictions, I felt it was time to honor those who have been on the front-lines these past few weeks. America has learned a few good lessons recently. Such as, truck drivers are way more important and valuable than the highest paid ball players and singers...

The fourth Sunday after Easter is always Good Shepherd Sunday in the traditional Church Year calendar. With it is the almost obligatory Psalm 23, which is also popular for funerals. Personally, I never understood the latter because that psalm presents a difficult life for most people. ...