You can listen to the full audio version here: Whispers of Grace - Religion (James)

“Christianity Isn’t a Religion, It’s a Relationship”… Right?

Back in the day, when I was on staff with Campus Crusade, I can’t count how many times I’d sit across from a college student and hear something like, “Yeah, I don’t do religion. It’s just not my thing.” And my go-to response? “Ah, but see—that’s the beautiful part. Christianity isn’t a religion. It’s a relationship.”

I thought I had a killer line. And sure, there’s truth in it—Christianity is deeply relational. We have a relationship with God through Christ in the Holy Spirit. But here’s the thing: I was wrong. Christianity is a religion.

I remember the first time I drove a three-wheeler. I had ridden on the back with older cousins driving, but I had never been the one in control. There was an overwhelming sense of nervousness as I grabbed the handlebars and placed my thumb on the throttle. I knew where the gear shift was—just near my left foot. I took a deep breath and gave it a little gas. It began to move! A thrill ran through my entire being.

As I drove, I got more confident. Then I got arrogant, believing I was in control. But as I turned a corner, I hit a root—or maybe a large rock—and my thumb slammed down on the throttle. I was absolutely not in control. The machine underneath me was the real master. I was, in all reality, simply trying to hold on and manage it the best I could.

The audio of this week’s message: Whispers of Grace - Peace (Hebrews)

As we continue our summer series, Whispers of Grace: New Testament Words of Life, today we turn our attention to the word peace. This is especially fitting given our setting—Peace Presbyterian Church. It’s worth pausing to reflect on what this word means, particularly for those of us who call this place home.

Our focus today is the letter to the Hebrews, specifically chapter 10. At first glance, it might seem odd to draw insights about peace from Hebrews, since the word itself only appears a few times in the text. However, the theme is present in powerful, though indirect, ways. Hebrews speaks frequently of rest and of reconciliation, of how humanity’s sin is atoned for. These discussions open a deeper understanding of peace—a peace that is more than the absence of conflict or noise. It is a soul-level peace, hard-won and deeply rooted in Christ.

Depending on how you answer that question, someone could likely place you on the political spectrum. That’s because liberty makes up one half of the final moral foundation described by Jonathan Haidt in The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion. This is the liberty/oppression moral foundation.

I’m a pretty big fan of Mister Rogers. I remember watching Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood growing up, and his kind and reassuring voice always resonated with me. He was, in many ways, a role model. After my parents’ divorce, the world felt a bit topsy-turvy, but there was a consistent kindness that came from Mister Rogers. Over the years, as I grew into an adult, I learned that Mister Rogers was a Presbyterian minister (hey, me too!) and also the kind of guy who would get into “good trouble.” This gentle and kind man was anything but timid or weak.

If you’d like to listen to this week’s message you can do so right here: Whispers of Grace - Hope (1 & 2 Thessalonians)

One of my favorite fictional universes is Star Wars. As I’ve shared before, I stand firmly on the right side of the Star Wars versus Star Trek debate. Trekkies, Trekkers, or whatever you call yourselves, you’re wrong. Star Wars, with its space wizards and laser swords, is vastly superior to the subpar Star Trek series.

When you think about your boss, do you have positive or negative emotions? How about when you consider the reality of a hierarchy at your workplace or social institution? In general, do you think that hierarchies and their resulting authority structures are good and helpful, or do you see them as something to be bucked against?

The audio of this week’s message can be found here: Whispers of Grace - Fellowship (Philippians)

The concept of “community” is a major buzzword in the church world today. You hear it everywhere—in announcements about community lunches, chair volleyball, and denominational meetings. While we love to talk about community, it often feels shallow and misses the deeper calling for followers of Jesus.

The audio for this week’s message can be found here: Grace Without Conditions - The Radical Love That Turns the World Upside Down

This week, we’re talking about a word that many of us have heard so often, it risks losing its impact. It’s a word we might hear in church, at dinner tables, and even during Olympic commentary—so much so that it can go in one ear and out the other.

That word is grace.

We often use words like “faith” and “belief” interchangeably, assuming we understand their full meaning. But what if there’s more to faith than we realize? What if our understanding is incomplete, even if we’ve been in church our whole lives?

This post dives into the rich meaning of faith, drawing insights from the Apostle Paul’s letters to the Galatians and Romans, and a book titled 15 New Testament Words of Life by Dr. Nijay Gupta.

We’re deep into our “Whispers of Grace” series, and today we’re tackling a powerful, perhaps unsettling, concept: the cross. More specifically, we’re exploring cruciformity – the idea of being formed to the way of the crucifixion. Sounds terrible, right? Jesus himself said, “If you’re going to follow me, every day you have to take up your cross.” This doesn’t exactly align with the “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life” sales pitch many of us heard when we first started walking with Jesus.

How do “wonderful plan” and “take up your cross daily” go together? It’s a tough question, and one we need to wrestle with. Our focus this morning, as we journey through these 15 New Testament words of life, is on First and Second Corinthians.

“You’re either with us, or against us.” This sentiment has been expressed by countless world leaders throughout history.

What comes to mind when you hear that phrase? For me, it’s Joshua asking the “commander of the Lord’s army,” “Are you for us, or for our enemies?” Others might recall President George W. Bush or then-Senator Hillary Clinton using a similar phrase after 9/11.

Every fall in Michigan, there’s what’s known as “hate week.” This is the one week a year when families are pitted against each other. On one side, you have the Maize and Blue; on the other, the Green and White. The week of the Michigan/Michigan State football game is always marked by heightened tribal loyalty. There’s mostly good-natured teasing and many stories shared about past games. Nearly everyone chooses a side.

This week, as we approach Memorial Day, our New Testament “word of life” is simply life. It’s fitting, perhaps, that as we honor those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom, we also reflect on what it truly means to live. While it might seem strategic to drop the word “life” on the Sunday before Memorial Day, sometimes, the divine calendar just works out!

Memorial Day is a complex day, isn’t it? It’s solemn, as we remember profound sacrifice, yet also a time of quiet rejoicing, knowing that lives were given so we might live freely and fully. This annual observance reminds us that life is costly and demands much from us.

“That’s not fair!”

“You’re cheating!”

How often have parents heard these declarations from their children? There’s an innate human drive toward fairness.

It’s a universally good feeling to be forgiven. We’ve all been there: that pit-in-your-stomach dread after you’ve messed up, the fear that a relationship might be over. But then you take that deep breath, make the call, own your mistake, and ask, “Will you please forgive me?” The moment hangs in the air, seemingly forever, until that sweet release: “Of course, I forgive you.” What an unbelievable feeling!

But here’s the flip side: How many of us genuinely like to forgive? Not many. We love to be forgiven, but we don’t necessarily like to give forgiveness. This often comes up in conversations among Christians, where the immediate reaction is, “If we just forgive people, we’ll become doormats!” Or, “Where’s the justice in that? These people wronged us; they need to be held accountable!” We invent all sorts of reasons to avoid forgiving, clinging to our grudges, even as we crave the grace of being forgiven ourselves.