'death' Tagged Posts

'death' Tagged Posts

Can a Christian be a Medium and Talk to the Dead?

A medium is someone who talks to the dead and relays messages back and forth between them and the living. What does the Bible say about mediums? Can a believer who loves and believes in Jesus be a medium? Is it okay to talk to the dead, especially a family member or loved one? Could a Christian use the power of talking to the dead for good? These are all important questions. God gives us answers in the Bible. While…

Walking with Others Through the Valley (Kim Findlay Story)

Content Warning: This post contains a story of loss and tragedy that may bother some. Fifteen years ago, I sat on a waiting room couch, frozen in fear as the doctor delivered devastating news. “The little girl’s daddy, he’ll be okay. The recovery will be long, but he’ll survive.” Time held its breath as my reality began to shift. “But the little girl? She’s not going to survive.” A few hours earlier, firefighters battled a blaze that engulfed our home,…

Faithful to the End – John Stott’s Last Week

When we talk about ‘whole-life discipleship’, often what we are referring to is every aspect of our lives – our work, play, volunteering, etc.  In other words, how can we live for Christ every day of the week.  But it also means every phase of our lives.  For example, living as a whole-life disciple will look very different for a freshman in college, as compared to someone in mid-life, or someone who’s recently retired. I recently heard someone share a…

Give Thanks in a Time of Trouble

Ok, I admit it. I’ve had a hard time getting excited about Thanksgiving this year. It’s not just the holiday itself, which will be different than any other in my lifetime. No, my challenge goes deeper than that. I don’t know how to get in the spirit of the day, to be genuinely thankful in a year that has brought so much difficulty, pain, and loss. I recently shared my struggle with a small group of friends over Zoom. I also…

Grief & Hope: Christian Books and Music for when a Loved One Dies

With the recent passing of my dad, I’ve been processing by reading books on death and listening to music that helps me grieve and worship. But even as I experience loss, those around me are losing their loved ones as well. This is why I am sharing some of the books and songs I’ve come across as a way to help (music playlist below). The books focus more on grieving the loss of brothers and sisters in Christ than those…

3/22/2020 Order of Worship ~ CHRIST OVER COVID

Jules Elie Delaunay created this painting in preparation for his 1869 painting, Plague in Rome (click the link to see the final masterpiece). According to the Minneapolis Institute for Art (MIA): The artist took inspiration from a passage in Jacobus de Voragine’s 13th-century ‘Golden Legend’, which describes how divine vengeance brought a plague to Rome. In the painting, plague-stricken figures lie in torment in the streets, while to the right, a good angel commands the bad angel to strike with…

Funeral Worksheet – Plan Your Own Christian Funeral

As a follow-up to Pastor Jonathan’s sermon, A Good and Faithful Death, please prayerfully think through and answer these questions: Do you want to be buried or cremated? Where do you want to be buried? What’s the goal of your funeral? What Bible passages would you like read or preached on?  What hymns or songs would you like sung or played? Who do you want to do your funeral? Are there any other specifics? If you would like to do…

A Garden Eulogy for Ernest Peterson

Ernest loved to garden. I have this memory of him that could be from one occasion or a combination of them, but the memory is him coming in through his back door from the garden. He’s wearing a small cap, a gardening apron that’s brown with dirt, he’s holding his gloves in one hand, his back is still bent from weeding and old age, but he has a grin on his face. He is happy. He’s been in his garden…