by Peter James | Aug 2, 2024 | Gottfried Arnold
We romanticize the past. We tend to view historical events and periods through the lens of nostalgia and sentimentality. With this thought in mind, I am tempted to idealize the early church in my quest to find old prayers. My overly optimistic view of the early church...
by Peter James | Aug 1, 2024 | Augustine
Busyness has become a coveted status symbol in our time. It’s now chic and trendy to be busy. Busy has become the default response to the customary “How are you doing?” question. I suspect we talk about busyness so much because it gives us some...
by Peter James | Jul 31, 2024 | Johann Arndt
Johann Arndt (1555-1621) labored in obscurity in a small church in Germany. When his book True Christianity was published, he became something of a celebrity. His book was widely circulated throughout Europe, and some reformed colleagues became jealous of his fame....
by Peter James | Jul 30, 2024 | Gerhard Tersteegen
Gerhard Tersteegen (1697-1769) qualifies as a holy man. He lived in a small town along the Rhine River in Germany, eking out a modest living as a weaver. His only visitor was a girl who came daily to wind silk thread for him. He was, for five years, “deprived of...
by Peter James | Jul 29, 2024 | August Francke
It was Easter 1695, and August Hermann Francke (1663-1727) gathered the money that was left in the church collection boxes. He counted seven guldens, the equivalent of $2.80. He said to himself, “I will build a school for the poor with it.” He dedicated a...
