(Originally written for The Baldwin Bulletin: Pastor's Column February 3, 2021) But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-15) There are probably differences between you and I when it comes to how we see the world. What we pay attention to, what really gets us going likely is not always the same. We may watch or read different news sources. We may think differently when it comes to politics or theology or social matters. We participate in different aspects of community life, associate with different people, and choose to invest our time, energy, and money into different things.
Reflections of a Reformed pastor on the labor of ministry and how faith in God changes everything