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Archive for the Peacemaking Category


What Matters Most? Second Lenten Sermon Manuscript and Video

The agendas of life constantly compete for our attention, forcing us to ask: “What matters most?” Both scripture and the example of Jesus teach us that relationships—with God and others—are what matters most.  This sermon is about the God who relates to us (we call that grace), so that we might relate to God (we […]

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Weep With Those Who Weep

Shortly after beginning my pastoral ministry in my first congregation, Jean, the chair of the Search Committee who had brought me to that church approached me in a fit of rage.  She was angry that I had forgot to observe some congregational tradition that I knew nothing about.  As she spoke, her face turn bright […]

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The Churches’ Prequel

The sermon below was preached on June 15, 2014, by Dr. Bill Nieporte, at the Patterson Avenue Baptist Church in Richmond, VA.  You can watch the video and/or read the manuscript below. Whenever you visit a blog, be kind to the blog publisher.  If you find a post helpful, inspirational, or even a bit controversial, PLEASE SHARE […]

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Find Peace

When I began preparing this sermon, I gave it the titled:  FINDING PEACE.   The thought was that the text (John 20:19-31) offered clues for our fearful and distraught people could find peace in Jesus Christ.  The problem was that this approach to the text made peace a commodity of sorts – something that we had […]

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Sentimental or Loving – from William Sloane Coffine

In his book, CREDO, Bill Coffin writes: To show compassion for an individual without showing concern for the structures of society that make him an object of compassion is to be sentimental rather than loving.

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What does it mean when I say I am a pacifist?

What does it mean to be a pacifist?  As a Christian, it means that I trust in God. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.”  Psalm 20:7 I believe that Pacifism is a reasonable and rational response to the basic doctrines of the […]

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What’s Happening In The Church

A church in my community recently fired its pastor.  It was a small number of folks who spearheaded the effort.  It’s a big church – or it was.  One hundred families have left that congregation since this action. Another congregation has lost significant numbers because a conflict between a Senior Pastor and his staff resulted […]

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Live At Peace With Others

Yesterday I posted a blog about the ONEness of God.  It spoke about the experience of relationship within the Trinity.  Today I feel inspired to write a bit about the implications of God’s ONEness (unity of the Godhead) and what that might say about our experience of relationship with one another as human beings under […]

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Peace and Civility Pledge

The following pledge from Sojourners seems a fair and biblical statement to make, in light of the recent discourse before and after the recent masss shooting in Arizona.  It cast blame on nobody – but calls on Christians to communicate in respectful and loving ways.  I hope that those on the left, the right, and […]

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The Rightous Branch

Read Isaiah 11:1-9 – Those of you who have visited our nation’s capital are aware that throughout that city, there are several statues of national and world leaders. Each statue faces the national Capitol as a symbol of honor and respect for the great power of our nation. In front of the Wesley Theological Seminary, […]

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