This week, thirty-six St. John's Pilgrims stood on the Mount of Olives, looking across the Kidron Valley to the Holy City -- a breathtaking view to be sure. Down in the Old City, we walked the mile-long route of the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross) from the Antonia Fortress built by Herod the Great to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Anyone who tours here quickly learns that there are sometimes differences of opinion about where a particular event recounted in the Gospels act

Thank you for your prayers for all those that have been traveling through the Holy Land this past week. Yesterday we stood at the ancient Capernaum synagogue that was built on top of the one where Jesus himself preached (Luke 4: 31-41). But it was to be rivaled by a newly discovered first century synagogue in the home town of Mary Magdalene where Jesus most certainly placed his feet (Luke 8 :1-3). I had a physical and spiritual sensation of awe as I beheld it and then walk

We all get down. We all need support when we do. This hit me again last night when I heard about the death of Anthony Bourdain, the well known chef and host of CNN’s Parts Unknown. Why he took his own life was not clear, but the lack of hope and the experience of loneliness can often be a factor. We all need encouragement. There’s the encouragement we experience when we have partners who stand with us and thoughtfully affirm us. From a dank prison cell, Paul says to his

Last week I shared some reflections on the gift of encouragement. Even Paul got down, and perhaps especially as he sat in a prison cell. But that’s when the Philippians came in, literally. The church at Philippi was one that brought him great joy. They were true partners in the gospel; and so when Paul was put in prison, the Philippians wanted to be there for him too. They sent him a man named Epaphroditus who came to his prison to encourage him – with money and supplies