Bret Hammond

As a child, I never understood what the fuss of Easter was about. I simply accepted that once a year, we colored eggs, there was chocolate, and a basket with a few gifts showed up. Oh, and there was that Easter grass . . . that stuff got everywhere! As I grew into faith, Easter took on meaning. I remember the first Easter after I said "yes" to Jesus. I attended all the services: Maundy Thursday, G...

I never realized the phrase "thoughts and prayers" was viewed with disdain by some people. But, of course, it's easy for me to get defensive about that—prayer has become my first response to tragedy. The problem is, for many of us, prayer is also our last response. We're seldom moved beyond prayer to sacrifice, give, and reach out to those who are hurting. We don't give "thoughts and prayers" a se...

One of the first things I remember being taught as a child was my home address. I could rattle it off perfectly long before I started school. My parents thought it was vital to know my address if I ever got lost. Chances are someone who loved you taught you The Lord's Prayer a long time ago. They wanted you to know it by heart for those moments when you needed to pray and even needed to find your...

It's been a tough week for me. First, some difficult decisions have led to significant changes at Lincoln Christian University, a place I dearly love. Lincoln has been a massive part of my life and faith, and I find myself grieving. On top of that, the news from Ukraine has me praying for peace but anticipating the worst and concerned about those who find themselves in harm's way. I recognize with...

Norwegian preacher, teacher, and theologian Ole Kristian Hallesby was not known as a man who backed down from his beliefs. He spent two years in a concentration camp for speaking out against the Nazi occupation of Norway. The strength that sustained him was not found in his intellect or personal convictions. Instead, it was found in the time he spent in prayer. He wrote, "Prayer is the conduit thr...

6.5 million dollars will buy you a thirty-second commercial during tonight's Super Bowl. You can bet that at 6.5 million, every word has been carefully chosen for impact and engagement. We will talk about some of those ads for weeks to come. In Matthew 6:7, Jesus warns of those who, in their prayers, believe they will be "heard for their many words." While they would not have understood the value...

The word for the day is “Labyrinthine.” It is the tendency to make things overly complicated or convoluted. I love that “Labyrinthine” does exactly what it defines! It’s quite anfractuous, don’t you think? Preachers tend to make things far more labyrinthine than necessary (See what I mean?). We add unnecessary complications to faith and following Jesus. We even have ways to complicate prayer! But,...

Jerry Seinfeld once noted that most people's number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. This means that the average funeral attendee would feel more comfortable being the person in the casket than the person delivering the eulogy. Moses would have preferred the casket. In Exodus 4:10, he cries out to God, "I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant...

Carolyn “Sue” Parker, age 78, of Kansas, IL passed away at 2:50 p.m. on Wednesday, January 19, 2022 at The Gibson Family Center for Hospice Care, Terre Haute, IN after a long, hard-fought battle with frontotemporal dementia. She was born on October 30, 1943 in Union Center, IL, the daughter of Roy Clifford Black & Edith Fern Black (Lilly). On April 21, 1962 she married the love of her life, Terry...

Parents ask a question that prompts an almost universal response in children. You witness a toddler holding a strange item, and you ask, “What’s that in your hand?” A heartbeat later, the toddler takes off running! I remember for Megan, that item was often the television remote; for Connor, it’s more than likely a fork full of food. Either way, ask, “What’s that in your hand?” and the chase is on!...

It seems to have become a daily occurrence on Facebook. You sign in and find a friend request from someone who is already a friend. What do you do? Delete it, report it to Facebook, or send a message to your actual friend asking, "Is this really you?" In Exodus 3, Moses encounters God at the burning bush. In verse 13, he asks a question that's akin to, "Is this really you?" He asks God for his nam...

Are you familiar with "Imposter Syndrome?" It's that little voice inside your head that loves to tell you, "you're a fake, a phony, and one day everyone is going to figure you out. You can't fool them forever." Do you ever hear that voice inside your head? I love what Adam Grant says about Imposter Syndrome. "Imposter syndrome is a paradox. Others believe in you but you don't believe in yourself....

One of our favorite songs at Kansas Christian Church is "Holy Ground." When we sing it, I can look around the room and watch as my friends become acutely aware of the presence of God. We sing the line, "And I know there are angels all around," and I genuinely believe we do. The song builds off several Bible passages, most notably Moses' encounter with God through the burning bush. But while our so...

It's the day after Christmas. So what's left to do other than put away the tree and toss out the used wrapping paper? We've spent a month working ourselves up for the big event, and now it's time to put it all behind us, right? At the end of Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol," after Scrooge's transformation, we read, "And it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if an...

"Fear not!" Those words, spoken by the angel Gabriel to a young girl named Mary, are followed with words of incredible value. "For you have found favor with God." With those words, any fear of judgment or condemnation was assuaged. This was a message of grace, and God's grace banishes the fear of judgment. Those around us need to know there is favor to be found with God. Instead, they spend their...

When we were first married, Trish bought us a beautiful porcelain nativity with many pieces. It has camels, a donkey, all three wise men, and a smattering of shepherds. There is a problem, though. Every year when I set the pieces out, I have to wonder, "Is this a shepherd . . . or is it Joseph?" I admit there's been more than one year when I've mistaken Joseph for a shepherd and vise versa. Joseph...

It has often been said that the most common command in the Bible is "Fear not." But what amazes me is how often those words appear in the Christmas story. "Fear not" is spoken to the shepherds by the angels, Mary by Gabriel, and Joseph in a dream. But before those words are spoken of Jesus' birth, they're said to Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist. But it's not just "fear not." Zechariah is...

Thanksgiving is coming. Every November, people on Facebook spend the month sharing what's on their list of things they're thankful for. Those posts often cause me to realize that I'm thankful for the same things! Their giving thanks literally gives ME thanks! Giving is like that, whether it's thanksgiving or caregiving, or simply giving to support someone's need. Our gift has a far more significan...

There are verses from our Bibles that find their way to our refrigerator doors. We put them there to remind us of their truth or promises. Philippians 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice," might be one of them. It's a great reminder of God's call to rejoice despite our circumstances. But the verses immediately before this call to rejoice likely won't find their way to our r...

There are people on your list and people on mine, those who showed you what it truly means to be a Christian. Through their kindness, they demonstrated the love and compassion of Jesus. They made the life of faith seem possible and within your grasp. If they could do it, you could do it! In Philippians 3:17, Paul writes, "keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us." S...

My priorities changed at 3:53 this morning. A little girl named Ruby came into the world, and I want to do everything I can to know her. But, to do that, some things that used to be important will have to be laid aside, and other things that previously weren't important to me will have to be taken up, like being known as "grandpa." I hear something of my change of priorities in the words of Paul f...

The Beatles told us they get by with a little help from their friends. A generation earlier, Cole Porter told us friendship is just the perfect blendship. Then my generation came along, and we were stuck with Michael W. Smith telling us friends are friends forever, which we sang at every campfire on the last day of church camp. The song lasted longer than most of those friendships (or it felt like...

It's a standard movie trope; we've seen it over and over again. The hero stands over an active bomb while the timer counts down to zero. He looks at the wires before him and asks over his phone, "Do I cut the red wire or the green wire?" His hands shake as he closes his eyes, hopes for the best, and snips the black wire. (The hero might be colorblind) "Fear and trembling" describe those moments as...

"Make my joy complete." What could someone else do for you that would make your joy complete? Pay off your debt? Buy you a new home? Make sure your favorite team finally won? Whatever it is that would make your joy complete says a lot about what you've got your heart set on. Paul wrote to the Philippians, "complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of...

We're fascinated with famous last words. Everything from the inspiring, like Todd Beamer's recital of the Lord's Prayer followed by "Let's roll," to the ironic, like Union General Jon Sedgwick, whose last words were, "They couldn't hit an elephant at this dist—." Will our last words reflect the faith that sees us to death? The Bible doesn't record Paul's last words, but we would imagine them to be...