“I am told God loves me–and yet the reality of darkness & coldness & emptiness is so great that nothing touches my soul. Did I make a mistake in surrendering blindly to the Call of the Sacred Heart?” --Mother Teresa, http://time.com/4126238/mother-teresas-crisis-of-faith/ Faith is not an either/or proposition. People often have powerful faith without sensing … Continue reading Am I a Hypocrite?
Author: David Mercer
David Mercer is the author of the blogs: Deep Calls, Quick Drawls, and A Touch of Mercy. He has been a pastor, college professor, salesperson for children's clothing, substitute teacher, deli worker, and grocery store cashier. He is now a massage therapist at Mercer Massage,LLC.
Silent Reckoning
I finally admitted to myself that while I prayed constantly, God never answered back. No words came to me. The feelings I experienced were my own. And the events that happened after I prayed had only the meaning I attributed to them. It was painful. I had poured out my life in service to someone … Continue reading Silent Reckoning
Death and Dry Bones
I loved being a minister. The job fed my soul and drained it at the same time. I don’t think I can go back. I want to try to explain but it’s going to take some time. The following is just one of the reasons I’m done. The minister helps people cope with death. I’ve … Continue reading Death and Dry Bones
Bloody Love
“God so loved the world that he gave his only son….” The older I get, the less I can accept this idea. When my own sons were born, I discovered a depth of love that I didn’t know I had and I went a little crazy thinking about how to care for them. They’re grown … Continue reading Bloody Love
Is The Story of Jesus’ Resurrection True? You Decide
Mark’s gospel is the earliest account of Jesus’ life, and includes details left out in others' accounts. However, it comes to an abrupt end. Two days after Jesus was crucified, three women went to the tomb to attend to his body. When they arrived, they saw the stone rolled away from the entrance and a … Continue reading Is The Story of Jesus’ Resurrection True? You Decide
I Didn’t Kill Jesus
In recent years, this would have been a big week for me. Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday. For a few years, the town’s musicians, especially the high school students would do a Dixieland Jazz style concert on Saturday at our church. And then there was Easter Sunday with a Sunrise Service, breakfast, Egg … Continue reading I Didn’t Kill Jesus
Science and Religion
As a minister, who has been formally trained in theology and biblical texts, I've been sucked into the conflict between these two disciplines innumerable times and I'm sick of it. Anyone who insists that we should get our science from the Bible doesn't really understand the Bible, much less science. Anyone who discounts the … Continue reading Science and Religion
Where is Hope?
Hope lies within us. It is part of that soulful mix that weaves the events of life into a tapestry that can be beautiful. It’s a tapestry of our making. It isn’t waiting for us to discover it. It has to be composed with the raw elements of reality, using our creativity, optimism, and … Continue reading Where is Hope?
Watching the Violence
The little boy clenched his fists as he took on an unfamiliar fighter’s stance. His opponent was unworried, more experienced, and a LOT bigger. The little guy swung wildly. The big boy blocked it and countered with one hard blow to the belly that put his opponent down. The young crowd that had gathered to … Continue reading Watching the Violence
I’m not a Sinner. I’m a Person
I’m not a sinner. I’m a person. I posted this on Facebook and received some powerful reactions. My minister pals responded with gentleness and support. Other friends, though they were kind, equated my statement with total rejection of the Christian doctrine and it confused them to hear this coming from a pastor. Some cheered me … Continue reading I’m not a Sinner. I’m a Person
Deep Calls 