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The Bible is full of people who challenged the powers of their time. One of the clearest stories comes from the book of Daniel. When Israel was conquered by Babylon, many were carried off into exile. Among them was Daniel, a young man trained in the king’s court. The Babylonian ruler demanded loyalty. Statues were built. Commands were given to…

You may notice that at Hillside we bless all sorts of things: The communion bread and cup. Babies at baptism. People going and people leaving the congregation. Even backpacks at the start of a school year. But what does it mean to bless something? A blessing is not magic. It does not change the chemistry of bread or the fabric…

In the world of the New Testament, slavery was woven into daily life. Historians estimate that up to 40% of the Roman population lived in bondage. Almost anyone could become a slave by being captured in war, born to enslaved parents, or sold to pay a debt. Slaves were legally considered property, often called “living tools.” They could be bought,…

The New Testament does not give us a single Gospel. It gives us four. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John each tell the story of Jesus in ways that overlap, but they also differ. Sometimes the differences are striking. In Matthew, the Sermon on the Mount happens on a mountain. In Luke, it is on a plain. In John, Jesus clears…

Christians sometimes read the Old Testament as if its only purpose were to predict Jesus. Prophecies get flattened into fortune-telling. Psalms get read only as foreshadowing. Everything is treated like a teaser trailer for the main event. But the Hebrew scriptures are more than that. They were written by real communities, in real history, wrestling with exile, injustice, empire, and…

Early in the Bible, Israel lived in a world crowded with gods. Neighboring nations had storm gods, fertility gods, city gods, and household gods. The first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me,” only makes sense in that setting. It assumes those gods exist but calls Israel to worship Yahweh alone. That stage is called henotheism. Many gods…

It’s easy to forget, but Jesus never wrote a book. Not a letter. Not a scroll. Not even a creed. In a faith tradition so rooted in words and scripture, that’s a striking fact. Instead of writing things down, Jesus healed. He walked. He told stories. He shared meals. He wept. He wandered. He spoke truth to power and tenderness…

Let’s not sugarcoat it. Christianity has been used to prop up empires, justify oppression, and silence dissent. If you’re skeptical of church, you’ve got your reasons. But the heart of this thing was never power. Never control. Jesus gathered broke fishermen, tax cheats, and doubters. He fed outcasts. He healed people nobody else would touch. He stood up to the…

Not every act of faith is headline-worthy. Most aren’t. Most of the time, loving your neighbor looks like washing dishes without complaint, holding the door for a stranger, or sending a text to check in on someone who’s struggling. Jesus talked a lot about mustard seeds and sparrows and cups of cold water. Ordinary things. Tiny things. But in the…