Latest in News
CRUX: A Little Discomfort Goes a Long Way
The purpose of CRUX is to bring together an intercultural group of freshmen who commit to live, learn, and serve together for the academic year.
The Hard Work of Gratitude
’Tis the season to give thanks. It’s the time of year when we ask each other, “What are you thankful for?” And studies indicate that 78 percent of Americans say they felt strongly grateful in the past week.
The Sword Without the Spirit
A man in my hometown recently filed a lawsuit against the instructor of his sword-fighting class because, while demonstrating a particular move, the instructor accidentally stabbed him in the eye. When I read that story in the news, my first thought was, Oh, man, that would preach.
Obituary: Ed Hallsten Jr.
Retired Covenant minister Edwin (Ed) Ansgar Hallsten Jr. died Thursday, November 1. He was 87.
Latest in Features
Exile in Lebanon
Most of my days start with a mindless pattern of taking care of the basics: brush the teeth, shower, prepare, and relax with a nice cup of coffee. Then I decide what the day will be like. If tomorrow happens, I’ll repeat those mundane actions—unless there is a reason for a change. I give little thought to the possibility of my routines being unexpectedly disrupted.
Active Voice
Recently the Companion editors sat down with Kathy Khang to ask her about her new book and how it speaks into today’s national conversations.
Diagnosis Cancer
Cancer is the illness that seems to touch everyone—most of us have a friend or loved one who has traveled this journey. An experience with cancer often forces us to confront mortality and what matters in life while giving us time to consider those questions. These Covenanters graciously share a glimpse of their experience with “the big C.”
Poet’s Imagination Captivated by ‘Middle of Nowhere’
DAWSON, MN (October 15, 2018) – Poet Lauren Carlson was less than thrilled when her husband, Erik, graduated in 2010 from North Park Theological Seminary to accept a pastoral call at Dawson Covenant Church in this rural town of 1,400 […]
Latest in Commentary
The Sword Without the Spirit
A man in my hometown recently filed a lawsuit against the instructor of his sword-fighting class because, while demonstrating a particular move, the instructor accidentally stabbed him in the eye. When I read that story in the news, my first thought was, Oh, man, that would preach.
What Is a Reformation Church?
Last summer I worked my way through a massive biography of Thomas Cranmer, the archbishop of Canterbury during the reigns of Henry VIII, his ill-fated son Edward VI, and, briefly, Henry’s oldest daughter, Mary.
Communication for Dummies and Other Theological Truths
It’s no longer dawn in the digital age. We are well into the full heat of the day and the shadows of miscommunication grow long as the hours pass. I think back to the 1998 movie You’ve Got Mail.
Success. Can’t Find It? Don’t Grind It.
Sometimes preaching can have unintended consequences. I recently had the privilege of preaching through the David and Goliath story, and it illustrates an important distinction in biblical interpretation. Bible stories like that one can be either descriptive (describing the world and the Lord who created it) or prescriptive (instructive toward the way God’s people should behave). There are strong elements of both in 1 Samuel 17.