Dane Lewis – Page 7 – River's Edge Community Church

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So far Dane Lewis has created 794 blog entries.

Loving God and Loving Others, Part 2

Loving God and Loving Others, Part 2

This sermon is based on Romans 13:8-10. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A Series Overview: There are all sorts of theologies. There’s systematic theology, biblical theology, historical theology and practical theology. There is Reformed theology, Lutheran theology, Wesleyan theology, Charismatic theology and Catholic theology. There is Continental theology, feminist theology, African theology, Liberation theology and Asian theology. And we could go on, but that is not the point. So, let me ask you this: Is theology for the head, for the heart, for the feet, or for the mouth? In other words, is theology primarily for believing, for feeling, for doing or for talking? Now, if you answered all of the above, you might be on to something. See, for our theology to be any good for us and for others, it has to be a livable theology. It has to be something

Not a Core Strength

Not a Core Strength

Let’s play two truths and a lie. Here we go: I was told by my first-grade teacher that I would never be a good reader. I was told by a superior that I had a lazy tongue and should reconsider my career. I was told by one of my high-school teachers that I was the worst speller he had ever seen. So, which one is the lie? Okay, I lied. All three are true (one I proved mistaken, but the other two were significantly on target—but you will have to guess which is which). Okay, new game. After learning about what these people said to me, which one comment do you and I have in common? Does it concern poor reading, poor speaking, or poor spelling? Okay, I lied. It was a trick question. We don’t have any of these specific criticisms in common. What we do have in common is that someone is routinely saying negative

Loving God and Loving Others, Part 1

Loving God and Loving Others, Part 1

This sermon is based on Matthew 22:34-40. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A Series Overview: There are all sorts of theologies. There’s systematic theology, biblical theology, historical theology and practical theology. There is Reformed theology, Lutheran theology, Wesleyan theology, Charismatic theology and Catholic theology. There is Continental theology, feminist theology, African theology, Liberation theology and Asian theology. And we could go on, but that is not the point. So, let me ask you this: Is theology for the head, for the heart, for the feet, or for the mouth? In other words, is theology primarily for believing, for feeling, for doing or for talking? Now, if you answered all of the above, you might be on to something. See, for our theology to be any good for us and for others, it has to be a livable theology. It has to be something

How to Win the War

How to Win the War

How do you win a war? You might think that the answer is found in a superior army, a greater air force and a better navy. Or maybe advanced weapons turn the tide or perhaps its financial resources that win the day? None of your answers are even close to the truth! To discover the secret of successful warfare, you need to embrace the Liechtenstein strategy. In 1866, the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia went to war. Liechtenstein allied themselves with Austria and sent 80 soldiers to tilt the war in their favor. The Austrians deployed these soldiers to guard a key highway between Austria and Italy (Italy was a Prussian pawn). One month and eight days later, the war ended (!), and the Liechtenstein army returned home to world applause. Not only was no one wounded or injured during the campaign, but while they left with 80

Living Sacrifices

Living Sacrifices

This sermon is based on Romans 12:1-2. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A Series Overview: There are all sorts of theologies. There’s systematic theology, biblical theology, historical theology and practical theology. There is Reformed theology, Lutheran theology, Wesleyan theology, Charismatic theology and Catholic theology. There is Continental theology, feminist theology, African theology, Liberation theology and Asian theology. And we could go on, but that is not the point. So, let me ask you this: Is theology for the head, for the heart, for the feet, or for the mouth? In other words, is theology primarily for believing, for feeling, for doing or for talking? Now, if you answered all of the above, you might be on to something. See, for our theology to be any good for us and for others, it has to be a livable theology. It has to be something

If You Don’t Know Where You Are Going. . . .

If You Don’t Know Where You Are Going. . . .

One of my favorite episodes in the old TV series, The X-Files, was aptly named “Humbug.” The plot was easy enough to follow. The agents are called to investigate a strange murder in a Florida town inhabited by sideshow performers. And while the whodunit is fun (was it the Fiji Mermaid, the Dog-Faced Boy or one of the other people from the town?), the real story (at least for me) focused on one of the sideshow characters named Dr. Blockhead. Now, Dr. Blockhead was in pursuit of spiritual enlightenment by any means possible. One of the key scenes is when Scully found him torturing himself by being suspended by large hooks that ripped away at his flesh. When he saw that Scully could not grasp what he was doing, he explained: “It's a variation of a Native American sun dance ritual. I suspend myself by these hooks, and the pain

Living Church

Living Church

This sermon is based on Acts 2:42-47. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A Series Overview: There are all sorts of theologies. There’s systematic theology, biblical theology, historical theology and practical theology. There is Reformed theology, Lutheran theology, Wesleyan theology, Charismatic theology and Catholic theology. There is Continental theology, feminist theology, African theology, Liberation theology and Asian theology. And we could go on, but that is not the point. So, let me ask you this: Is theology for the head, for the heart, for the feet, or for the mouth? In other words, is theology primarily for believing, for feeling, for doing or for talking? Now, if you answered all of the above, you might be on to something. See, for our theology to be any good for us and for others, it has to be a livable theology. It has to be something

How Can I Look It Up When I Can’t Spell It?

How Can I Look It Up When I Can’t Spell It?

True story. My parents had a friend who had made several bad life choices, and things were not looking up; but he had figured out a sure-fire solution to change that. Back in the day, if you were not a good speller, you were sunk. There was only one course of action: If you didn’t know how to spell a word, you had to look it up in the dictionary. But to many, that only added insult to injury: If you didn’t know how to spell it, how could you find it in a dictionary? Our friend had a solution. He created a dictionary of misspelled words. He figured out every possible way a word could be misspelled, wrote those words down phonetically and then put them in his own dictionary. It took years to put it together, but he figured it would sell like hätˌkākes. Unfortunately, right before he

Living Out Our Election

Living Out Our Election

This sermon is based on Ephesians 2:8-10. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A Series Overview: There are all sorts of theologies. There’s systematic theology, biblical theology, historical theology and practical theology. There is Reformed theology, Lutheran theology, Wesleyan theology, Charismatic theology and Catholic theology. There is Continental theology, feminist theology, African theology, Liberation theology and Asian theology. And we could go on, but that is not the point. So, let me ask you this: Is theology for the head, for the heart, for the feet, or for the mouth? In other words, is theology primarily for believing, for feeling, for doing or for talking? Now, if you answered all of the above, you might be on to something. See, for our theology to be any good for us and for others, it has to be a livable theology. It has to be something

What Are We to Make of All This?–Part 2

What Are We to Make of All This?–Part 2

It was hockey heaven. In February 2025, four nations faced off against each other to decide which country was the supreme hockey power in the world. Sweden, Finland, Canada and the US all sent their best players to Montreal to play for hockey glory. And it was glorious. It was fast. It was offense. It was defense. It was unbelievable goaltending. It was physical. It was everything they had versus everything the other team had, and it was breathtaking. There was not a minute that disappointed. And at the end, it all came down to who had the biggest heart, who had the indomitable will to win and who refused to give up. And it all came down to overtime in the gold-medal game between Canada and the US. And it was absolutely spectacular. Why? Because we all love a great finish (even if the Finns weren’t in the game!). Today,

Living by Grace in a Sin-Filled World

Living by Grace in a Sin-Filled World

This sermon is based on Ephesians 2:1-5. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A Series Overview: There are all sorts of theologies. There’s systematic theology, biblical theology, historical theology and practical theology. There is Reformed theology, Lutheran theology, Wesleyan theology, Charismatic theology and Catholic theology. There is Continental theology, feminist theology, African theology, Liberation theology and Asian theology. And we could go on, but that is not the point. So, let me ask you this: Is theology for the head, for the heart, for the feet, or for the mouth? In other words, is theology primarily for believing, for feeling, for doing or for talking? Now, if you answered all of the above, you might be on to something. See, for our theology to be any good for us and for others, it has to be a livable theology. It has to be something

What Are We to Make of All This?–Part 1

What Are We to Make of All This?–Part 1

Imagine you’re playing a very serious game of Clue. You’re wearing a fedora with the brim pulled down low, and every five minutes you say something that you hope sounds like Humphrey Bogart. You may even be packing heat. You’ve played the game well, and you are zeroing in on who-done-it. You know where the dirty deed was done and you know how it was done, but you’re not sure who did it. It could either be Professor Plum or Miss Scarlet. It is your turn. The good news is you’re holding the “library” and the “lead pipe” cards so you can play them to smoke out your culprit. In your best Humphrey, you snarl, “Library, lead pipe, Professor Plum.” No matter what happens, you will soon know which of your suspects did it. The woman to your right shows you a “Professor Plum” card. You give her a little smirk and say your favorite

Two Central Living Mysteries

Two Central Living Mysteries

This sermon is based on John 1:1-18. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A Series Overview: There are all sorts of theologies. There’s systematic theology, biblical theology, historical theology and practical theology. There is Reformed theology, Lutheran theology, Wesleyan theology, Charismatic theology and Catholic theology. There is Continental theology, feminist theology, African theology, Liberation theology and Asian theology. And we could go on, but that is not the point. So, let me ask you this: Is theology for the head, for the heart, for the feet, or for the mouth? In other words, is theology primarily for believing, for feeling, for doing or for talking? Now, if you answered all of the above, you might be on to something. See, for our theology to be any good for us and for others, it has to be a livable theology. It has to be something

Mark This Down, Part 2

Mark This Down, Part 2

“I can tell which way the wind blows,’ said Tom vainly, “and I am sure that, since Part 1 started off with Tom Swiftie puns, Part 2 will do the same!” Well, Tom was right. Here are eight more puns that you can soon mark as read. “I am a lot taller than I was yesterday,” Tom said gruesomely. “Boy, that is an ugly hippopotamus!” Tom said hypocritically. “The doctor had to remove my left ventricle,” said Tom half-heartedly. “The exit is right there,” Tom pointed out. “Let’s watch Star Wars!” Tom said forcefully. “I have a BA in social work,” Tom said with a degree of concern. “3.14159265,” Tom said piously. “I dropped my toothpaste!” Tom said crestfallen. Mark this down, after weeks of looking at a theology of demons from books of the Second Temple period and trying to ascertain where demons originated, what maladies they could inflict, how

A Living Word

A Living Word

This sermon is based on Hebrews 1:1-4. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A Series Overview: There are all sorts of theologies. There’s systematic theology, biblical theology, historical theology and practical theology. There is Reformed theology, Lutheran theology, Wesleyan theology, Charismatic theology and Catholic theology. There is Continental theology, feminist theology, African theology, Liberation theology and Asian theology. And we could go on, but that is not the point. So, let me ask you this: Is theology for the head, for the heart, for the feet, or for the mouth? In other words, is theology primarily for believing, for feeling, for doing or for talking? Now, if you answered all of the above, you might be on to something. See, for our theology to be any good for us and for others, it has to be a livable theology. It has to be something

Mark This Down, Part 1

Mark This Down, Part 1

You either hate or love Tom Swiftie puns. If you hate them, I am sorry. If you love them, well, as Tom said right before he flipped the switch, “You will be delighted.” Here are some of the classics: “‘Where are my pants?’ asked Tom briefly.” “‘These lines keep intersecting,’ Tom said crossly.” “‘I like ragged margins,’ said Tom without justification.” “‘Don’t try to pull the wool over my eyes,’ Tom said sheepishly.” “‘I’ve got a new watch,’ Tom said with abandon.” “‘I’m tired of boat rides,’ Tom said sternly.” “‘I’ve been waiting to see the doctor,’ said Tom patiently.” For the last few weeks, we’ve been trying to ascertain how people in Jesus’ day (and even how Jesus himself) perceived demons. We’ve consulted the “Book of the Watchers” (3rd century BCE), the “Book of Jubilees” (2nd century BCE) and the “Dead Sea Scrolls” (1st century BCE); and all of them

A Livable Theology

A Livable Theology

This sermon begins our new series and is based on John 17:1-3. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A Series Overview: There are all sorts of theologies. There’s systematic theology, biblical theology, historical theology and practical theology. There is Reformed theology, Lutheran theology, Wesleyan theology, Charismatic theology and Catholic theology. There is Continental theology, feminist theology, African theology, Liberation theology and Asian theology. And we could go on, but that is not the point. So, let me ask you this: Is theology for the head, for the heart, for the feet, or for the mouth? In other words, is theology primarily for believing, for feeling, for doing or for talking? Now, if you answered all of the above, you might be on to something. See, for our theology to be any good for us and for others, it has to be a livable theology.

Seeking Advice from the Dead

Seeking Advice from the Dead

You need to know the context. Last Sunday, my sermon introduction was a dud. I talked about a question that I had heard years before that had plagued me ever since. The question was: Suppose you’ve been given an elephant. You can’t give it away or sell it. What would you do with the elephant?” I said that we would go to a store, buy a big umbrella and head to the beach. The response was underwhelming. It was my fault. No one knew the context. They didn’t know that originally my sermon was too long which necessitated me hacking away at my introduction. There were originally two other questions. They were cut. Originally, I told people these were questions innovative employers used to interview prospective employees. This fact was cut. All I left in was the question about the elephant. No context. No framework. No understanding. Worse, no Super

Making Racism Personal

Making Racism Personal

This sermon is based on James 2:8-11 . You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A Series Overview: Many people believe that the best way to read the Bible is to keep it at arms’ length. After all, any distance between them and having to do what the Bible says has to be a good thing. See, they prefer knowing and being rather than actually doing. We are, as Kierkegaard said, “a bunch of scheming swindlers” preferring to look the part of a Christian instead of literally putting what Jesus says into practice. But there is another way. Here’s the starting point: We need to take what Jesus says and make it personal.

The Evil Down Jubilee Street

The Evil Down Jubilee Street

It seems that demons are everywhere in the movies. You could even say that they are one of the rare things that occupy both Hollywood and the church equally! Consider these popular movies which “star” demons. We have The Omen, The Reckoning, and The Ring. We have Rosemary’s Baby, Jennifer’s Body and Jacob’s Ladder. Exorcisms are very popular in the movies. We have: The Exorcism, The Last Exorcism, The Exorcism of Emily Rose and My Best Friend’s Exorcism. And let’s not forget demon movies that have developed into series. Two will have to do. First, we have The Evil Dead (an ancient Sumerian text conjures up seven movies and a TV series) and second, consider The Conjuring (three films in the original series, three more featuring Annabelle, two more featuring the Nun and one that features La Llorona—that’s a lot of conjuring!). Apparently, demon movies like one-word titles: Insidious, Sinister,