Posts by David Oliver
A RETURN TO NORMALCY
Catchy campaign slogans are not a recent development. During the 1920 presidential election Ohio senator Warren G. Harding struck a popular chord with his promise that, if he were elected, America would “return to normalcy.” Following the hardships brought on by the First World War, Americans longed for the peace and prosperity they remembered. The…
Read MoreThe Light of the World
The influence of Thomas Alva Edison’s inventions on American life – and on life around the world – was so profound that when he died in October, 1931 the suggestion was made to then-president Herbert Hoover that in tribute to the inventor the entire electrical system of the United States should be turned off for…
Read MoreAsserting Religious Liberty in the Face of Government Restriction: Thomas Helwys
The names William Bradford and William Brewster are familiar to Americans who know the story of the Mayflower pilgrims. These men led a daring group of British separatists across the Atlantic Ocean to settle an untamed wilderness in search of religious liberty. They were not seeking expansive estates or material prosperity. They wanted to live…
Read MoreContradictory Prayer
In 1987 a toddler from Texas named Jessica McClure somehow fell into a narrow abandoned well. She ended up wedged in place 22 feet down with her foot up against her head. The drama of “Baby Jessica” dragged on for two days as rescue workers labored to save her. Television crews spread to story to…
Read MoreConfined to Quarters
Following his bold testimony at the Diet of Worms, for his protection, friends had Martin Luther imprisoned in Wartburg Castle. Initially, he did not know who captured him or the place of his confinement. While the drama of the Reformation raged on in the world outside, Luther remained in seclusion for nearly a year. During…
Read MoreThe Crisis of Missions
(or, The Way God Can Use One Man) Uncle Tom’s Cabin first appeared in 1852 in serial form and was later published as a book, setting sales records. Its emotional portrayal of the suffering of black slaves in the south captured the attention of the country. A decade later, during the early days of the…
Read MoreOne Nation under ___ – How We Tell History Speaks about Us
Our church’s recent Christian Heritage Tour of Washington D.C. accomplished what I had hoped. Neither a vacation nor strictly a historical tour, the trip proved a genuinely spiritual experience. Our tour guide, Rev. Tim Schmig, calls the tours he leads of the nation’s capital “Stories in Stone” for good reason. As we visited monuments and…
Read MoreMissing Jesus
Early in my ministry a young lady who was a part of the same youth group I was back in high school visited my home. While I did not fully appreciate it at the time (I knew no different), when I was in high school the church I attended experienced something of a youth revival.…
Read MoreGrace of Many Colors, To Meet Every Need
Back when I was a college student I believe I possessed a fairly well developed sense of style. I was certainly no clothes horse. However, whether motivated by trying to fit in with my peers or perhaps hoping to look appealing to young ladies, I was always careful to dress in a way that was…
Read MoreWhat Brings Revival? — Moody’s Secret
Recently I have been reading the inspiring biography of evangelist Dwight L. Moody written by his son, William. During the last quarter of the 19th century, until his death in 1899, Moody preached on average to over 40,000 people per week – without the aid of modern electronic voice amplification. The descriptions of halls, opera…
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