Author: Jon Gauger

Many deemed last week’s election “the most important of our time.” We Christians said/heard that over and over. But whether you loved—or loathed—the results, there's a much more critical initiative whose outcome is yet to be determined. I’m not talking about the House of Representatives. I’m talking about your house. And mine. I’m referring to America’s need for revival—which always begins at home. Clearly, no political power can bring that about. Nor can any federal program save us from decadence and deadness. We need revival, plain and simple. The only question is, do we see the desperation we are in—and…

Fall is a sober spin on beauty. When out for a walk, I never tire of fingering brightly colored leaves in my hand. The hues are so intense that they seem more like a Photoshop project gone wild than a display of unedited nature. But even as I cradle those leaves in my palm, I’m reminded of beauty’s brevity. Were I to scoop up any of those leaves and take them home, by nightfall, they would be curled, and by the following day, their intensity faded. Whether a sunset, a full moon, or a newborn's face, beauty is fleeting. You…

At the age of 17, he was arrested and sent off to Buchenwald, a Nazi concentration camp in east-central Germany. Eric was sure his fate would be no different than the other 55 thousand who were shot, starved, or hung there. But he survived and was liberated by American troops in April of 1945. Fast forward to 1948. Eric was now 21, and the brand-new nation of Israel was fighting a war for its survival against invading forces from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. With the fire of the Holocaust still burning in his heart, Eric enlisted in…

America might be the land of the free. But it is also the land of the loud. Research shows that 37% of rock musicians have experienced measurable hearing loss. While hearing damage begins at about 100 decibels, rock concerts routinely clock in between 110 and 120 decibels. And many of our churches are not much better in the volume department. My beef, though, is not so much with how loud we get but how silent we don’t get. I submit that most evangelical churches (and those of us who attend them) are somehow uncomfortable with silence. Fast and loud is…

In the last month, I’ve been privileged to participate in two remarkable reunions. The first was with my Junior High band director, now in his upper 80s. Then came an invitation to participate in a “Marching Mustangs” high school band event. Our high school band director, also in his late 80s, flew in from Arizona, and we had dinner together. Then, we alumni rehearsed with the current band, marched out onto the field, and played the school fight song for the homecoming game. Under the bright lights, it felt like a time warp—like I was back decades ago. What a…

I suffer from an addiction. Books. I love the way they look, the way they feel—even the way they smell. I cannot pass up a bookstore, book stall, or library without perusing. And my biggest distraction at any airport is the spinning rack or sprawling stack of books. Don’t get me wrong. A Kindle is fun—and mighty handy. But there’s something profound about cradling a beautifully crafted volume. Likely, that’s why Psalm 139:16 arrested my attention. David writes, “Your eyes have seen my formless substance; and in Your book were written all the days that were ordained for me when…

Do you merely dislike sin—or do you hate sin? The question is about much more than semantics. In Psalm 101:3, David pledges, “I will set no worthless thing before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me.” Notice that David didn’t say he “disliked” sin. The word here is hate. And God uses that same word—hate—to describe a long list of sins He despises. The big deal? When we simply “dislike” sin, we inevitably tolerate it—and even toy with it. It gains a toehold, if not a foothold, in our lives….

The immersive green textures drenched us in beauty as the tractor hauled us deeper into the woods. I suggested to five-year-old Emma that we have a “looking party,” pausing to notice and thank God for all His creation. We did. But why isn’t this a way of life for us grownups? I’m convinced there’s a price we pay for not really looking. First, we cease to be thankful. Second, we cease even to notice the magic. Doubt my claim? When was the last time you looked up at the sliver-cratered moon of ours and whispered, “Praise God!” Do we see those…

Are you a conversational narcissist? Most of us are good talkers but lousy listeners. So, here’s how to know if your conversations are consistently more about you than anyone you’re talking with: Most of us love to talk more than listen. That’s garden variety selfishness. But conversational narcissists are me-monster addicts. They’ve never encountered a chat that couldn’t become all about them. Protest all you like, but if that’s really you, your friends and family already know. I’m reading a book called How to Listen with Intention. Author Patrick King points out, “Conversational narcissism may look on its surface like…

If you think of an Oscar Meyer hotdog as nothing less than an assault on good nutrition, you can skip this blog. But if you hold a soft spot in your heart, a place on your palate—and your plate—for hot dogs, prepare to be amused. Those yellow-band packaged Oscar Mayer hotdogs go back to 1929. Sales grew steadily even throughout the depression, and Oscar Mayer became a household name. With commercial success, brand recognition, and the 1936 introduction of the kitschy Weinermobile, the company lacked but one thing: a catchy jingle. So, in 1963, Oscar Meyer sponsored a national contest…