Category Archives: Christianity

TOO SMART FOR GOD Is Now Available!

My book, Too Smart for God, is now available in paperback or Kindle on Amazon.com. Here’s the description from the back of the book: Dave Simpson knew a lot of answers, but he didn’t know The Answer. A four-time Jeopardy! … Continue reading

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Car Theft and Ball Theft – A Story of Systemic Racism

Maybe this story of two incidents in the same week from my years as a Juvenile Probation Officer will help folks understand how structures and systems that perpetuate white privilege work, and why we need to work to change them: … Continue reading

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Why This Pastor Speaks about Racism

On Facebook, someone asked me why I posted about racism. Isn’t it a pastor’s job to be uplifting? Here is my response (slightly edited) . . . Racism is evil, even demonic. If followers of Christ do not confront evil, … Continue reading

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I’m Not Dead Yet!

It’s my anniversary! Not my wedding anniversary. That’s coming up on Monday. It’s the third anniversary of the day my body tried to kill me.  The third anniversary of a doctor in the ER saying, “You have bilateral pulmonary embolisms.” … Continue reading

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My Only Friend is Darkness – A Sermon about Depression, Anxiety and Mental Health

(Sermon preached at Christ Lutheran (ELCA) Church of Millersville, Maryland. You can see a video of the sermon here, – about 5:40 is the start of the sermon – or a podcast here.  The text is Psalm 88.) My only … Continue reading

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The Bible: God’s Word in Conversation with God’s People

The Bible is the Word of God. Sure. I agree with that. It’s in the constitutions of my denomination (ELCA) and its individual congregations: The canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the written Word of God. Inspired … Continue reading

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The Women Stayed – An Easter Sermon

(Sermon based on Matthew 28:1-10 preached at Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church of Millersville on Easter Sunday 2019. You can hear a podcast of the sermon here.) How many times have we heard it? How many times have I preached it? … Continue reading

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The First Christian Preacher – A Sermon about Mary Magdalene

(This is a sermon in our 10-week Wonder Women of Faith series.  This week’s Wonder Woman is Mary Magdalene. The sermon Scripture is John’s resurrection account, John 20:1-18. You can listen to a podcast of the sermon here.) How many of … Continue reading

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“It Is Very Biblical to Enforce the Law”

The Bible according to the Jeff Sessions/Sarah Sanders interpretation of Romans 13: – Hebrew women, including Moses’ mom, should’ve turned over their babies to the Egyptian authorities because of God’s “clear and wise command in Romans 13 to obey the … Continue reading

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“Into the Hand of a Woman” (Or, A Well-Placed Tent Peg)

(This is the second sermon in our 10-week Wonder Women of Faith series.  This week’s Wonder Women are Deborah and Jael. Their story is found in Judges 4 and 5, but the reading in worship was Judges 4:1-10. You can … Continue reading

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