Imagine a beautiful bell hanging high in a church tower. It has been carefully shaped and polished. But inside, one small piece is missing: the clapper, the piece that strikes the bell and gives it a voice. Everything is in place for the sound to travel across the town. Yet the bell remains silent. Armenian poet Paruyr Sevak offers a similar image of the home: “A home without children is like a bell without a clapper.” I believe this image speaks to the Church as well. We res

Today we celebrate the Independence Day of Armenia. I think of the independence of Armenia as a testimony, as a declaration that no power, no empire, no obstacle can erase the destiny God has placed on His people. It’s about God’s faithfulness. It’s about His hand guiding a nation through valleys, through fires, through long nights of captivity, and bringing them into the morning of new life. After nine hundred years without sovereignty, after centuries of oppression and stru

It is always a joy to be back in Chicago. Whenever I visit, I am reminded of the beauty and energy of this great city. One of the city’s most familiar landmarks is Cloud Gate, better known as “The Bean.” People gather around its polished surface to see themselves reflected alongside Chicago’s beautiful skyline. But the reflection is not always accurate. Depending on where you stand, you may appear taller, shorter, wider, or strangely curved. The image may be real, but it is d