Lynne Baab • Wednesday October 21 2020
Back in the 1990s, I used to teach for a program called Perspectives on the World Christian Movement. I was assigned one of the 15 lessons, and I travelled to different churches around the Northwest to teach my lesson. When I would tell friends the title of my lesson – “the biblical basis of mission in the Old Testament” – they would often say, “What? There’s mission in the Old Testament?”
To help my students get beyond that perspective, I would begin the class session by reading them Psalm 96, asking them to count the references to the whole world. They came...
Read full article »Lynne Baab • Wednesday May 27 2020
I have always loved the passages in the Bible where the whole creation is encouraged to praise God. Psalm 96:11-12 is one example:
“Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it. Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD.”
If I were writing these words at this time, I would add something like “because you, beautiful creation, have become a lifeline for so many people during this pandemic. You reflect God’s creativity and beauty. You speak to us of timelessness and of...
Read full article »Lynne Baab • Thursday April 23 2020
Last week I was talking with a friend in New Zealand about the huge soothing power of nature in these strange days. Because the Southern Hemisphere is experiencing fall right now, she talked about the joy of trees with red and yellow leaves. I raved about the yellow and white tulips in our yard that we have been bringing inside to enjoy.
Our local newspaper had an article a few days ago entitled, “Here’s a mental health tip to get you through coronavirus quarantine: Find tranquility in nature.” The subhead of the paper edition said, “To get past this crisis, tap into...
Read full article »Lynne Baab • Friday March 6 2020
When I think of what has happened in the 50 years since the first Earth Day, I feel deep gratitude and profound grief. And when I think of this gorgeous fragile earth which reflects the beauty of its Creator, I also feel deep gratitude and profound grief.
I am grateful for Rachel Carson, whose 1962 book Silent Spring alerted the world to the dangers of synthetic pesticides. Silent Spring was one of the triggers for the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. I’m grateful that the first Earth Day was supported by both Democrats and Republicans, and more than 20 million...
Read full article »Lynne Baab • Sunday August 9 2020
(Originally published inHorizons: The Magazine of Presbyterian Women. May/June 2019, 11-14.Lynne Baab • Sunday August 9 2020
(Originally published in Presbyterians Today, July/August 2019, 8.)Lynne Baab • Sunday August 9 2020
Originally published in Tui Motu InterIslands, Independent Catholic Magazine, New Zealand, September 2017, 26, 27.
Lynne M. Baab, Ph.D., is a teacher and writer. She has written numerous books and Bible study guides. Lynne lives in Seattle, and you can contact her at LMBaab [at] aol [dot] com. Read more »
Lynne is pleased to announce the release of her book on midlife, A Renewed Spirituality: Finding Fresh Paths at Midlife, for kindle. Her 2018 book is Nurturing Hope: Christian Pastoral Care for the Twenty-First Century, and her best-selling book is Sabbath-Keeping: Finding Freedom in the Rhythms of Rest. You can see her many other book titles here, along with her Bible study guides.
Lynne was interviewed recently for the podcast "As the Crow Flies". The first episode focuses on why listening matters and the second one on listening skills.
A few years ago, Lynne spoke at a conference for preachers and others in ministry on "Spiritual Practices for Preachers" (recorded as a video on YouTube). The talk is relevant to anyone in ministry and focuses on how to draw near to God simply as a child of God as well as engaging in spiritual practices for the sake of ministry.
Here are two talks Lynne gave on listening (recorded in audio form on YouTube): Listening for Mission and Ministry and Why Listening Matters for Mission and Ministry.
Here's a sermony by Lynne on Reverent Submission, where she tries to reclaim the word "submission," which has a bad rap in our time.
"Lynne's writing is beautiful. Her tone has such a note of hope and excitement about growth. It is gentle and affirming."
— a reader
"Dear Dr. Baab, You changed my life. It is only through God’s gift of the sabbath that I feel in my heart and soul that God loves me apart from anything I do."
— a reader of Sabbath Keeping
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