Dr. Ron J. Bigalke

George Frederick Handel is regarded as one of the greatest composers in church history. His oratorio Messiah is the most popular of his works, as it has captivated and inspired many with its biblical lyrics and musical score. King George II of England was present during the first performance in London on 23 March 1743. When the famous “Hallelujah Chorus” was sung, which contains the words, “For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth,” the King stood unexpectedly. His act of homage prompted the...

Endurance under sail, Antarctic Ocean, c. 1915 Paget colour photograph by Frank Hurley (The “I Am” Sayings) In August 1914, he set sail for his third trip to the South Pole. Shackleton departed from London with 27 men (and their dogs) aboard his ship, the Endurance . In January 1915, his ship became trapped in sea ice off the coast of Antarctica, and the crew was compelled to vacate the ship, which was eventually crushed. Shackleton and his men were marooned upon four feet of ice covering...

The Thunderbird application has five default tags for messages: important, work, personal, to do, and later. The tags serve as reminders to maintain a proper perspective each day, to identify which tasks are the priority. John 11 reveals how Jesus’ sense of urgency is fundamentally different from the average person. “Now a certain main was sick, Lazarus of Bethany” (v. 1a). His two sisters, Mary and Martha, sent word of the illness to Jesus. Next are what seem to be irreconcilable statements:...