Again and again I encounter people who ask for forgiveness for their ancestors so that the guilt of their ancestors does not catch up with them or have a negative impact on their lives. There are also entire churches that ask God for forgiveness on behalf of the entire German people, so that they will be free from curses or something like ancestral guilt. Some then ask themselves how many requests for forgiveness it would take for God to grant forgiveness and for a generational debt to be broken. Others think that vicarious forgiveness cannot be effected at all. Still others think it is strang ..read more

Suddenly, Irene found herself as if in the dark valley she had laboriously crossed years ago. The present was suddenly erased, as if it did not exist at all. Irene felt as if she were standing on a suspension bridge that was old and rotten and threatened to break at any second. Below it was a deep ravine. It was dark in her feelings and thoughts. She felt and heard the dark forces as barking dogs attacking her from left and right, wanting to tear her to pieces. Seized by panic, she held on to the ropes that could break at any moment. This soul feeling was not so easy to put into words … “O Lor ..read more

Many of us can still remember very well when we sat under the Christmas tree as children and were finally allowed to unwrap the presents. Those were sometimes very emotional moments. Within just a few moments, the frame of mind changes drastically. Either the expectant look changes into a radiant laughter, because the eagerly awaited gift becomes visible during the unwrapping, or a look saddened to death and tears gather in the face, because it is only knitted socks or a sweater after all. The following relationship can be established: The higher the expectation of the gift, the greater the di ..read more

Perhaps you have heard the statement, “Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship.” Many believers hold steadfastly to this formula. Others, however, can only shake their heads at it. From their point of view, Christianity is the epitome of religion. To deny this fact is completely absurd. As is the case with almost all debates in Germany at present, this one is also being conducted in a heated manner. In order to be able to give a clear answer to the question of whether Christianity is a religion, we must examine both opinions more closely. I will first look at the definition of the t ..read more

Quite a few people are currently suffering from stress and overload and with the associated effects on the body and soul. Practicing mindfulness has been a proven means of bringing one’s own life into the necessary balance for some time. But where exactly do mindfulness exercises come from? What is behind this concept of mindfulness and how can one live mindfully?   Origin and definition It is widely believed that modern mindfulness techniques have their roots in the ancient Eastern religions of Buddhism and Hinduism. This portrayal is somewhat abbreviated. Mindfulness also has roots in J ..read more

Mistakes and failures are part of life. They are inevitable for everyone who takes risks and wants to break new ground. Failure is by no means just an issue for progressive people. It even affects those who do not voluntarily get involved in the new and foreign, because staying in the familiar environment can also be risky. Everything in this world is changing. Whether they like it or not, even the less daring personalities will have to experience defeat. So the question is not whether I could or will fail in some areas of my life, but how I deal with it when it happens. How do I get up after ..read more

It seems so familiar to me. Depending on the social and political situation, this question is discussed more or less intensively: when will Jesus Christ come again and how will it be? For this reason, I am not entirely unfamiliar with the currently flaming discussion on the subject. The current COVID-19 situation has brought drastic incursions in our everyday life – changes that some of us are probably experiencing for the first time. Many certainties are shaken under these circumstances and the idea that we have a lot of things under control is undermined. And as if that were not enough, in t ..read more

We live in a challenging time. Who would have thought that our everyday life will be so overwhelmed by a situation like the COVID-19 crisis and that we must cope with such restrictions? But in my opinion, it is not so much the restrictions that currently concern and unsettle many Christians. Rather, it is the very rapidly spreading doomsday scenarios and often insensitive announcements from some brothers and sisters. It is strange how some suddenly seem to know that the end of the world is near. MANY QUESTIONS It’s no wonder that some of us ask ourselves these or similar questions: “Are we he ..read more

Due to my profession, I come in contact with many spiritual leaders and future leaders in training.  They ask me quiet often, what are the qualities of a good leader. What charactaristics should a leader bring along in order to leave an effective impact on his surroundings and be succsessfull in what he does? Due to this repeatedly question, I spent lately more time on this subject, and I believe I have found 7 trait marks that are indispensable for a spiritual leader. Of course my list doesn’t cover it all. In order to be a good leader you have to posses many good qualities, however, I b ..read more

Some time ago, a young fellow told me that his significant other hurt him deeply, and he also told me that this was not uncommon within his relationship. He explained that she ignored all his values, knowing that it ultimately hurt his feelings each and every time she did it. In his anger and disappointment, he asked me, “what should I do?” So, I asked him if I could ask a few questions. He replied, “Go ahead.” 1. Are you polite and courteous towards your partner? He found it difficult to answer the question. When something did not go right, he lost his temper quickly. He became easily irritat ..read more