Today is the first official day of Spring. Here in the sunny South we've already had spring. Followed by winter. Followed by spring, then winter, a couple days of summer, then winter, and then back to spring. The madness has begun and I'm looking for my Xavier Musketeers to go on a roll and go all the way.
Here's the good stuff:
How to be a an Emergent PoMo pastor-leader person. Rum and restoration. Sounds like an interesting combination. (HT: Jonathan Brink) Bill Kinnon doesn't pull any punches in this post. Evidently, Dr. Lewis used to be a dork. Is the American church too macho? Rich Wagner writes on the missiology of St. Patrick. iMonk has the antidote to the coming Evangelical collapse. Avoiding the appearance of evil. Are evangelicals anti-intellectual?
The Gospel of the Kingdom. Amy writes about the downtrodden among us. Brother Maynard on (consumerist) Christian theology. Jared Wilson reviews Christless Christianity. 1000 awesome things (HT: Brother Maynard).
Have a great weekend.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
St. Patrick's Day
From "The Breastplate of St. Patrick"
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
Happy Saint Patrick's Day. May the the Spirit of the living God that Patrick served fill you with God's grace and love today.
And may your Guinness be cold. :)
Friday, March 13, 2009
TGIF
I decide to change the profile picture. I figured everyone was tired of looking at my arm. This picture was taken off the coast of Florida last summer. Winter is refusing to let go completely. The temperature has dropped from 83 on Tuesday to 40 today.
Here's what's interesting this week:
Why do they hate us? iMonk thinks he knows why. Are you a Christian hipster? (HT: Scot McKnight) There's a woman in the footnotes. The most anti-essential Christian books (HT: Jonathan Brink). A new word. Jonathan Brink extends an invitation to women. Len on Reformation. Brother Maynard is tired, but still finds the energy to review Reggie McNeal's new book. Jared Wilson reviews Christless Christianity. Bob Hyatt has more thoughts on video venue churches.
Have a great weekend. As God brings it to mind, please pray for Josh. He's visiting NYC this week and has been laid low with a really bad sore throat and cold. He's scheduled to fly home tomorrow. Thanks.
Here's what's interesting this week:
Why do they hate us? iMonk thinks he knows why. Are you a Christian hipster? (HT: Scot McKnight) There's a woman in the footnotes. The most anti-essential Christian books (HT: Jonathan Brink). A new word. Jonathan Brink extends an invitation to women. Len on Reformation. Brother Maynard is tired, but still finds the energy to review Reggie McNeal's new book. Jared Wilson reviews Christless Christianity. Bob Hyatt has more thoughts on video venue churches.
Have a great weekend. As God brings it to mind, please pray for Josh. He's visiting NYC this week and has been laid low with a really bad sore throat and cold. He's scheduled to fly home tomorrow. Thanks.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
The Road Changes
For the past few months I have felt as if I was travelling down a road where the tree branches hang over the path, shutting out much of the sunlight. The road was fairly straight and level, but it was dark, and the feeling it gave me was one of uncertainty.
I feel like I am coming out of the deep dark woods into some sunlight. It's a little hard to see as my eyes adjust to the increased light. As I look ahead I can make out that the road ahead is no longer straight and level, but twisting and turning. There are hills and valleys, and the path stretches past the horizon. It's not a wide road, and there are not that many folks travelling that way.
For now, I'm going to rest in the sunlight and wait until it's time to start moving again.
I feel like I am coming out of the deep dark woods into some sunlight. It's a little hard to see as my eyes adjust to the increased light. As I look ahead I can make out that the road ahead is no longer straight and level, but twisting and turning. There are hills and valleys, and the path stretches past the horizon. It's not a wide road, and there are not that many folks travelling that way.
For now, I'm going to rest in the sunlight and wait until it's time to start moving again.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Half Empty or Half Full?
There is a lot happening in the world out there. And it's all good, or all bad, depending on your point of view. We know that the American economy is in bad shape. The recession/depression is expected to last until the end of 2009/2010/2011... Some think the economy will come back stronger, as it did after World War II. Some think America is going to drift into becoming an underdeveloped, powerless nation.
Some are predicting a cataclysmic event that will bring God's judgement on us. Others are foreseeing the collapse of evangelicalism within this generation. All the while the number of folks who identify themselves as Christian is decreasing and the number who identify with no religion is on the rise. Some say that America is heading down the same path that Europe has travelled.
Is our glass half empty? Is it half full? Or should we wonder who the heck has been drinking out of our glass? As a follower of Jesus, the Lord of lords and the King of kings, I believe that in the midst of all that is going on around me I can be confident in the goodness of my Father and his care for me. This doesn't mean that I just throw caution to the wind and continue to live as if the economy was humming along smoothly and there was no evil in the world. It just means that I know who is in charge and trust the Father to do what is right.
I also see a great opportunity for the Church to be the church. For so long the message of Jesus has been obscured by those who have attached it to realizing the American Dream, or by those who have made it a question of morality and being a "good" person. It has been reduced to a formula where a prayer is prayed and a set of propositions is assented to. Now, as more and more people reject the "gospel" of the modern church, the spiritual landscape seems to be moving toward what it was in the first century.
As the economy continues to slide, the church has an opportunity to show the love of God to those who are impacted by job loss, home foreclosures, etc. It's possible that churches will be more concerned about the hurting in their midst than the next building program. That concern may even spill over into the surrounding community. Some churches may be forced out of their facilities by the economic problems in their area. What would it look like if churches had more to give to the needy around them since there was no need to spend on upkeep of buildings?
As the American Dream fades, those who have attached themselves to Christianity for the sake of material prosperity will drop off, leaving those who are more committed followers of Christ. As this happens, those who are left can be discipled and taught what it really means to follow Jesus. As the number of Christians shrinks (possibly to a minority, as it has in Europe) there will be a more stark difference between believers and the rest of society. The hostility to the church from those in power may continue to grow, and it may actually become somewhat dangerous to proclaim allegiance to Christ above all else. It has happened and is happening around the world. What makes us think we are exempt?
While it may look like a grim future, remember what the church in the first century faced. They had no political, economic, or social power. They were seen as atheists and were considered enemies of the state. They were driven from their homes, imprisoned, beaten, and killed.
Yet, they turned the world upside down.
Now, is the glass half empty or half full?
Some are predicting a cataclysmic event that will bring God's judgement on us. Others are foreseeing the collapse of evangelicalism within this generation. All the while the number of folks who identify themselves as Christian is decreasing and the number who identify with no religion is on the rise. Some say that America is heading down the same path that Europe has travelled.
Is our glass half empty? Is it half full? Or should we wonder who the heck has been drinking out of our glass? As a follower of Jesus, the Lord of lords and the King of kings, I believe that in the midst of all that is going on around me I can be confident in the goodness of my Father and his care for me. This doesn't mean that I just throw caution to the wind and continue to live as if the economy was humming along smoothly and there was no evil in the world. It just means that I know who is in charge and trust the Father to do what is right.
I also see a great opportunity for the Church to be the church. For so long the message of Jesus has been obscured by those who have attached it to realizing the American Dream, or by those who have made it a question of morality and being a "good" person. It has been reduced to a formula where a prayer is prayed and a set of propositions is assented to. Now, as more and more people reject the "gospel" of the modern church, the spiritual landscape seems to be moving toward what it was in the first century.
As the economy continues to slide, the church has an opportunity to show the love of God to those who are impacted by job loss, home foreclosures, etc. It's possible that churches will be more concerned about the hurting in their midst than the next building program. That concern may even spill over into the surrounding community. Some churches may be forced out of their facilities by the economic problems in their area. What would it look like if churches had more to give to the needy around them since there was no need to spend on upkeep of buildings?
As the American Dream fades, those who have attached themselves to Christianity for the sake of material prosperity will drop off, leaving those who are more committed followers of Christ. As this happens, those who are left can be discipled and taught what it really means to follow Jesus. As the number of Christians shrinks (possibly to a minority, as it has in Europe) there will be a more stark difference between believers and the rest of society. The hostility to the church from those in power may continue to grow, and it may actually become somewhat dangerous to proclaim allegiance to Christ above all else. It has happened and is happening around the world. What makes us think we are exempt?
While it may look like a grim future, remember what the church in the first century faced. They had no political, economic, or social power. They were seen as atheists and were considered enemies of the state. They were driven from their homes, imprisoned, beaten, and killed.
Yet, they turned the world upside down.
Now, is the glass half empty or half full?
Saturday, March 7, 2009
TGIF
I know it's Saturday. I was a bit busier than usual so I couldn't post this until today. Now, if I had a decent laptop maybe I could have done this while I was out yesterday afternoon. (Hint, hint) :)
It's been a good day. This morning Jan and I had the privilege of helping out with a project designed to connect the homeless in our city with things like social services, health care, even grooming help and dog grooming. It was an all day event. We helped with the food, serving breakfast and lunch to 75-100 people. It was a real blessing, sort of an Isaiah 58 type of fast for Lent. This afternoon, I was able to work out in the yard for a couple of hours and begin the work of getting it in shape for spring.
Here are the links to some of what caught my eye this week:
A Former Leader has some good thoughts on sin and relationship. Do we really believe that all things are possible with God? Another thing from AnneDroid. Cheerleaders. Yes, cheerleaders.
Karen has some unanswered questions. Church or club? Jared Wilson says that it's not about improvement. A failed gospel tract. Twenty-one ways you might be an evangelical. (HT: Brother Maynard) Rob Woodrum has begun a new chapter of
"Rabbi Encounters" here.
Whose history is it? Discipleship is soft (not soft discipleship). Brant Hansen wonders if it's possible for Jesus and christian radion to co-exist. Grace on a perverted gospel. Life in Zimbabwe (HT: Scot McKnight). The South tightens its grip on Josh.
Don't forget to move your clocks ahead one hour before you go to bed tonight (or you can wait till 2:00 a.m.)
It's been a good day. This morning Jan and I had the privilege of helping out with a project designed to connect the homeless in our city with things like social services, health care, even grooming help and dog grooming. It was an all day event. We helped with the food, serving breakfast and lunch to 75-100 people. It was a real blessing, sort of an Isaiah 58 type of fast for Lent. This afternoon, I was able to work out in the yard for a couple of hours and begin the work of getting it in shape for spring.
Here are the links to some of what caught my eye this week:
A Former Leader has some good thoughts on sin and relationship. Do we really believe that all things are possible with God? Another thing from AnneDroid. Cheerleaders. Yes, cheerleaders.
Karen has some unanswered questions. Church or club? Jared Wilson says that it's not about improvement. A failed gospel tract. Twenty-one ways you might be an evangelical. (HT: Brother Maynard) Rob Woodrum has begun a new chapter of"Rabbi Encounters" here.
Whose history is it? Discipleship is soft (not soft discipleship). Brant Hansen wonders if it's possible for Jesus and christian radion to co-exist. Grace on a perverted gospel. Life in Zimbabwe (HT: Scot McKnight). The South tightens its grip on Josh.
Don't forget to move your clocks ahead one hour before you go to bed tonight (or you can wait till 2:00 a.m.)
Friday, February 27, 2009
TGIF
It's time for another edition of TGIF! The weather here in the sunny South continues to tease, with temperatures in the 60s today and highs in the 40s forecast for Sunday. I guess March is going to come in like a lion.
Who knew? Evidently there was virtual church in the 1940's. Lenten offsets? Good thoughts on helping the homeless. Structures for renewal (HT: Len). Do we really need another leadership conference? (HT: Jonathan Brink). Jeff McQ continues his series on love.
This is good. Brant Hansen reviews the John McArthur Study Bible. Grace writes about being missional. A network in need of a name. Dan's thoughts on economics. Lent e-cards. How to be a gadfly. Amy's thoughts on the upside-down Kingdom.
May God bless you this weekend.
Who knew? Evidently there was virtual church in the 1940's. Lenten offsets? Good thoughts on helping the homeless. Structures for renewal (HT: Len). Do we really need another leadership conference? (HT: Jonathan Brink). Jeff McQ continues his series on love.
This is good. Brant Hansen reviews the John McArthur Study Bible. Grace writes about being missional. A network in need of a name. Dan's thoughts on economics. Lent e-cards. How to be a gadfly. Amy's thoughts on the upside-down Kingdom.
May God bless you this weekend.
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