QUOTABLES: The Cross in Our Culture

“Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession…Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.” -DIETRICH BONHOEFFER The creed of contemporary Christianity offers “A God without wrath [who] … More QUOTABLES: The Cross in Our Culture

Scorn on the Mount (Psalm 119:17-32)

This Psalm 119 mountain trek leads us not ultimately to some arrogant moral high ground from which to thumb our nose at the sinners down below. The Psalm is a celebration of the perfect revelation of God’s Law, and if we’ll follow it all the way up, we’ll find ourselves standing at the pinnacle of all human existence, at the place where “grace and truth” shine brightly from the radiant glow of the face of Jesus Christ. … More Scorn on the Mount (Psalm 119:17-32)

Billy’s Limo

Have you heard this one? Billy Graham was returning to Charlotte, North Carolina, after a speaking engagement and when his plane arrived there was a limousine there to transport him to his home. As he prepared to get into the limo, he stopped and spoke to the driver. ‘You know’ he said, ‘I am 87 years old and I have never driven … More Billy’s Limo

Q&A: On Mindfulness & Meditation

I was recently asked a good question: What do you think about the popular practice of “mindfulness” and “meditation”? Here’s my initial response. I’m not sure what kind of “mindfulness” you’re critiquing. Eastern meditation seeks to empty our minds, to be mindful of our own “inner divinity” and mindful of the Oneness that permeates all … More Q&A: On Mindfulness & Meditation

Jesus, Sages & the Mishnah

Isn’t it interesting the early church never developed into anything resembling the rabbinic model of education and organization? Paul was a Pharisee who studied under the great Rabbi Gamaliel in Jerusalem, and yet the style of his teaching and apostolic ministry never resulted in training up Christian rabbis to pass on Jesus’ interpretation of Torah to eager students. Just read Acts and the Epistles and you find nothing rabbinic in shape about early Christian education. … More Jesus, Sages & the Mishnah

Blogging Aloud in the Streets

My daily posts are my attempt to parade Lady Wisdom’s attractive figure across the busy intersections of Facebook with its whistling pedestrians casually scrolling about, passing the time, spying on old friends, watching silly cat videos, reading nasty meme’s and tripping over all the political trash littering the streets and ditches of the social media landscape. I only hope that occasionally someone will hear Lady Wisdom’s cry and stop to listen. … More Blogging Aloud in the Streets