Partners in the Work of the Gospel Anyone who has been involved with church ministry knows that ecumenical efforts are difficult to pull off. While local churches in smaller communities like to talk about mutual respect for and general partnership with neighboring churches in serving the community, rarely do you see them coming together for … More Divine Summons 25
I Have Many People in this City Once again God spoke most clearly to me through the story of Acts. I recalled the story of Paul’s time in Corinth where he too run up against obstacles and began to doubt himself and his mission. For all we know, Paul may have gone on his own … More Divine Summons 24
Loneliness is a Bitter Friend My story so far has been one of significant loneliness. The two years of college (2000-2002) following my deep inward shift of faith from my encounter with the Book of Acts were the loneliest of my life. There is a loneliness far worse than the lack of friends. It’s the … More Divine Summons 23
Chapter 5 I Have Many People in this Town “One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” So Paul … More Divine Summons 22
“Most educated atheists are much more likely to be suddenly ambushed in the heart by poetry than they ever are likely to be converted by a reasoned argument. A lot of what is conveyed by Christianity has to be conveyed in this form because words, even the most beautiful words, can never convey them.” – … More QUOTABLES: Peter Hitchens
I wonder what you think about Donald Miller’s post below. Thoughts? A couple times at a church I’m familiar with, here in Portland, the lead pastor, has very kindly asked people to leave. I remember a specific time he just stood up and asked how many people had been coming to church for a year … More Asking People to Leave Church (Miller)
I wrote this caption below on December 28, 2009, after our youth group Christmas party. About a week later I found out that my ministry position was being cut in the spring and this would be my last Christmas party with Fusion. For some reason I didn’t post this, thinking it may send the wrong … More An Extended Photo Caption
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby … More Adventures in Mark 3 (1:35-39)
How do you celebrate Earth Day? How do Christians be faithful to our divine mandate, the Bible and navigate the politics of the modern day Environmentalism movement? Kevin DeYoung has some thoughts for Christians on Building A Better Earth Day HERE. He begins: Today is Earth Day, the fortieth anniversary in fact. It’s hard for me … More Kevin DeYoung on Earth Day
I love Erwin.
After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they … More Adventures in Mark 2 (1:14-20)
“They Met In Their Homes” We spent the duration of the first school year meeting together with our small motley crew. One significant move we did make, and would become a hallmark of the Revolution, is we moved our gatherings out of the church and into our home. I felt that the church building carried … More Divine Summons 21
“Real grace is simply inexplicable, inappropriate, out of the box, out of bounds, offensive, excessive, too much, given to the wrong people and all those things.” -Michael Spencer, Internet Monk
This weekend the 19th Annual Wheaton Theology Conference featured a fruitful engagement with the scholarship of N.T. Wright. Thanks to the internet, you didn’t have to drive to Chicago to hear the great bishop and the other keynote speakers engaging and critiquing his works. Now, you can watch the videos or download the mp3 audio … More N.T. Wright Conference at Wheaton College
May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart. Amen. May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace. Amen. May God bless you with tears to … More A Franciscan Blessing
I went today. I am fascinated by the Dead Sea Scrolls, and have had the opportunity to take classes on them a number of times — including with Dr. Michael Wise, a renowned DSS expert who teaches at Northwestern College and Bethel Seminary. I have taught a class on them, and have read several books … More Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibit
This photo has been making the rounds in the blogosphere this week. I can’t resist sharing it, too.
“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?” (Luke 15:4) I suspect Jesus wouldn’t last long in churches today before being fired for “irresponsible” leadership. What pastor in his right … More Leaving 99 to find 1
Today we begin an ongoing series of reflections on Mark’s gospel. Saddle up for a discipleship adventure! At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him … More Adventures in Mark 1 (1:9-13)
I just discovered that one of my previous articles was picked up and published at Youthworker.com recently under the title “Feeling Inadequate: Encouraging Words for Self-Doubt.” You can check it out HERE if you would like.
Keri and I had the wonderful opportunity to fly to Nashville and participate in an intense church leadership assessment process with some 13 other couples. For four days we were observed, went through several interviews, had some sessions with a therapist exploring our marital and emotional health, participated in a number of case studies where … More Seeking God in Nashville
The angelic voice and raw faith of Jennifer Knapp provided the soundtrack for much of my own college days as God was helping me discover who I was and where my journey was heading. She came on the scene quickly, making an impact, attracting a large, loyal fan base and selling a lot of records … More Jennifer Knapp Comes Back and Out
