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When things go WELL in a city
It’s easy to get caught up in the stories of Baltimore, Ferguson, and so many more places and possibly think, “Wow… NOTHING seems to be going right.” What we don’t get to hear enough of is when things go WELL in a city. My city, where I pastor, is an inner ring suburb of the Twin Cities. In my time…
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Talking about sin and righteousness
David Brooks has an interview in “Christianity Today”online about his new book, The Road to Character. It is wonderful to read of his personal journey. It is also little wonder why many who prefer to live in a “secular” society (meaning no place for religion in the public square) rejoice over the latest Pew numbers are how many profess Christianity…
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Vices and virtues on the road to characters
Reflecting again on David Brooks’ work, The Road to Character, (the beginning of the chain begins HERE), the greatest virtue is HUMILITY. It is vital we have an accurate assessment of our own nature and our place in the cosmos. We have weaknesses, and we are the underdog in that struggle. Individual talent alone will not overcome those weaknesses. Humility is the…
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America becoming less Christian
So America is becoming “less Christian.” I still think the number who “profess” is way to high, but that’s just me. The sad part is the desire to have LESS of a religious voice in the public square: While the number of Evangelicals hasn’t changed much, the number of unaffiliated Americans has, and they are becoming increasingly organized and vocal…
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Deflating News
When we are more educated about air pressure in footballs than we are about national debt, or poverty issues, or international trade issues . . . we may be in sad shape. If we cared . . .
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The long road to character: Admit the flaw
The biggest victory is NOT “changing the world.” The biggest victory is overcoming the flaws and see character form within.
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Road to Character: Quit living for happiness
Some thoughts along the way from David Brooks’ book, The Road to Character, and especially his wrap thoughts he calls “The Humility Code.” Thought One: We don’t live for happiness. We live for holiness. We are endowed with moral imagination and we settle too easily with surface pleasures. The life well lived is one that orients around “increasing excellence of soul” (p.…
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The crooked-timber school of character
The Road to Character is a book that needs to be nearby in the coming months. It should be an ongoing conversation. Brooks has a website where the conversation can hopefully keep going on this subject. What I am impressed about with Brooks is that over the past few months I have noticed a decided change in his columns at The New…
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Good people disagree
Remember when that used to be a thing? It’s not so much anymore. This is a time where I truly do pine for the “good ol’ days.”
Category: Culture
