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The Response — Jesus and Religion
While I didn’t get in on the viral wave of the first video about being into Jesus, but not “religious,” I will confess I really like this response:
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Self Promotion and Modesty
8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, sympathetic, lovers of your fellow believers, compassionate, and modest in your opinion of yourselves. (1 Peter 3:8, CEB) The Common English Bible uses the language to stretch out the word “humble,” which is what other translations use. It’s a good call. I brush by “humble.” I am struck by the phrase,…
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Blue Chips and Junk Bonds
David Brooks is one of my favorite columnists. This column discusses politics, but it reminds me of a conversation I had regarding ministry as well. Brooks’s contention is that liberals have allowed short term gains to cloud their vision for long term good. The conversation I had regarding churches and ministry was much the same. American churches are investing in…
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Immigrants and Strangers
As James K.A. Smith would say in his book, Desiring the Kingdom, everything calls for allegiance. All of life has liturgies all around. Which liturgy will call out for our allegiance and we will respond? We are in the thick of political season in the U.S. Let’s face it, as long as there is a media and as long as…
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Willing to Yield
My wish for the political season as it kicks off: Everyone running for office needs to read the Book of James. Knowing that will not happen, I am still struck by the words compared to the political arena. 17 What of the wisdom from above? First, it is pure, and then peaceful, gentle, obedient, filled with mercy and good actions,…
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Brick and Mortar, Paper and Ink
I realize I am writing on a computer and posting this to the internet. I am not trying to make a rant about NOT doing things one way. This is a plea more for the both/and of life. There are some who are trying really hard to go entirely digital. Their libraries, their research, etc., are close to paperless. It’s…
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Someplace Other Than Here
The old adage is “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.” We seem to always be drawn to someplace other than here. We visit other places, which is a good idea, but then we get all nostalgic and think, “Wow! Wouldn’t it be great to just be here?” We often forget about the place we…
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The Things We Never Seem to Learn
When I teach Church History from the Reformation to the present I focus on my own denomination’s history in a couple of lectures. I will give students the good, the bad, and the ugly. We’ve certainly had our warts (which I remind them is true of ANY church movement in history). One of the things I tell them is we…
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The Breath of Fresh Air
I have long been a fan of the written note. Technology has stripped that from me far too much. I need to sit down and jot a note much more than I do. Today in my mailbox at the school where I teach were two hand written thank you notes. Those will feed my soul for a week!
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Living Dead Never Ends
I have made my way through the Live Dead Journal and know it’s not the end. My heart is challenged. All the way through I have been challenged with, “How do I live dead in the land of plenty?” How can I stretch myself is this place of comfort so that those who are called to these hard areas of the world…
Category: Culture
