1 Corinthians – Apprentice 2 Jesus

We can’t settle for simple sets of rules

One takeaway from the excellent conversation I listened to on the podcasts I referred to in my last post was this insight: when we are tired of making too many decisions in our lives we fall to fundamentalism. There is a hard right and a hard left fundamentalism, but those are the areas we goContinue reading “We can’t settle for simple sets of rules”

The myth of ministry “success”

“The point of being an apostle, in any case, is not that one should be showy and spectacular; not even that one should be successful. ‘Stewards of God’s mysteries’, say some translations in verse 1; that’s fine, but the word ‘steward’ has been so overused that we may need to find other ways of bringingContinue reading “The myth of ministry “success””

The simple frustration of my spiritual walk

I NEED the work of the Cross in me! 1 Cor. 2:16 — We have the mind of Christ.

The wisdom we refuse

What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. (1 Cor. 2:12, NIV)

When does the cross of Christ matter?

For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. (1 Cor. 2:2)

We can’t glorify the cross

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Cor. 1:18, NIV)

The cultural status of our Christianity

I am taking a bit of a break from my normal daily lectionary reading and going back to something I have enjoyed my adult life walking with Christ. It is to walk slowly through a book of the Bible and pray. I like walking through a book of the Bible and study, pray, think devotionally,Continue reading “The cultural status of our Christianity”

Spiritual “Know It Alls”

Reading for today: Ps. 119:97-120; 81; 82 Gen. 45:16-28 1 Cor. 8:1-13 Mark 6:13-29 As we walk with God, it turns out that people who act like they “know it all” … don’t. And those who are quiet about things probably know a whole lot more.

The astonishing power we have in mind and spirit… and ignore

Here is my challenge: move beyond the shallow questions.

Let us be willing to die for something different

I want to know the feeling of “dying” for something different. By that I mean having a desperation for something that is just more. A place where I get beyond the internet fascinations of whatever is being discussed in the moment… and the tirades… to the possible. Not the possible of what can be doneContinue reading “Let us be willing to die for something different”