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The IMMENSE power of the Scripture
The Revelation, extending St. John’s experience (“I fell at his feet”) puts a stop to all bookish approaches to the scriptures that merely study them out of pious duty or for intellectual curiosity. The scriptures are not a textbook on God; they are access to the living word of God that speaks a new world into being in us. —…
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Resurrection and Pentecost
The call to Christianity is the call to community. It is not a community we get to pick. It is the Kingdom of God. We WANT to pick it, and therein lies the rub. It is probably why we are all so divided all the time. We want to PICK our “neighbors” and the Kingdom of God just doesn’t play…
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Ritual
For those who make the claim, “I’m not ‘religious,’ I’m ‘spiritual,’” this word is like death. For Pentecostals, this word is like death. I grew up hearing about “dead rituals.” What I have come to realize is that rituals are not “dead.” As believers, it is often US who are dead. We’re just blaming something else. Ritual belongs in life.…
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The Absence of God
“Any understanding of God that doesn’t take into account God’s silence is a half truth — in effect, a cruel distortion — and leaves us vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation by leaders who are quite willing to fill in the biblical blanks with what the Holy Spirit never tells us.” — Eugene Peterson, Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places
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When Things Go Wrong — Constructing a Moralism
I have picked up Eugene Peterson’s work Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places again. I have picked at it for the past several years and find myself drawn to his words again. In the chapter “Christ Plays in History” Peterson deals with the threat of “moralism” in our lives. His contention is we have a tough time dealing with Christ in history,…
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The Jesus Way
Some thoughts from Eugene Peterson on how churches should be in America, but how they really are all too often: We can’t gather a God-fearing, God-worshipping congregation by cultivating a consumer-pleasing, commodity-oriented congregation. When we do, the wheels start falling off the wagon. And they are falling off the wagon. We can’t suppress the Jesus way into order to sell the Jesus truth.…
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The End of a Journey
I have walked slowly through Eugene Peterson’s memoir, The Pastor. I have enjoyed the morsels. It has been a feast of steak dinners on a regular basis. When I finished last night I was sad. This part of my journey with Peterson has ended. His life is so rich. I want his mantle in my own life and ministry. Through…
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He Refreshes My Soul
With the Lord as my shepherd, and the metaphor of me being the sheep, the picture is that I follow. When I follow I will find that I lack nothing. He provides. He brings me to places where my hunger is taken care of and my thirst is quenched. He is the One who brings me rest. In this life…
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Why Do We Tire of Living Water?
There are times we simply lose sight of the invitation of the Lord. He is living water. And for some reason we get tired of living water.
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Two Great Pastoral Models
There are more and I want to develop that thought, but two great models of pastoral ministry influencing my thinking right now: Tim Keller (below left) and Eugene Peterson (below right). I am starting to learn more about Keller. Peterson I have admired for so long and LOVE his books. Keller is becoming a model I truly enjoy watching as…
Tag: Eugene Peterson
