Stale faith is the way it has always been done. It is its own subculture. But, sadly, too many times there exists an obvious gap between the culturized faith and Jesus. That’s why it needs to be examined.
Ever wonder what is behind the certainty that some Christians claim they have about things that are impossible to verify? Obviously, it takes faith to be a person of faith. But, I am thinking about folks who claim they understand God’s position on every point of doctrine and every contemporary… Continue reading
Here is a convenient way to decide who is “in” and who is “out,” who we will love, and who we will hate (or disregard.) Stick a label on them. We have liberals, conservatives, progressives, Calvinists, Hyper-Calvinists, moderate-Calvinists, pre-tribulationalists, post-tribulationalists, mid-tribulationalists, Armenians, fundamentalists, denominationalists, Methodists, Baptists (Southern, General, Regular, Independent,… Continue reading
Everyone likes winning. But, every time someone wins, someone, or several someones loose. The thrill of winning, usually keeps us from thinking about the losers. Victory trumps empathy. It just feels good being right. Having the right answer, being correct, being the most astute, identifying with the right group, being a… Continue reading
Another “Arizona Sun” in my yard I have turned into the family gardener. Over the last two years, we have pulled out twenty-six, huge bushes that were about forty years old and replanted those areas with things we like a lot better. One of those plants was a pretty little… Continue reading
Life is divided into the secular and sacred. Sacred refers to the separate, the holy, something dedicated to a deity or religion. Secular refers to the common, or worldly things. How did we ever come up with that heresy? If there is anything true about the way of Jesus, it… Continue reading
It seems like atheists and fundamentalists would be at the opposite ends of spectrum of religious belief. But are they? I was forced to think about mystery and certainty when writing a a chapter for a new book. That’s when it hit me. Atheists and fundamentalists both have a fondness for… Continue reading
Modern life is lived in boxes. We live in a box, called a home, or an apartment. We get into boxes with wheels on them (Have you ever seen a Honda Element? I rest my case!) to go to boxes where we work. They are even called, cubicles. If we… Continue reading
Scholars understand the birthday of the church to on be the Day of Pentecost, as described in Acts 2. It was the Jewish feasts that celebrated the harvest, so Jewish people from all over were in Jerusalem. The Apostle Peter began to preach to the crowd about Jesus and how prophecy… Continue reading
PPerhaps, the best (and worst) thing about being a pastor was the people. Probably, everyone could say the same thing, not just pastors and church-going folks. But pastoring a small church is a relationally intensive endeavor. I loved so many of the friends I made in those years as a pastor,… Continue reading
It is hard to find grace when it is desperately needed, like when a pastor or other spiritual leader is discovered to have been abusive toward those who looked up to him and depended upon him. How can you possibly pull together an appropriate balance of accountability and restoration in… Continue reading
Labels are great for canned goods, but horrible when applied to people. Human beings are too complex to label, plus it is judgmental to try pigeon hole them. While it is helpful to have opinions and to assess situations, it is unfair to broadly assign traits to entire groups of… Continue reading
My wife and I have been foster parents for two long-haired Chihuahuas for a couple of months. I renamed them, Boyd and Ava, after two outlaws on the TV show, Justified. They have had a storied history in their brief lives and are now on their fourth home, due to… Continue reading
Does it really matter? In my pastor years I had a couple of very dear friends who focused upon biblical prophecy and current events. They were convinced we were indeed living in the last days, and that the rapture could well happen in their lifetimes. Yesterday, a lady at the… Continue reading
Christians don’t understand liberty…at all. Out of one side of their mouth, they speak of freedom in Christ, and, out the other, they tell you what they need to do and what you must avoid. In other words, like the Pharisees of old, they place a heavy bondage on the adherents… Continue reading
Spiritual formation not all relationally oriented. We are personally responsible for our own growth and nurture. We have to take care of ourselves, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Nobody else can or will do that for us. It is our personal responsibility. If we don’t do it, we will not… Continue reading
This post is a continuation of a previous article, “You need to Get Plugged In” It is my response to the typical church, programmed-based approach to spiritual formation. It treats people like cattle to be herded through a process with the other cows. That ignores one of the basic characteristics of God.… Continue reading
Confession: I am a dreamer, planner, and organizer. (Some would add instigator and troublemaker to the list.) Fifteen, or so years ago, when my church was experiencing an amazing renewal after most of the old guard had bowed out, I was in a little zone of personal paradise. There was… Continue reading
Stupid is as stupid does. Thank you, Mrs. Gump for cutting through the crap with your profound wisdom. Let’s exegete the text. The emphasis is on the verb, “does.” Forrest’s Mom was reminding her mentally challenged son that his behavior was more important than his IQ. Therefore, below average intelligence… Continue reading
Being a pastor can be a drag. There is this “man (or woman) of God” set of expectations that follows members of the clergy. Let me set the record straight, those in vocational Christian service, the ministry, clerics, whatever you want call them are as flawed as any other human… Continue reading
Image by arellis49. Creative Commons A few years ago, I sat at the table in the local state employment center as the workforce development case worker explained how the Worker Investment Act (the stimulus) grants awarded to re-educate laid-off workers. I took note of who was there. It was mostly males… Continue reading
Image by epiclectic. Creative Commons. When I was doing Communitas Collective, I found a lot of people in their thirties and forties were pulling the plug and saying “enough,” as they walked away from the institutional church they had known for so long. Often they were blindsided by the sudden… Continue reading
Image by t0xicsunshyne. Creative Commons. De-toxing, de-constructing, re-constructing, healing, and sorting things out, takes time. So, be patient with the process. Be patient with yourself. I missed the extended family the church provided. I missed the sense of validation and destiny that caused me to feel I was doing something significant,… Continue reading
Image by Jason Wohlford. Creative Commons. For many years, I approached my faith from a fundamentalist perspective which placed a lot of emphasis on being right. The downside to that perspective is the latent sense of arrogance and exclusivity that holds that everyone who believes a little differently is… Continue reading
If you were a part of the church for a long time and have decided to bow out, you will experience a real sense of personal loss! The mission of the church, and that of your particular local church, was probably something you deeply believed in. Now that you can… Continue reading
Image by Kelly. Creative Commons. When I would visit my black, Pentecostal pastor friend’s church, I would leave feeling like I had been put through an emotional ringer. It was draining, but cathartic. They had awesome, emotionally intense music, singing, playing, praying, dancing, and swaying. There were times of reflection and… Continue reading
Here is my imaginary last sermon. (Sigh) I’ll just get right to it! Today I am tendering my resignation as your pastor. This will be my last month with the church as I help the board through the transition process, assuming they still want me to stick around after I… Continue reading
This is an excerpt of my newest book, Free Range Faith. What’s different about this book book is that I am writing it piece-by-piece here on the blog and I am asking for your comments along the way, so it will be a better book. So please share your thoughts and experiences.… Continue reading
The Evangelical church became a political force in the eighties. Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson and James Dobson began articulating a “Christian position” on issues of national interest. Interestingly, it was always the same as the Republican position. They began with moral issues, moved on to “family values”, and eventually had… Continue reading
You probably know that I have written a book entitled, An Irreligious Faith that is currently being edited and will be published soon. This book is the fruit of my 25-year search to find a church that is that is relevant in today’s culture, truly compassionate toward outsiders and those… Continue reading
I love the church. What’s not to love about a community representing Christ to the world? It’s a beautiful ideal, even though the reality is, all too often, a different picture. There is a huge potential in the thousands of churches across our land, but the church needs to make… Continue reading
One cannot help but see the stark contrast between Jesus and present day Christianity. It is almost as if they are two different faiths… one separated, cloistered, its own subculture; the other, on the streets, in the slums, and bars. One, trying to be holy through self-improvement and dissociation, the… Continue reading
Since church, i.e., how we represent Christ as a community in this world, is a pretty important thing to try to get as right as possible, I hope you will seriously explore these matters and ask, “How can we do better?” The Barna Group has carved its niche by providing… Continue reading
