"I Will Build Jesus' Church"
I have a theory that I hope is wrong.There is a lot of talk at conferences, on blogs and in books about how pastors need to take care of their marriages and families. This is a good subject and I am...
View ArticleEvery Gift Is From Above... Except The iPad Of Course
As soon as Steve Jobs came on stage and the iPad was announced, the criticism came. I'm not talking about those who wanted more features on Apple's newest innovation (multitasking, flash-support,...
View ArticleThere Is No Prophetic Voice Speaking Into the Sports Culture
This past weekend I read an excellent article on the subject of Sport and Christianity. It was the cover story of Christianity Today Magazine. The main argument is that we have, as evangelicals have...
View ArticleIn Praise Of The Ordinary Jesus
'"Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him" (John 6:66). Because of what? Because Jesus was so obviously human -- so ordinary, so uncharismatic, so...
View ArticleSome Thoughts While Reading Eugene Peterson, Part 3
So I am sitting here reading Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places by Eugene Peterson. In fact, the goal is to read through all his books this year. When you gain so much from them, you want to tell...
View ArticleConfession of a Failing Pastor
(I wrote the following back in August of 2009, I was at my wit's end emotionally. It was so bad, when we went on vacation to Birmingham to visit family, I was prepared to stay. Never to go back. I was...
View ArticleOur Most Recent Support Letter
Dear friends and family,Jan 14th 2010We now live in Birmingham, our hometown. Our last six weeks have been full of joyful rides on curvy mountain roads ascending and descending through valleys dotted...
View ArticleI Have An Idea For A TV Show
I have an idea for a TV show. It would be about young women; beautiful women. And they will each vie for the affections of one guy. They will lie, cheat, steal and cry to get what they want. Him. The...
View ArticleThe God of the Mundane
Perhaps I am missing something. It is possible.It appears that the current evangelical climate is one in which faithfulness and spirituality are measured by the eventful and the big - the bombastic. If...
View ArticleThe God of the Mundane: Part 2 - Grace for the Mundane
In my last post I was hypothetically questioning the existence of "the God of the Mundane." In other words, must every thing we do be big and eventful and monumental for it to be honorable to God? Is...
View ArticleThe God of the Mundane: Part 3 - Just When You Thought You Were Spiritual
16Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance...
View ArticleThe God of the Mundane: Part 4 , Is Any Christian Life Easy?
In October of '96 I had a fairly serious car-wreck. The difference of a few inches not only kept me alive but if my face had hit the windshield only slightly to one side or the other, I might not have...
View Article3 Reasons To Love Legalism
1. Legalism gives you the illusion of control. You can control your status before God simply by doing certain acts of righteousness and not doing others. It is like some crazy point system that you can...
View ArticleThe Silence of Paul On Evangelism
I've been mulling over this post for awhile. The consternation, confusion and conflagration of angry comments which might result have made me wonder at the wisdom of it. Well, I decided to go ahead....
View ArticleThe Silence of Paul On Evangelism, Part 2: Passages Which May or May Not Be...
One of the more reasonable responses I have received as a result of my post, The Silence of Paul On Evangelism has been the many verses and biblical passages people have either hit me with me or kindly...
View ArticleHow Do You Feel When Your Kids Are Sick and Hurting?
Our children have been sick a number of times lately. While they have a hard time sharing their toys with each other, they trip over themselves to share the latest stomach virus or cold. They also like...
View ArticleThe God of the Mundane: Part 5, Big Ideas and Perpetual Adolescence
"We often let the big ideas, the majestic vistas of salvation, the grand visions of God's work in the world, and the great opportunities for making an impact in the name of Jesus distract us from...
View ArticleA Mother's Day Sermon...If I Had to Preach One
The Mother's Day Sermon. Oh how I have hated thee! Usually one of three types of sermons are preached on Mother's Day. The first is one in celebration of Mother's. You know, "Mothers are awesome! God...
View ArticleWhy Have Christians Not Had the Influence in the Culture to Which They Have...
"In terms of the cultural economy...Christians in America today have institutional strength and vitality in the lower and peripheral areas of cultural production...the main reason why Christian...
View ArticleThe Beatles Songwriting Academy
There are a lot of good blogs out there. But They are not always easy to find. And it seems that most Christians are blogging like me - for other believers. And doing so on only "spiritual themes."I...
View ArticleWhen Christianity Is defined by Actions Instead of Belief
When Christianity is defined by actions and not belief, one of two things are more than likely to happen.1) The gospel will be pushed out of the center and all but abandoned for the sake of the actions...
View ArticleThe God of the Mundane: Part 6, The Mundane Church
There was not a lot of work involved in my initial thinking about the idea of a Mundane Church. The idea was already working on me. While not entirely sure where it came from, I am certain part of it...
View ArticleThe God of the Mundane: Part 7, It's A Mundane Life
(The following is part of series of posts under the title, The God of the Mundane. You can access those easily through the following links: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six.)There is a scene in "It's A...
View ArticleWhy I No Longer Listen to Downloaded Sermons
(The following is not meant to be prescriptive for anyone's behavior. It is merely descriptive of my own. I bind no one's conscience.)I have not listened to a recorded sermon in months. In fact I...
View ArticleMoving To New Blog
Well, it's time. I have been contemplating a new blog for some time. So starting now I will be blogging here. When I started this blog, I had something entirely different in mind than now. Before I was...
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