Life After Haiti -- From David Hayward's Blog

Been following David Hayward's nakedpastor blog -- funny, insightful, love his cartoons. David just came back from a trip to Haiti and his accounts have been, I think, quite moving. I quote/post the following because I read it over a couple of times this morning. I think it gets at some of the emotions those who go on mission trips experience when they come back to what we might call the "easy life"...

Reflections on the Holy Trinity

John 16:12-15The Spirit comes silently into our heartsbringing lovebringing life and pointing to the one who brought us lifeJesus the ChristThe Living GodIn our desires to be the centerand our desires to turn inwardwrapping ourselves up in ever smaller packagesfearing that if we are not the centerthere will be no centerin our emptinesslonging to find that to which we can clingThe Spirit comesand points...

Gift Giving / Stewardship -- A Quote from Roberta Porter

If I see a gift as mine alone to give, I might give hesitantly, even grudgingly, considering my options, then giving from a sense of ought. If I see the gift as God's who allows me to use it for a time, then the gift can flow more freely, as I join with others to be a channel for God's love and mercy.- Roberta Porter, from her poem, "Grace in Givi...

Christian Scholarship and the Bible -- A Quote Soren Kierkegaard

The following is a quote from Soren Kierkegaard. I had this read to me out of Shane Claiborne's The Irresistible Revolution a couple of times over the last two days:"The matter is quite simple. The Bible is very easy to understand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand, we are obliged to...

Introduction to Parables

Jesus loved to tell stories—perplexing, yet revealing stories. “To the others I speak in parables,” he once confided to his disciples, “so that ‘looking they may not perceive, and listening they may not understand’” (Luke 8:10b). Jesus’ parables teach us, spiritually blind and self-deceived as we are, to see reality beyond ourselves and to know God’s love and loving demands on our lives. With their...

Christians and the Poor -- Quote from Shane Claiborne

"I asked participants who claimed to be ‘strong followers of Jesus’ whether Jesus spent time with the poor. Nearly 80 percent said yes. Later in the survey, I sneaked in another question, I asked this same group of strong followers whether they spent time with the poor, and less than 2 percent said they did. I learned a powerful lesson: We can admire and worship Jesus without doing what he did....

iPhone Worship Band -- "How Great is Our God"

This is cool. You know, I knew there were "music apps" out there. And I knew that someone could have fun with it. But, this is cool. ...

Comments Section Now Working!

Thanks to my friend Andy who told me that the comments weren't working. They are functioning now as the post on Orthodoxy and Soteriology has an actual comment on it.Woo ...

Pastor Apologizes/Sometimes The Internet Will Bite Ya'

Here's the scenario as best I can make sense of it:An audio recording surfaced on Vimeo. (recoding has now been removed)The audio is of a 15 year old sermon by West Virginia pastor Jeff Owens (Shenandoah Baptist Church), apparently at a college chapelIn the sermon, Pastor Owens calls for Christians to "Burn and Shoot Fags"After the audio recording of the original sermon, Pastor Owens issues the following...

Some Reflections on Orthodoxy and the Spirit

Two days ago was Pentecost Sunday and Girdwood Chapel, like many, many churches around the world, celebrated the coming of the Holy Spirit to God's church.Of course, we read Acts 2:1-21, with some dramatic flair--even starting worship with it. We also read from John 14, closing with:”I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will...

Christianity in America -- Quote from Brian McClaren

Sometimes I think there is really only one Christian denomination in America: American Civil Religion -- a consumerist, militarist, therapeutic, colonial, nationalist chaplaincy that baptizes and blesses whatever the richest and most powerful nation on the planet wants to do.Brian McClaren (words at the front of Shane Claiborne's The Irresistible Revolution)I struggle, in particular, with the church...

There Is No Substitute for Preparation

"Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four hours sharpening the axe." -- Abraham Lincoln"Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first five and half hours doing something that has nothing do do with the tree at all and will eventually come to the realization that I don't have an axe or a chainsaw or anything that can cut a tree. Eventually I'll just...

I LOVE this Church Sign.

Taken from blog.beliefnet.com by way of thechurchgeek.com Posted via email from The Prodigal Blog...

Watership Down: A Lesson in Storytelling

I have announced that we'll be starting a new sermon series next week on the parables and we're calling it, "The Stories Jesus Told."  I don't know many preachers who don't like the parables.  We all, I think, have our favorites.  My favorite is "The Parable of the Prodigal Son" from Luke.  It always has been.  I see myself in it as the younger son and the older son, and...

Jesus' Resume (satire)

Apparently Jesus wants the top management position in your heart.  This copy of his resume was found over at unreasonablefaith.com.  It's satire, but makes me wonder what accomplishments Jesus really could put down.  One might think just being the Son of God would be sufficient.  Some of the comments on the site are helpful here.  One of them says the following are missing...

"I and We" -- Quote from Julie Neidlinger

Everyone wants to be part of a "we." Though living in the world of "I" and pretending that "I" is enough, it is really "we" that is wanted. Found this over at "A Prodigal's Blog"     Julie Neidlinger blogs at loneprarie.net Posted via email from The Prodigal Blog...

Some Advice About Social Media and the Church

So, here I am, "Director of Communications for the Alaska United Methodist Conference."   It's a job I inherited just because, at a meeting about four years ago, I mentioned that I thought our Conference Website was in need of a makeover and we could do a better job presenting ourselves to the world.  And the job became mine...with no skills to speak of...either then or now.  So,...

"Spirit of God" -- By Steve Garnaas-Holmes

*Hymn: #2117 “Spirit of God” (The Faith We Sing)Spirit of God, bright Wind, breath that bids life begin,glow as you always do; create us anew.Give us the breath to sing, lifted on soaring wing,held in your hands, born on your wings.Alleluia! Come, Spirit, Come! (2 times)Spirit of God, bright Dove, grant us your peace and love,healing upon your wings for all living things.For when we live your...

The Problem With Blogging

Everything is fodder for blogging.    Or potential fodder for blogging.Image location     http://www.makeuseof.com/tech-fun/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/boredinternet....

A Prayer for Pentecost

It must be "Spirit Friday."  This is a Holy Spirit-themed prayer/poem based on John 14:8-27 by Pastor Dan of Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church in Anchorage.  He blogs over at Pastor Dan's Grace Notes and is a person I'd love to have some coffee and conversation with.We have seen the Lordnot high in the Heavens abovebut right here in our midstliving among usliving within usand within those...

"The Comforter Has Come" -- A Video by Jars of Clay

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A Prayer

Be still and know that I am God.Be still and know.Be still.Be.Posted via email from The Prodigal Blog...

God and Money....Part II

This church is giving away cash at the end of services.  Does this make church a game of chance? Posted via email from The Prodigal Blog...

The Holy Spirit...in 100 words or less (Brian McLaren)

So, how would you describe the work of the Holy Spirit in 100 Words or Less?Last one from Patheos.  This was written by Brian McLaren, who blogs over at Brian McLaren.On the grass-roots level, there are tens of thousands of Christians who aren't waiting for denominational leaders to fix things. They're just getting on with it. They're doing it, living it, making it real in their lives, in their...

The Holy Spirit...in 100 words or less (Amy Julia Becker)

Another post from Patheos.  This is by Amy Julia Becker who has a blog called Thin Places.In nudges and whispers.Like a seed growing, imperceptible at first. Like wind, invisible, refreshing, transformative. Like water, cleansing, renewing, powerful.Unpredictably. Uncontrollably.Praying: for us, with us, in us, through us.Convicting, like a judge in a courtroom. Comforting, like a mother with...

The Holy Spirit...in 100 words or less (Byron Wade)

The following was taken from Patheos.  It is written by Bryon Wade who blogs at Vice Mod Blog as a part of the Presbyterian Church.  It is in response to the question, How does the Holy Spirit move today?Many people question if the Holy Spirit is at work in the world today. Put on some different eyes and see --The claiming of an infant in baptismThe faith of a spouse in the loss of a loved...

The Holy Spirit...in 100 words or less (Alyce McKinzie)

I was tooling around the net, as I worked on worship for this week -- Pentecost.  I found an interesting approach over at Patheos, home to several bloggers.  They asked several different folks to describe How The Holy Spirit Is At Work in The World Today in 100 words or less.  I'm going to post a few of them.  This one is from Alyce McKenzie:At Pentecost the Spirit filled the room...

New "Face of Immigration"

According to the site HERE.  It is true that President Obama is deporting more persons than President Bush did, with an increase in the number of convicted criminals being deported.  And, so I've read, it is true that this is being done with fewer "factory raids."  However, we, as the church, must continue to ask about the intersection between hospitality and national security or, perhaps...

God and Money -- the Consumer Church

Was at our bimonthly clergy gathering in Anchorage for lunch today.  It's always nice, whether we have a book study or some soul-searching or, like today, shoot the breeze.  Our conversation shifted to tithing via credit cards.  Now, I'm well aware of the benefits of this procedure--it's easy for folks who are used to paying with credit card for everything, it can lead to more regular...

Conflict -- Quote from John Howard Yoder

To be human is to have differences; to be human wholesomely is to process those differences, not by building up conflicting power claims but by reconciling dialogue.--John Howard Yoder, Body Politics Posted via email from The Prodigal Blog...

"A Church By Any Other Name" -- Church Names

I pastor Girdwood Chapel.  Now, technically, we could be called "Girdwood Chapel United Methodist Church."  However, when I got here in 2000 and needed to come up with letterhead and business cards, it was clear that most people in the community called us "Girdwood Chapel."  After all, only about one half of the people that show up on a Sunday morning seem to be Methodists.  The...

"Religion today..."; A quote from A.W. Tozer

Religion today is not transforming people; rather it is being transformed by the people. It is not raising the moral level of society; it is descending to society's own level, and congratulating itself that it has scored a victory because society is smilingly accepting its surrender. ... A. W. Tozer (1897-1963) Posted via email from The Prodigal Blog...

Looking Biblically At Immigration -- Sermon from 16 MAY 2010

The following is, as stated, my sermon from 16 May 2010.  It was preached in four sections.  The prayers for that Sunday also dealt with immigration issues.  My hope with this sermon was not to provide all of the answers or, really, take sides.  I wanted to congregation to think biblically about immigration rather than thinking politically or economically.  While politics...