A culture of instant gratification equates God’s love and faithfulness with positive responsiveness to all our wishes and whims. Despite the activity of God in the past, the testimony of God’s faithfulness, and the history of our own redemption, these things are just ‘not enough’. We want God to give us what we want when we want it.
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My favorite nursery rhyme is “The Three Little Pigs.” It is a story about withstanding attack. Yet as beloved as the story is, it’s a lie isn’t it? I wonder, is the rampant desire to ‘become a celebrity’ about building brick houses and escaping blowing wolves? Continue reading
One of the hardest lessons for an amateur magician to learn is how to effectively include rest and non-action into the working of magical effect. The tendency is to rush through the moves and sleights in order reach the climax or revelation as quickly as possible. This cramming together of each move, without space in between, effectively robs the illusion its power and effectiveness.
I have just read about the violence committed against T.V. Food celebrity Nigella Lawson at the hands of her husband, Charles Saatchi. I am sick, and I’m angry. These stories seem to be too prevalent in our world; yet no matter how times media turns its attention to such things, you always know there are countless cases that go unspoken. Continue reading
This is far more than a story of parting of friends. It is a new revelation of God and the coming of the Holy Spirit. It is a new way of God being above all things AND in all things. Continue reading
If the church has a role here, maybe it is in reclaiming our message about sin, death, evil, and even the Devil. Maybe the culture doesn’t need yet another message about how to love one another; maybe it needs to hear about the reality of evil and sin, and how they will be thwarted once and for all.
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This dichotomy between the ministry styles of Hooper and Lovejoy clearly set up two visions of church ministry. What does it mean for the church to reach the surrounding society? In once corner, there is the dry, routine, traditional, and seemingly lifeless ministry provided by Reverend Lovejoy. In the other, the new, fresh, relevant Reverend Hooper. The decision seems fairly simple.
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We are often locked inside of ourselves afraid to embrace the baptismal call that God has given us. We are often locked, into our churches afraid of what lurks beyond our walls. Jesus is calling us out of those fear filled places. I pray that we are able to embrace the doubt of Thomas and long to feel the wounds of Jesus. I pray that having felt those wounds, and having experienced the presence of the risen Christ that we might respond by GOING – into the world with the confidence of knowing that we were sent by the great Healer, Lover, & Redeemer. Continue reading
What if we saw our drive to church on Easter morning as something more than simply a drive to church? What if we saw it as a pilgrimage? What if we saw each passing stop sign as bringing us closer to the one who is risen? What if, while we fixed our eyes on the road before us, we fixed our hearts on Jesus just as much? Continue reading
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