First off, welcome to all the new visitors who saw my post on Freshly Pressed. Below is a post from last year. It was about 20 years ago, that I attended a large Baptist church in Washington, DC. The church was an odd mix, or at least it would be odd today. Evangelicals and liberals... Continue Reading →
How a Clockwork Pastor is Becoming Human
When I started seminary 15 years ago, I had come to accept that I would never pastor a church. I just wasn't a people person. Maybe I'd be a seminary professor or something. I didn't know it back then, but I was basically acknowledging my Aspergers limitations. Of course, as you can tell, I didn't... Continue Reading →
What J.C. Penney, Sears and Montgomery Ward Taught Me About the Mainline Church
Ever since it appeared a few weeks ago, I've been thinking about John Vest's blog post called "The Vine is Dying." The Presbyterian pastor from Chicago has been involved in finding ways to help the Presbyterian Church (USA) rebound after decades of decline and his February 27 post was one borne of frustration with the... Continue Reading →
There’s Still Hope for the Mainline
Anyone who's read this blog knows I tend to be critical of mainline Christianity. It's not that I want to leave what has been my theological home for two decades; it's that I get frustrated at some of it's shortcomings. Despite all of that, mainline/progressive/liberal Christianity is my home. As much as I respect my... Continue Reading →
Wait for the Healing
Back in May of 2012 , I shared a story of what happened at a Baptist church I attended in Washington, DC in the early 90s. It was a story of how people who disagreed with each other on the issue of homosexuality were able to still be friends and support each other. Around that... Continue Reading →
Mainline Churches Don’t Give a Rip About Church Planting.
As 2012 draws to a close, I'm taking some time to reflect on the new church ministry in the Christian Church in the Upper Midwest and the hopes for 2013 and church planting in within Mainline Protestantism as a whole. Earlier this year, I kind of fell into leading a ministry team of people interested... Continue Reading →
Sunday Sermon: “In God We Trust”
“In God We Trust” Mark 10:17-31 Twentieth Sunday After Pentecost October 14, 2012 First Christian Church Minneapolis, MN I will admit it: I really don’t like this passage. Why don’t I like it? For a lot of reasons. I don’t like how people sometimes use this passage to lord over others. People who are full... Continue Reading →
Some Thoughts on Politics, Partisanship and Christian Witness
As the GOP end their convention in Tampa and the Democrats get ready to gear up in Charlotte next week, I have a few thoughts about Christians and politics: We really take ourselves way to seriously. There was a time in my life when I happened to be far more vocal on where I lean... Continue Reading →
Repost:Why Theology Matters
We are going waaay back on this one to 2005. In the mail today, I recieved a mailing from the Disciples Peace Fellowship, the peace and justice caucus within my denomination, The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The newsletter had a quote that struck me. It said: "No amount of theology about God and the... Continue Reading →
On Funerals and Christian Cliches
This past weekend, I was in Orlando, Florida for the funeral of an uncle. My Uncle David was the youngest of my mother's siblings dying at the age of sixty. Diabetes took it's toll on David's body and finally that body gave out. David leaves behind a grieving widow and five children, three of which... Continue Reading →