If Jesus was not who he said he was, friends, then you and I should get down to the registrar’s office and get our money back. I can teach you all how to tell fairy tales for a lot less than $11,000 a semester. I can sit down with a sick woman and listen to... Continue Reading →
This Is the Perfect Time to Panic!
Things are not going well in American Mainline Protestantism. Despite all the talk about how religious progressives are winning the day over the Religious Right, I tend to see a tradition that is in decline. I see churches closing- the remaining members too tired to continue. I see churches that are still going on, uncertain... Continue Reading →
Sermon: “Faith. Fellowship. Future.”
“Faith. Fellowship. Future.” Hebrews 11:29- 12:2 August 15, 2010 First Christian Church Minneapolis, MN I think it’s safe to say that I have been to almost every Home Depot, Lowes and Menards in the metro area this summer. The reason being is that my partner Daniel came up with the idea of adding... Continue Reading →
Repost: Church Planting and Mainline Church
I wrote this post back in 2006. A lot has changed since this post was written. Sadly, how Progressive Christians view church planting isn't one of them. I sometimes wonder if mainline Protestant churches really have a passion for new churches. I won't go into the nitty gritty of the situation with Community of... Continue Reading →
Sunday Sermon: “Big Time”
Today's sermon is based off a song from recording artist Peter Gabriel from 1987. You can watch the video below. “Big Time” Luke 12:13-21 Eleventh Sunday of Pentecost August 4, 2013 First Christian Church Minneapolis, MN People in my generation are familiar with the artist Peter Gabriel. He was the lead singer for the British... Continue Reading →
What’s So Wrong About Being A Bivocational Pastor?
The longer I walk in church circles, the more I find pastors who are allergic to a certain turn of phrase: Bivocational clergy. The mere mention of this option curdles the face of most pastors I've known and read. It's certainly viewed in a less favorable light than full-time ministry. People look at you funny... Continue Reading →
I’m Autistic. I Need a lot of Grace.
One of the things that I have learned since my diagnosis of Aspergers is my willingness to be more forgiving of people's mistakes. I'm not always good at that, but I try. I try because all I have to do is look at my own life and realize that I will make a ton of... Continue Reading →
Come Sunday: The Ant and the Grasshopper-Remixed (August 4, 2013)
The following is a lectionary reflection for August 4 on Luke 12:31-21. Click the link below to read the reflection. Come Sunday: The Ant and the Grasshopper-Remixed (August 4, 2013).
Progressive Christianity’s Pyrrhic Victory
The latest meme going around at the moment is a Pew Research survey on religion. What has caught people's attention is how the share of religious conservatives falls with each new generation while religious progressives seem to be rising with each new generation. Of course, progressive Christians have latched on to this story. There is... Continue Reading →
Random Thoughts on the NSA and Metadata
I actually wrote this over a month ago as the NSA scandal started to break, posting it at Big Tent Revue, my political blog. An article by Baptist blogger Ed Setzer had me thinking about this again, so I decided to post it here with some additions. There’s a part of me that’s hesitant to... Continue Reading →
The Clockwork Pastor 