Reposted from 2017 If you have had a bad church experience, then join the club. But understand what you will be missing if you drop out of church. You will be missing a chance to hear the Gospel proclaimed on a regular basis. This age of personalization and personal preference can lead us to never... Continue Reading →
How To Handle Irritating Church People
Some people just can't handle it. An irritating person is in their Bible Study. A socially awkward man likes to speak up at all of the church meetings and eyes roll all over the room. A mentally disabled person makes weird noises at weird times and that is all people can think about as the... Continue Reading →
What Will A Future Christian Be Like?
Karl Rahner has said that "the Christian of the future will be a mystic or he won't exist at all." All of my Christian conservative readers are probably getting nervous right now after reading that quote. The fear is, among some people, is that Christians must hold tightly to rationality and reason lest they become... Continue Reading →
A Part of My Story: Taking The Disabled To Church
When I was in college, I used to work at a facility for the mentally handicapped. I often worked on the weekends and one of my favorite duties was taking a group of the residents to church. It was a small Baptist church where our little gaggle of adults almost made up a third of... Continue Reading →
Lament: When It Is Not Okay and That Is Okay
Lately, I have found expression for my own frustrations and disappointment in the Psalms of Lament. The thing about these Psalms is that they are honest and emotional while acknowledging the reality of God. I find this an incredibly healthy way of interacting with God. I decided to write my own modern lament patterned after... Continue Reading →
The Uniqueness of the Ordinary
No one in our culture likes the ordinary. Nothing ordinary goes viral or gets likes or gets copied. The ordinary is often shunned as if it is wrong or terribly mistaken. The church in American has picked up the aversion to the ordinary. No church highlights their willingness to meet the ordinary people, provide tools... Continue Reading →
Treasure or Clay Pot?
I work at a Christian university that has developed quite a culture. A culture that they are very proud of. I have worked at two others Christian, Baptist universities and DBU is unique in its commitment to Christ-centeredness and Servant Leadership. Maybe you have been a part of a church with a rich culture with... Continue Reading →
The Church Has Neglected This Most Important Goal
Yesterday in my own church, a visiting retired missionary told the story of a missionary he knew that was hampered in his own efforts to disciple believers because he said that he was never discipled himself. Discipleship is simply learning to do the things that Jesus said to do. American church culture has created a... Continue Reading →
A Month of Growing Up
Thank you for riding along with me this past month as the Grow Up Blog was launched and I try to be your guide to a more mature Christian life. I know the writing has been beneficial to me and I pray that some of my words have challenged and inspired you. Don't forget that you... Continue Reading →
Book Review: Renovation of the Church: What Happens When A Seeker Church Discovers Spiritual Formation – Kent Carlson and Mike Lueken
Some of my favorite non-fiction, non-Christian books are "looks under the hood" of movements, organizations, and individuals. Books such as Moneyball by Michael Lewis and The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell take an objective look at situations and people who have changed the landscape of their particular field or context. Their formula is fairly simple... Continue Reading →