Dearly Beloved, We are here to say good-bye to an old friend: a friend we have loved for years. We did not come to praise her; we came to bury her. What can you say about a church that weathered the riches of the 90s, the emergent movement of the 2000s, and the schisms of the 10s? In…
Month: February 2017
Containers, We Are
This reading could be utilized as a solo reading, duet, or group reading. Reader 1: “For we do not preach ourselves.” Reader 2: We don’t strut our talents. Reader 1: We don’t flaunt our riches. Reader 2: We don’t tout our strategy. Reader 1: We don’t sell our style. Reader 2: We don’t rely on…
It’s not about Legalism
We are a savage tribe. Often hiding behind our rules to make us as a sort of spiritual hall pass. We live in a world where poverty is the dominant issue and we, the rich Christian nations, are more concerned about sports, tax breaks, and oil prices. In a larger sense our prayers are feeble…
The Doctor Visit
The Doctor walked into the examination room and asked me why I decided to come in today. He could tell something was wrong. I said, “You see, I’ve been putting off seeing you hoping that this would go away but it hasn’t. I’ve read all the books, the self-help guides, the miracle cures and I’ve googled…
A Scandalous Salvation and 4 Amazing Leaps
So your boss sends you on a business trip and, somehow, you and your wingman decide to stay in a prostitute’s abode. This does not look good. It’s scandalous at the very least but it’s also straight out of the Holy Bible. Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two men as spies from the Acacia…
A Day in the Life of a Friend
This is a light sketch on prayer. Kristi: Oh, dear friend. I love You! I love You! I love You! You have been so, so good to me. Love You! Love You! Love You! I’m alive! I’m alive! I’m alive! And I love, love, love You! The Friend: Thanks, I love you, too, and I was… Kristi: I’m…
Amos Today
(Based on Amos 5:18-24) Woe and pity to the theological geniuses! The ones that gaze upon the charts of dispensational prophecy. The ones that spend their days arguing their religious apologetics on social media without lifting a finger to help strugglers. Woe to you who parrot political arguments and lust for salacious scandals. Why do you crave His…
Two Voices
Let’s take a familiar journey to the foot of an ugly hill of slaughter outside the walls of Jerusalem. Your imagination has been there before, I’m sure. It was the auction block of the cosmos. Jesus Christ put everything on the table for us, willing to bear the brunt of a fallen world to rescue…
Communion Meditation
The bread of brokenness The wine of grace The fellowship of His sufferings Our hearts long for communion with the One whose glory overshadows every joy, ever fear, every act of contrition and amazement. The broken bread The red blood washing away cleansing, rectifying, forgiving, renewing, like rivers of hope Flooding the arid field of…
Can We Go Back to the Way Worship Used to Be? Facedown?
It is interesting to note that there are very few major heroes in the Bible who have not been seen face down before God. Moses and Aaron hit the dust! Then Moses and Aaron came in from the presence of the assembly to the doorway of the tent of meeting and fell on their…