DON’T STOP READING!! No matter how much the word “meditation” makes you want to tune out, I encourage you to hang in there. Hang in there, even though meditation is seen by many as some esoteric practice, meant only for a) monks, nuns, and the hard-core religious; b) kooky, or touchy-feely people, both of whichContinue reading “Meditation (anxiety, prt. 3)”
Category Archives: GOD STUFF
Loving what makes us miserable
We’re really attached to what makes us miserable. We’re into it. It gets us through our day. Why am I so afraid to let go of what violates and compromises my heart’s desire? —James Finley
When Religion Kills
The New Testament says, Romans 8:6 (NCV) 6If people’s thinking is controlled by the sinful self, there is death. But if their thinking is controlled by the Spirit, there is life and peace. This cannot be any other way, and is the definitive test for whether or not a person is centered in God, whetherContinue reading “When Religion Kills”
Taking the Gospel to “The Found”
For all the talk that goes on in Christian churches today about reaching “the lost,” I would love to see a little more emphasis on reaching “the found.” When people who identify as Christian but are mired from month to month and year to year in pornography, gambling, addictions, and bad marriages (at nearly identicalContinue reading “Taking the Gospel to “The Found””
Church, the enemy of our solitude
Recent studies have shown that the average congregation on a Sunday morning can tolerate only fifteen seconds of silence before someone feels compelled to break it with an announcement, a song…or whatever. Too often the church is the enemy of our solitude. Too often the church is one more agent in the vast social conspiracyContinue reading “Church, the enemy of our solitude”
Grumblers
The antithesis of giving thanks is grumbling. The grumblers live in a constant state of self-induced stress. …they bellyache about the unfairness of life, the paucity of their gifts, the insensitivity of their spouse and employer, the liberals who are destroying the [country] and the conservatives who have deserted their post, the hot weather andContinue reading “Grumblers”
Pain is our mother
And though we love to numb the pain We come to learn that it’s in vain Pain is our mother She makes us recognize each other — Linford Detweiler I have long said that stories of brokenness and failure bind a community together much more than stories of success and victory. Not there’sContinue reading “Pain is our mother”
Forgiveness vs. reconciliation
Forgiveness happens inside of you. You can forgive someone all by yourself, with no involvement at all required from the person you are forgiving. We all must forgive because it is through forgiveness that we let go of anger, pain, resentment, and other negative feelings towards another person which are eating us alive. So weContinue reading “Forgiveness vs. reconciliation”
The myth of the Bible-based church
[featured-image link=”null” link_single=”inherit” single_newwindow=”false”]123rf.com[/featured-image] I have an announcement to make that will be self-evident to some people and will scare (or anger) the living hell out of others. There is no such thing as a Bible-based church. Go to 1000 different such churches and you will hear about 1000 different interpretations of the Bible. Okay,Continue reading “The myth of the Bible-based church”
Letting God in
Last week a guy got upset about my sermon and said he’s never coming back to my church again because the message was too liberal (I made “liberal” fun of things both liberal and conservative in that message.) This morning I found out that a new couple had attended my church, and one of themContinue reading “Letting God in”
Temp Arbor 