What would it be like if we as Christians believed that the Bible was written for us: …to encourage us to think more, not less? …to help us develop wisdom so that we can come to conclusions and make decisions maturely on our own, not simply give us answers and rules to follow? …to engageContinue reading “What would it be like…?”
Author Archives: Chaplainmike
The Use of the Bible in Pastoral Care (4)
The Use of the Bible in Pastoral Care Part Four: Why do we have the Bible in the first place? What is the Bible? And what is it for? Yesterday’s post highlighted the fact that I have come a long way from some of the common evangelical understandings about how to answer those questions. TheContinue reading “The Use of the Bible in Pastoral Care (4)”
Losers Who Just Keep Walking
Triumphalism is a terrible thing. I heard an unexpected sermon yesterday from a guest preacher in a church we visited. The church is a traditional old Midwest Protestant congregation, not known, at least in recent memory, for their religious enthusiasm or expressiveness. Sunday’s speaker was from a quite different ecclesiastical milieu. The congregation seemed toContinue reading “Losers Who Just Keep Walking”
10th Sunday after Trinity: Pic & Cantata of the Week
(Click on picture for larger image) • • • Apparently, this time of year is a season in which apocalyptic themes take hold. With this year’s solar eclipse, our minds are focused on these themes as well, and Bach gives us music by which to meditate on the upheavals that shake our universe and causeContinue reading “10th Sunday after Trinity: Pic & Cantata of the Week”
The IM Saturday Brunch: August 19, 2017 (Joel 2:31 Edition)
THE INTERNET MONK SATURDAY BRUNCH ”It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” The sun will be turned to darkness…before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. • JoelContinue reading “The IM Saturday Brunch: August 19, 2017 (Joel 2:31 Edition)”
Ordinary Time Bible Study: Philippians — Friends in the Gospel (9)
Ordinary Time Bible Study Philippians: Friends in the Gospel Study Nine Note: When passages are quoted at the beginning of new sections, I will be using The Message translation because of its conversational, friendly tone. You can compare this version with others, as well as have access to Gordon Fee’s commentary, at Bible Gateway. ✥ There’s anContinue reading “Ordinary Time Bible Study: Philippians — Friends in the Gospel (9)”
The Ark Encounter- A Ship to Nowhere
The Ark Encounter- A Ship to Nowhere By Mike the Geologist The Ark Encounter and Answers in Genesis have been in the news recently. Jim Kidder reports : The Ark Encounter opened on July 7, 2016 to much fanfare. Ken Ham declared that he expects over two million visitors the first year. Ticket prices are setContinue reading “The Ark Encounter- A Ship to Nowhere”
The Use of the Bible in Pastoral Care (3)
The Use of the Bible in Pastoral Care Part Three: Drawn to the Religionless These first few posts in this series are autobiographical, tracing my journey as a minister within the world of evangelicalism. I’m doing this with the goal of putting some “flesh” on the subject. In posts to come, we’ll look at someContinue reading “The Use of the Bible in Pastoral Care (3)”
The Use of the Bible in Pastoral Care (2)
The Use of the Bible in Pastoral Care Part Two: A World Between Sundays In part one, I said that my first congregational ministry experience changed something inside me and made me more open to the work of pastoral care. However, I must also admit that a battle about this raged inside me when IContinue reading “The Use of the Bible in Pastoral Care (2)”
The Use of the Bible in Pastoral Care (1)
The Use of the Bible in Pastoral Care Part One: The Birth of a Pastor I have been serving as a hospice chaplain for almost thirteen years now, so my daily work involves visiting those who are in the final season of life, along with their families, friends, and caregivers. Before that, I was inContinue reading “The Use of the Bible in Pastoral Care (1)”
The Internet Monk Archives 