Author Archives: Chaplainmike

Another Look: Saints with two left feet

“All Saints Day is a witness to God’s way of blessing the world…” (David Thiede) Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him? (James 2:5) • •Continue reading “Another Look: Saints with two left feet”

Sundays with Michael Spencer: November 1, 2015

A church-planting friend just wrote me about a conference he’s attended in one of our state Baptist conventions. Plant those churches, boys, was the rallying cry, but stay out of those pubs. Take the Gospel into the world, but stay out of anyplace that serves beer. That’s someone’s version of how the Gospel applies toContinue reading “Sundays with Michael Spencer: November 1, 2015”

Saturday Ramblings: October 31, 2015 — Scariest Creatures Alive Edition

Need a classy vehicle in which to take the little ones Trick-or-Treating tonight? Ditch that SUV and pile them into this sweet ’59 Ambassador Cross Country so they can fill it and themselves with candy and laughter. It’s Halloween. Let’s Ramble! First, this public service announcement for Daylight Savings Time (thanks, Clark Bunch!): Second, becauseContinue reading “Saturday Ramblings: October 31, 2015 — Scariest Creatures Alive Edition”

IM Book Review: The Between Time by Damaris Zehner (David Cornwell)

Note from CM: I’m so pleased to announce that Damaris Zehner’s new book has been published! It is available on Twenty-Third Publications’ website and for pre-order on Amazon.   For our readers from New Zealand (!), there is a local source. Germans can pay with Euros here and Dutch here. We’ve asked our friend David Cornwell to review it today. Congratulations,Continue reading “IM Book Review: The Between Time by Damaris Zehner (David Cornwell)”

Reformation Week 2015: The “Failed” Reformation

Like all of us, Martin Luther didn’t always remember or apply his own theology in the face of life’s realities. The following story by David Lose illustrates this. This past summer I was visiting Wittenberg and heard a story about Martin Luther I hadn’t heard before that seems appropriate for those observing Reformation Sunday thisContinue reading “Reformation Week 2015: The “Failed” Reformation”

Reformation Week 2015: Another Look — God’s Righteousness

I’m not ashamed of the good news; it’s God’s power, bringing salvation to everyone who believes — to the Jew first, and also, equally, to the Greek. This is because God’s covenant justice is unveiled in it, from faithfulness to faithfulness. As it says in the Bible, “the just shall live by faith.” – RomansContinue reading “Reformation Week 2015: Another Look — God’s Righteousness”

Reformation Week 2015 — David Lose on The Pharisee, the Tax Collector, and the Reformation

Reformation Week 2015 Reformation Day is October 31 Note from CM: I love the article by David Lose from 2013 at Working Preacher that I reference in this post: “The Pharisee, the Tax Collector, and the Reformation.” I encourage you to read it in its entirety. It is a wonderful statement about the subversive natureContinue reading “Reformation Week 2015 — David Lose on The Pharisee, the Tax Collector, and the Reformation”

Reformation Week 2015 — Michael Spencer on the Reformation

Reformation Week 2015 Reformation Day is October 31 Note from CM: We begin our Reformation Week posts with an excerpt from a 2007 piece by Michael Spencer, called “Letting Some of the Air Out of the Reformation Balloon.” • • • My reading on Luther and the Reformation has changed my mind about a lotContinue reading “Reformation Week 2015 — Michael Spencer on the Reformation”

Sundays with Michael Spencer: October 25, 2015

Note from CM: It is, of course, time to re-post one of Michael’s Halloween rants about what evangelicals did to a simple, old-fashioned American tradition. Happy Reformation Day (and Halloween). • • • As October 31st looms, it’s time for true confessions. I grew up among Southern Baptist fundamentalist Baptists. The KJV-only, women can’t wearContinue reading “Sundays with Michael Spencer: October 25, 2015”