Chaplainmike

At the fall of the leaf . . .

Today, Autumn pictures and an Autumn poem for your contemplation. Autumn is the glorious falling of the year. Here are a few photos taken recently here in central Indiana. Photography is a way of prayer for me, of paying attention and learning to see with new eyes. I may post more in days to come,Continue reading “At the fall of the leaf . . .”

Galatians 2:20 — A Jesus-shaped identity

I am, however, alive— but it isn’t me any longer; it’s the Messiah who lives in me. And the life I do still live in the flesh, I live within the faithfulness of the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. • Galatians 2:20 The Kingdom New Testament • • •Continue reading “Galatians 2:20 — A Jesus-shaped identity”

Eugene Peterson on Trinity

Trinity is the most comprehensive and integrative framework that we have for understanding and participating in the Christian life. Early on in our history, our pastors and teachers formulated the Trinity to express what is distinctive in the revelation of God in Christ. This theology provides an immense horizon against which we can understand andContinue reading “Eugene Peterson on Trinity”

Eugene Peterson on Jesus-Shaped Spirituality

The Christian community is interested in spirituality because it is interested in living. We give careful attention to spirituality because we know, from long experience, how easy it is to get interested in ideas of God and projects for God and gradually lose interest in God alive, deadening our lives with ideas and the projects.Continue reading “Eugene Peterson on Jesus-Shaped Spirituality”

Open Mic: Calling all caregivers

Note from CM: Thank you all so much for sharing your stories and experiences. As thankless as it may seem some time, caregivers are doing God’s work, the “cup of water” work that Jesus assures us our Father sees and rewards. • • • Calling all caregivers! I am currently working on the third book inContinue reading “Open Mic: Calling all caregivers”

Sundays with Michael Spencer: October 18, 2015

A Jesus Prayer by Michael Spencer Jesus, you don’t build institutions. You don’t write catechisms. Or Systematic Theologies. Or critiques of someone’s theology or refutations of their catechism. You don’t have a blog. You don’t moderate debates. You are the bread of life who gives himself for the salvation of the world. You are theContinue reading “Sundays with Michael Spencer: October 18, 2015”

Saturday Ramblings: October 17, 2015

This may be the peak leaf-peeper weekend in central Indiana, so I suggest we jump in our sleek little Metropolitan and ramble. Ready? The Democrats held their first presidential debate on Tuesday night, pitting Hillary Clinton against Bernie Sanders and three unnamed guys they pulled in from the neighborhood. While most pundits gave Clinton theContinue reading “Saturday Ramblings: October 17, 2015”

Damaris Zehner: I Am Not the Hero of the Story

I Am Not the Hero of the Story by Damaris Zehner I’ve noticed an interesting psychological phenomenon, in the words of the immortal Andrew Steyne in The Gods Must Be Crazy. I first came across it some years ago in a Sunday school class I taught and more recently in some commentary on gender rolesContinue reading “Damaris Zehner: I Am Not the Hero of the Story”

Swimming against a Tide: Pastoral Ministry

Swimming against a Tide Ways I’ve changed in my evangelical faith Pastoral Ministry This week I want to push back against some articles written by others — not because I have a chip on my shoulder or animus toward any particular writers, but simply to try and express some of the ways I have changedContinue reading “Swimming against a Tide: Pastoral Ministry”

Another Look: The Life God Is In

“…he is not far from any one of us.” (Acts 17.27, NLT) As I have talked with friends throughout this year, I’ve noted that we’ve been using a phrase regularly: “This is the life God is in.” OK, it could be better grammatically, but it’s punchy and makes a clear point. So many of us thinkContinue reading “Another Look: The Life God Is In”