Chaplainmike

Open Forum — July 16, 2014

While Gail and I enjoy the hospitality of IM reader Ted and his wife here in Maine, I will leave it to you all to come up with today’s topics in an open forum. Be civil. Don’t dominate the discussion. Listen well. Enjoy God’s gift of conversation. If the site holds your comment for someContinue reading “Open Forum — July 16, 2014”

Unholy Busyness

Unholy Busyness by Lisa Dye Now I am saying this for your own benefit, not to put a restraint on you, but because of what is proper and so that you may be devoted to the Lord without distraction. — 1 Corinthians 7:35 My mother-in-law is 90 years old, works two part-time jobs, prays dailyContinue reading “Unholy Busyness”

Another Look: Carl

Note from CM: Names have been changed. This post was first published in 2011. This past weekend we talked about “Carl” and his wife with many friends, remembering their strength and God’s faithfulness to them. I was impressed afresh at how much I learned from such simple, daily relationships as this one in my firstContinue reading “Another Look: Carl”

Reunions Are Not Enough

Reunions make me sad. I enjoy them, but in the end, they do not satisfy. As I wrote last week, we are spending this weekend with friends in the congregation of our first church, where we served from 1978-1983. A Friday evening service, Saturday breakfast and evening music night with ice cream social, Sunday worshipContinue reading “Reunions Are Not Enough”

Saturday Ramblings, July 12, 2014

Fast-food culture wars, Dumb and Dumber sermons, and judges who are okay with incest. Welcome to the weekend, fellow imonkers. The big news in sports yesterday was that LeBron James announced he is returning to Cleveland. That city has not won a sports championship of any kind in over 50 years. But with three number oneContinue reading “Saturday Ramblings, July 12, 2014”

The Church, Youth, and Sex – Did I Report It Wrong?

I am a huge Ed Stetzer fan. I follow a grand total of 14 people on twitter, and he is one of them. Ed, by the way, has 125,000 following him! So who is Ed Stetzer? Here is his bio in Christianity Today: Ed Stetzer is the President of LifeWay Research Division, a prolific author,Continue reading “The Church, Youth, and Sex – Did I Report It Wrong?”

Lisa Dye: Succession Is For Us Too

Succession Is For Us Too By Lisa Dye “We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.” —The Nicene Creed I remember standing in my old Presbyterian church as a girl, feeling the cool stone floors under my feet and smelling the polished wood of the pews. I admired the gothic architecture, the stone interior,Continue reading “Lisa Dye: Succession Is For Us Too”

Marci Alborghetti: Sanctity of Life and the Death Penalty

Note from CM: I’m happy to introduce a guest author today, one who comes to us by way of our friend Jeff Dunn. Her name is Marci Alborghetti, and she is the author of several books. Marci’s most recent titles, People of the Nativity: Living the Christmas Story Then and Now, and Being the BodyContinue reading “Marci Alborghetti: Sanctity of Life and the Death Penalty”

The 2014 Internet Monk New England Tour

Well friends, I don’t know how it is where you live, but here in the Crossroads of America the roads are clogged with family trucksters inhabited by Griswold families from all across this great country of ours. It’s summer vacation time, and your venerable Chaplain is about to take to the interstate too. This year,Continue reading “The 2014 Internet Monk New England Tour”

Give me that ol’ time Evangelicalism?

Roger Olson wrote a piece recently giving his personal perspective on the changes he has seen in American evangelicalism during his lifetime. He is well qualified to do so, and in the article he lists his personal and professional credentials: I’ve been in the “thick” of evangelicalism my whole life. I attended an evangelical collegeContinue reading “Give me that ol’ time Evangelicalism?”