SLOW CHURCH WEEK 1 The Convivial Church Before this strange disease of modern life, With its sick hurry, its divided aims, Its heads o’ertax’d, its palsied hearts… – Matthew Arnold * * * In their revelatory new book, Slow Church, Chris Smith and John Pattison reflect upon the following important words from the beginning ofContinue reading “Slow Church Week 1: The Convivial Church”
Author Archives: Chaplainmike
Saturday Ramblings, June 7, 2014
Mormon shoulder wars, Left-Behind trailers, and road trips with a corpse: Welcome to the weekend, fellow imonkers. First, some sports news. The Evil Empire lost the first game of the NBA finals Thursday night in San Antonio. The big news of the game was that the AC in the arena went out, and courtside tempsContinue reading “Saturday Ramblings, June 7, 2014”
Items on the List
We encounter people throughout our days and, instead of being people with hopes and dreams, despair and failures, they become items on the list… – Craig Gross I want to tell the stories this week of six of my friends. Four became Christians. Two have not. So many of your comments this past week speakContinue reading “Items on the List”
iMonk Classic: Leaving Behind the Church-Shaped Life
Since it has been a rather post-evangelical week here on Internet Monk, I think it only fitting that the last words I contribute to the subject, before turning things over to Mike Bell tomorrow, come from Michael Spencer. The following is an excerpt from Michael’s book, Mere Churchianity: Finding Your Way Back to Jesus-Shaped SpiritualityContinue reading “iMonk Classic: Leaving Behind the Church-Shaped Life”
The Pressure to Produce Results
Note from CM: Today’s post is from our friend Adam Palmer, who has written a new book with Craig Gross coming out in August, called Go Small: Because God Doesn’t Care About Your Status, Size, or Success. This book is an encouragement to ditch the evangelical church world’s “success” mentality and simply do the thingContinue reading “The Pressure to Produce Results”
Wretched Enthusiasm
It felt so big to you, that fire in your heart. It filled your body, gave you a sort of buoyancy and belonging. A sense of purpose. . . . The God-fire grew big and hot and wild, and your whole world began to glow with it. It raged in your heart, and before youContinue reading “Wretched Enthusiasm”
Wilderness Update: Square Peg Syndrome
Wilderness Update from Chaplain Mike – June 2, 2014 It is no secret that I have long struggled with church. Since leaving congregational ministry over nine years ago, I have been in the wilderness when it comes to having a church home and getting involved deeply in a congregation. After trying a few paths whichContinue reading “Wilderness Update: Square Peg Syndrome”
Jesus’ Ascension and Life as Gift
Many churches celebrate Jesus’ Ascension today, though the official observance was this past Thursday (May 29). We so often leave the Ascension out of our gospel. Christ’s “finished work,” however, includes Jesus’ incarnation, ministry, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and outpouring of the Holy Spirit — all of the above. These great events are the keyContinue reading “Jesus’ Ascension and Life as Gift”
Saturday Ramblings, May 31, 2004
Welcome to the weekend, fellow imonkers. If any of you even thinks of mentioning the Pacers-Heat series I will look up your ISP and hunt you down. And do … really bad things. As soon as I can think of what they are. You have been warned. Did you know that 33 cities have implementedContinue reading “Saturday Ramblings, May 31, 2004”
When Children are Pawns in the Game of War
The kid who guards Fonseca’s tomb Cradles a beat-up submachine gun — At age fifteen he’s a veteran of four years of war Proud to pay his dues He knows who turns the screws Baby face and old man’s eyes Bruce Cockburn – “Nicaragua” – From the 1984 album “Stealing Fire” Remember “Kony 2012”? ThisContinue reading “When Children are Pawns in the Game of War”
The Internet Monk Archives 