Chaplainmike

Saturday Ramblings, March 15, 2014

Welcome to the weekend, fellow imonkers. It is now about two months that I have had the privilege of writing the ramblings, and I think Pope Francis made the cut every week. But since Martha had two wonderful posts on Francis of Monday and Tuesday of this week, I will refrain from all pope-talk. IfContinue reading “Saturday Ramblings, March 15, 2014”

Lies, Damn Lies, and [Church Divorce] Statistics

While the phrase did not originate with him, Mark Twain once quipped, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” Statistics have always been an interest of mine, and it was my offer of statistical support for Michael Spencer’s “Coming Evangelical Collapse” that resulted in me starting to write for Internet Monk.Continue reading “Lies, Damn Lies, and [Church Divorce] Statistics”

Another Look: Come to the Quiet

Note from CM: I will be going to The Abbey of Gethsemani in a couple of weeks for a few days of retreat. Having confirmed my reservation today, I was reminded of this simple invitation to silence from August, 2012. * * * Yet in our busy, noisy, overstimulating mission field of the world, itContinue reading “Another Look: Come to the Quiet”

Lent with Bergman 1 – Wild Strawberries

All along the line, there’s nothing but cold and death and loneliness. It must end somewhere. – from Wild Strawberries * * * It seems to me the movies of Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman would provide fruitful material for us as a source of contemplation during Lent. As part of this year’s IM Lenten emphasis,Continue reading “Lent with Bergman 1 – Wild Strawberries”

Is the Pope a Catholic? (part 2)

Read part one of Is the Pope a Catholic? * * * So who is this liberal, progressive, modernising pope with no hang-ups about sex and contraception and divorce and abortion, who constantly preaches on the value and necessity of the Sacrament of Confession and the reality of the Devil, who came back from studyingContinue reading “Is the Pope a Catholic? (part 2)”

Is the Pope a Catholic? (part 1)

This March is the first anniversary of the election of Pope Francis, the former Archbishop Jorge Bergoglio of Buenos Aires. Reactions have, in the main, been of two kinds: He’s the greatest thing that ever happened to the Catholic Church! He’s the worst thing that ever happened to the Catholic Church! We’ve heard very fewContinue reading “Is the Pope a Catholic? (part 1)”

All Is Lost

The other night, I watched the film, “All Is Lost,” which is the story of a lone sailor adrift in the Indian Ocean who struggles to survive. I found it to be a film that lends itself to contemplation, with a couple of good lessons to think about during this Lenten season. All Is LostContinue reading “All Is Lost”

Saturday Ramblings, March 8, 2014

UPDATE: Bill Gothard resigns from IBLP and affiliated organizations. * * * Happy weekend, imonkers. Here in the Midwest, we are finally above freezing (at least during the day). And, of course, Lent began this week. Did you give anything up? One analysis of the top things people gave up for lent is based onContinue reading “Saturday Ramblings, March 8, 2014”

Reviewing “What is an Average Size Church?”

Chaplain Mike’s post on small churches reminded me of one of the first posts I had made on Internet Monk in July of 2009. As many of our current readers may not have seen it, I thought it would be worthwhile to post again. Based on the last two surveys that were done, the numbersContinue reading “Reviewing “What is an Average Size Church?””

The Dark Side of Small

In forsaking the ability to change, they diminish the capacity for hope. – Kathleen Norris I have often praised smaller churches. I continue to hope in the restoration of community life across the U.S. and the revitalization of neighborhood churches that will bring the Gospel back down to its proper human scale. But I amContinue reading “The Dark Side of Small”