How I wish Christian teachers and leaders would talk honestly to people about sex. The other day I read an article about a video Tim Keller did for Jonathan Bethke. The article was called, “Timothy Keller Waxes Poetic About the ‘Magic’ and Pleasures of Sex in Marriage.” Now, that headline oversells the actual claims Keller makesContinue reading “Sex Is Not Arithmetic”
Author Archives: Chaplainmike
The Pastor: Waiting Tables
Christianity is a meal fellowship. And ministry is table service. This is the focus and content of a remarkable chapter in Gordon W. Lathrop’s book, The Pastor: A Spirituality. And this is the chapter that, most of all, sets the liturgical traditions apart from the free churches. This is what many of us who fledContinue reading “The Pastor: Waiting Tables”
Homily for Advent I: The Day Before
The Day Before A sermon for the first Sunday in Advent, 2013 ‘But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the floodContinue reading “Homily for Advent I: The Day Before”
The Homily
One day the seminary students came to Elisha and told him, “As you can see, our dormitory is too small. Tell us, as our president, whether we can build a new one down beside the Jordan River, where there are plenty of logs.” “All right,” he told them, “go ahead.” “Please, sir, come with us,”Continue reading “The Homily”
Saturday Ramblings 11.30.13
As you emerge from your tryptophan-induced coma, I have some startling news for you. Eating turkey doesn’t make you sleepy. Really. So get your butt off the couch and get washing those dishes already. There. I feel I’ve done my duty to our nation as a whole. Now, pass me another piece of pie andContinue reading “Saturday Ramblings 11.30.13”
You Can Sleep In If You Want
We here at InternetMonk like to think we are an indispensable part of your life, and this morning, we are going to prove it by providing you with all the reason you need to skip the madness of early-morning shoppers and allow you to stay in your pajamas inside your warm house. It is theContinue reading “You Can Sleep In If You Want”
Words about Gratitude
Thanksgiving Day (U.S.), 2013 Thomas Merton To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything He has given us – and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from Him.Continue reading “Words about Gratitude”
My “December” Playlist
On Sunday, Advent begins. My annual habit has been to listen to only Advent and Christmas music from the beginning of Advent to the end of Christmastide. This year, I am adding at least one playlist that consists of seasonal music about the coming of winter in our hemisphere and in our hearts. I haveContinue reading “My “December” Playlist”
The Pastor: Preparing to Preach through Attention and Imagination
Today, a rich quote from Gordon W. Lathrop on preparing to preach. This is not so much about the “nuts and bolts” of preparing a manuscript but rather about how preaching grows out of the pastor’s life, prepared through paying attention and engaging his or her imagination. I want a pastor like this. I wantContinue reading “The Pastor: Preparing to Preach through Attention and Imagination”
Guilty Pleasure Bible
So when my friend texted me and invited me to go to Gardner’s Used Books on Saturday afternoon, who was I to refuse? Especially because he also offered to buy me a drink at Sonic. As I looked through the selection of books in the religion section at Gardner’s, I came upon a very well-keptContinue reading “Guilty Pleasure Bible”
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