Chaplainmike

The Impious Pastor

Pastrix: The Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner & Saint by Nadia Bolz-Weber Jericho Books (2013) * * * Note: You won’t find Nadia Bolz-Weber’s new book at your local LifeWay Store. If anyone at LifeWay received a copy, I’m sure the reviewer didn’t make it past the cover shot of Nadia, with her impressiveContinue reading “The Impious Pastor”

Winning The War, Part V—“You Shall Receive Power”

“But you are to be given power when the Holy Spirit has come to you. You will be witnesses to me, not only in Jerusalem, not only throughout Judea, not only in Samaria, but to the very ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (Phillips) At that time, indeed, the Church seems to have moved inContinue reading “Winning The War, Part V—“You Shall Receive Power””

On Being God

I would like to take a few of the days allotted to me to write (you would think being the owner and publisher of this site I would have more control over these things, wouldn’t you?) about my journey out of the evangelical world I have lived in for more than 40 years. This isContinue reading “On Being God”

A Domestic Terror Act We Must Never Forget

Yesterday was the fiftieth anniversary of the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama that killed four young black girls and wounded twenty-two other children. You can read a heart-rending description of the morning’s events HERE. This act of domestic terrorism, designed to strike fear into the hearts of those who wereContinue reading “A Domestic Terror Act We Must Never Forget”

The Homily

Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink— even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk— it’s all free! (Isaiah 55:1, NLT) Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28, NIV) There is a scene inContinue reading “The Homily”

Saturday Ramblings 9.14.13

Greetings, iMonks. Welcome to our weekly gathering here at the iMonastery where we pick up the pieces that were left over from a busy week. Well, we assume you had a busy week. We did a lot of lying around, arguing over who was to wash and who was to dry. In the end, ourContinue reading “Saturday Ramblings 9.14.13”

The Journey Continues

Editor’s note: I met Erick as a co-worker in a company where very few self-identified as Christians. Erick however did. It can be a difficult journey in our part of Canada. Here is the latest installment in Erick’s story published this week. He blogs at: Sempiternal Being. He has given me permission to share thisContinue reading “The Journey Continues”

iMonk Classic: Christian without the Adjectives

Classic iMonk Post By Michael Spencer From September 11, 2008 I have been reading a novel, and the protagonist is an Italian immigrant, and Catholic. At the end of a long introductory description, it simply said, “…he was a Christian.” Now for some reason this struck me. It’s not that I’m enamored with the word.Continue reading “iMonk Classic: Christian without the Adjectives”

Losing The War, Part IV: Identifying The Real War

If we are not involved in the Syrian Civil War by the time this essay percolates to the top of the IMonk rotation, I believe it will have been partly due to the fervent prayers of my wife. She came home from the gymnasium weeping and speaking in tongues aloud. She is an intransigent PentecostalContinue reading “Losing The War, Part IV: Identifying The Real War”

The Wolf At The Door

We little pigs build – Walls of straw or sticks, or of sheetrock and two-by-fours, block us in and the wolf out. The door is so frail A barrier between us and it. The wolf blows and straw scatters, sticks split. Even the brick house crumbles, brought down, if not by wind, then by earthquakeContinue reading “The Wolf At The Door”