Chaplainmike

Pentecost Makes a Difference for Women

This is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: “In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men andContinue reading “Pentecost Makes a Difference for Women”

Savior of the Suffering (Mark)

First Things First Restoring the Gospel to Primacy in the Church Part Four: Savior of the Suffering — Mark Jesus-shaped Christianity will grow out of the soil of a Story-shaped Gospel. The more we immerse ourselves in the Story and get to know the Gospels, the greater the impact the Gospel of King Jesus willContinue reading “Savior of the Suffering (Mark)”

“Wisdom” and the Fog

Many plans are in a man’s heart, But the counsel of the Lord will stand. What is desirable in a man is his kindness… • Proverbs 19:21-22, NASB • • • I stand on top of a rise in the road. Before me, a valley stretches, still shrouded in fog. Behind me, the sun hasContinue reading ““Wisdom” and the Fog”

Let Them Preach Grace

A Moment with Frederick Buechner “Preaching Grace” How much preaching we hear from the lips of men and women who give us no way of knowing that they were themselves once upon a time passionately moved by the gospel, which they proclaim now with so little apparent passion. Let them preach about the moments ofContinue reading “Let Them Preach Grace”

Is the Reformation Over? — Part One: A Modest and Growing Engagement

Is the Reformation Over? (part one) A Modest and Growing Engagement Is the Reformation Over?: An Evangelical Assessment of Contemporary Roman Catholicism by Mark Noll and Carolyn Nystrom Baker Academic (April 1, 2008) • • • On Sundays this summer, we will be blogging through Mark Noll and Carolyn Nystrom’s book, Is the Reformation Over?Continue reading “Is the Reformation Over? — Part One: A Modest and Growing Engagement”

iMonk Classic: Has Grace Made Me Gracious?

Classic iMonk Post by Michael Spencer from May 2009 I’m thinking about grace a lot today after a bit of a mystical experience in church Sunday. As we were preparing for communion, I was praying. The Spirit brought to mind a series of dark incidents from my own life where God was miraculously gracious toContinue reading “iMonk Classic: Has Grace Made Me Gracious?”

Saturday Ramblings 5.26.12

Happy holiday weekend, iMonks! I always was amazed at those who could not keep their holidays straight. How could anyone confuse Memorial Day—the start of summer—with Labor Day—the end of summer? There are days of memories and days of laboring, and while often times they are one and the same, once you capitalize them, theyContinue reading “Saturday Ramblings 5.26.12”

God’s Strange Armour

Fridays in Ephesus (6) God’s Strange Armour During Eastertide on Fridays, we are reflecting on insights from Timothy Gombis’s recent book, The Drama of Ephesians: Participating in the Triumph of God. • • • For a long time, one of the passages Sunday School teachers have used to keep young boys interested is Ephesians 6:10-18:Continue reading “God’s Strange Armour”

Adam McHugh: The Writer as Mystic and Madman

Note from CM: One avenue of interest that I like to explore as I write is the craft of writing itself. Today, Adam McHugh helps us think about writing as an ancient practice “that unfolds our souls and opens our hearts and minds to the God who speaks to us, with us, and through us.”Continue reading “Adam McHugh: The Writer as Mystic and Madman”

“But” Out Of God’s Love

“God is love.” Honestly . . . how do you react, deep down in your gut, when someone invokes that little quote from John’s first epistle? I believe most thoughtful evangelicals are like me on this, if honest. We have a hard time trusting love, don’t we? Whenever any kind of apologetic or doctrinal debates turnContinue reading ““But” Out Of God’s Love”