Okay, so I’m an older sister, not an older brother, but that guy in the parable? I know exactly where he’s coming from. The Pharisee and the Publican? Here, admire the tzitzit on my prayer shawl! In another context, I’ve referred to channelling my inner Saruman, but the fact remains, I like law and orderContinue reading “Confessions of an Older Brother”
Author Archives: Chaplainmike
Chaos And Grace
When Chaplain Mike sent me an email last week proposing a “grace week” on InternetMonk, I was excited. Nothing brings out the boxing gloves like the topic of grace. As I’ve said before on these pages, Michael Spencer and I only talked about one thing more than our beloved Cincinnati Reds, and that was theContinue reading “Chaos And Grace”
Luther Gives Us Free Sins, Too
Long before our good brother Steve Brown started offering people free sins, a German monk with a passion for Christ, grace, and freedom did the same. Martin Luther’s classic book, On the Freedom of a Christian (or Concerning Christian Liberty), 1520, is one of the most fundamental books in Luther’s canon and one of theContinue reading “Luther Gives Us Free Sins, Too”
Free to Be Ourselves
Rediscovering the gospel (of grace alone) enabled me to see that: Because Jesus is strong for me, I am free to be weak. Because Jesus won for me, I am free to lose. Because Jesus is someone, I am free to be no one. Because Jesus is extraordinary, I am free to be ordinary. BecauseContinue reading “Free to Be Ourselves”
IM Interview with Steve Brown
I had a wonderful opportunity to talk with Steve Brown yesterday, to thank him for his wonderful new book, Three Free Sins: God’s Not Mad at You. Thanks to Steve’s co-worker, Erik Guzman, our conversation was recorded so that it would be available to you, our Internet Monk audience. For those of you unfamiliar withContinue reading “IM Interview with Steve Brown”
Grace Means Saying, “I’m Sorry”
UPDATE: Having long passed the point of “the more I try to explain the less I’m understood,” I am closing comments for now. UPDATE: Please read my comment at 6:04 pm. • • • I spoke on the phone the other night with fellow blogger and friend of Internet Monk Patrick Kyle. His website, NewContinue reading “Grace Means Saying, “I’m Sorry””
What If I…
What if I… When dark and deep prevailed Breathed out an order And light broke through to awaken the world? And what if I… When heinous violence ruled Tapped a lone man’s shoulder And bid him build a lifeboat to preserve the world? And what if I… When self-reliant hubris swelled Confounded and scattered allContinue reading “What If I…”
“Getting Better” Is Not the Goal
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” (2Peter 3:18, NIV) “Just as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so go on living in him—in simple faith. Grow out of him as a plant grows out of the soil itContinue reading ““Getting Better” Is Not the Goal”
Why Gays, Republicans, and Other Notorious Sinners Are Welcome at My Church
An imagined , but entirely possible, conversation: Concerned Christian: Chaplain Mike, if you were a pastor, would you allow gays to attend your church? CM: Sure. If they wanted to come to church, why shouldn’t I? Concerned Christian: Well, doesn’t the Bible forbid homosexuality? CM: Let’s say it does. Wouldn’t church be a good placeContinue reading “Why Gays, Republicans, and Other Notorious Sinners Are Welcome at My Church”
It’s Jubilee Week on Internet Monk: All Grace All the Time!
Since this is an election year, I’d like to propose a policy that I think all of our Presidential candidates should get behind. I say we should declare a Jubilee Year here in the U.S. All debts released. All. Are you a foreign country who owes us money? We’ve written it off. Illegal immigrant? FullContinue reading “It’s Jubilee Week on Internet Monk: All Grace All the Time!”
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