By Chaplain Mike I have not been able to get this sentence out of my mind since reading it in the foreword to Carlson and Lueken’s book, Renovation of the Church, discussed here last week. It speaks to the salutary effects that seasons of disorientation can have on our spiritual formation. Can it really beContinue reading “A Wise Word about Spiritual Formation”
Author Archives: Chaplainmike
It Always Comes Back to Family
By Chaplain Mike Last year I took a bunch of folders and manila envelopes filled with papers from my father’s efforts to do some genealogical work on our family. I’ve been wanting to pick up on it, especially with the resources available now on the internet, but I have not gotten to it yet. ThereContinue reading “It Always Comes Back to Family”
Come, People of the Risen King
By Chaplain Mike A song calling the church to come as one to praise Christ, by one of our best contemporary hymn-writers, Stuart Townend, and performed in concert by Keith and Kristyn Getty.
A Hymn for Ordinary Time (8): A Prayer for the Church
By Chaplain Mike Timothy Dudley-Smith, whose biography of the late John Stott will most certainly be read by many this year in the light of Stott’s passing, is one of the truly fine British hymn writers of the past century. He has penned over 300 texts, and his hymns have been published in over 250Continue reading “A Hymn for Ordinary Time (8): A Prayer for the Church”
Another Look: A Suggested Program for the Church
By Chaplain Mike Note from CM: One of the questions I received for the “Ask Chaplain Mike” series was this: “If you were in the process of becoming a new pastor in an established church, what would your first priority be? How would you arrive at it?” The answer to that question is bigger thanContinue reading “Another Look: A Suggested Program for the Church”
Saturday Ramblings 8.13.11
It’s Saturday the 13th, iMonks. I have no idea if that is good luck, bad luck, or just a day. I tend to think it is just a day, but not just any day. It’s Saturday, the day we do some light housecleaning at the iMonastery. I suppose that is bad luck for those whoContinue reading “Saturday Ramblings 8.13.11”
Two Churches that Closed Down the “Show”
By Chaplain Mike This week, as we’ve been discussing the church, I have read two intriguing stories of megachurches that began and grew explosively using an attractional, seeker-oriented philosophy of ministry, but then decided that approach was contrary to Jesus’ call to discipleship. So they closed down the “show,” re-ordered their priorities, revamped their programs,Continue reading “Two Churches that Closed Down the “Show””
iMonk Classic: On the “One True Church”
Classic iMonk Post by Michael Spencer From January 24, 2009 Note from CM: Back in Jan. 2009, Michael wrote a piece called, “Theology, Depression and the Unsolvable Problem of the Right Church.” Today, we present an excerpt from that post for Ecclesia Week. In this essay, the iMonk tries to temper our desire to findContinue reading “iMonk Classic: On the “One True Church””
Purgatory
Time for a look at yet another mysterious Roman Catholic doctrine: Purgatory. Nobody understands Purgatory (except theologians and possibly those saints who have had private revelations), so (a) don’t worry if you don’t find it makes any sense and (b) as ever, the opinions expressed below – except where expressly stated otherwise – are thoseContinue reading “Purgatory”
Some Things I Believe about the Church (at this point)
By Chaplain Mike As I did with the Bible, I now present five basic points in my thinking about the church. This is by no means an exhaustive list; just a summary of a few of the thoughts that shape my perspectives at this time in my own understanding. I hope they will provide fertileContinue reading “Some Things I Believe about the Church (at this point)”
The Internet Monk Archives 