By Chaplain Mike So, while I’ve been thinking about churches, I thought I would try to get a handle on what congregations meet and minister in my community. First, let me tell you about where I live. It’s a small town in central Indiana, a nice old-fashioned, Midwestern community. The town was founded in 1823.Continue reading “Water, water everywhere…”
Author Archives: Chaplainmike
The Parish System
By Chaplain Mike Apparently, American Christians are not the only ones plagued by the spirit of “consumerism” when it comes to their commitment to a local church. This cartoon is taken from the Dave Walker Guide to the Church, published by Canterbury Press. It originally appeared in the Church Times.
Open Mic: What’s a “Biblical” Church?
By Chaplain Mike For our open thread discussion today, I would like to ask you some questions based on a quote I read the other day. I am not going to give the source of the quote because I don’t want to get responses about the person or the ministry or tradition he represents. SufficeContinue reading “Open Mic: What’s a “Biblical” Church?”
Welcoming the Stranger
By Chaplain Mike Ordinary Time Bible Study 2011 The Book of Ruth (8) Naomi and Ruth have returned to Bethlehem, where the Lord has visited his people and blessed them with a good harvest. Ruth takes initiative immediately and goes out to glean in the fields to provide for their household. According to the Torah,Continue reading “Welcoming the Stranger”
Luther on the Marks of the Church
By Chaplain Mike For, thank God, a child seven years old knows what the Church is, namely, the holy believers and lambs who hear the voice of their Shepherd. • Martin Luther, The Smalcald Articles, III.12 In order to deal with the religious controversies that had emerged between Rome and the Protestants, Martin Luther andContinue reading “Luther on the Marks of the Church”
A Hymn for Ordinary Time (7): For Ecclesia Week
By Chaplain Mike The following words are from the Preface to Lyra Fidelium: Twelve Hymns on the Twelve Articles of the Apostles Creed, by S.J. Stone (1866) Most clergymen are aware how many of their parishioners, among the poor especially, say the Creed in their private prayers. And they cannot but feel how this excellentContinue reading “A Hymn for Ordinary Time (7): For Ecclesia Week”
iMonk Classic: “Basics for the Local Church”
Classic iMonk Post by Michael Spencer From January 13, 2006 Note from Chaplain Mike: For the next week or so, we will have “Ecclesia Week” here on Internet Monk. Our focus will be on discussing some basic perspectives about the Church. Today’s iMonk Classic is excerpted from a post Michael Spencer wrote in January 2006.Continue reading “iMonk Classic: “Basics for the Local Church””
Saturday Ramblings 8.6.11
Since Senior Rambler Jeff Dunn is driving cross-country at the moment, it has fallen to me, Adam Palmer, the completely stationary Junior Rambler, to sweep up the iron filings from the floor of the iMonastery’s smithy. Here we go: This week Christian apologist and all-around smart fellow Terry Mattingly wrote a thought-provoking essay about theContinue reading “Saturday Ramblings 8.6.11”
Whatever Happened to…R.B. Thieme, Jr.?
By Chaplain Mike This one may be a stretch for some of you, I don’t know. However, for those of us who were involved in churches and schools in the 1960’s and 70’s that subscribed to dispensationalist ideology, the name R.B.Thieme (1918–2009) brings back some memories. Thieme was pastor at Berachah Church in Houston, TexasContinue reading “Whatever Happened to…R.B. Thieme, Jr.?”
Destruction: God’s Alien Work
“The Lord will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim, he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon— to do his work, his strange work, and perform his task, his alien task …” • Isaiah 28:21 “What is more alien to salvation than destruction? And yet this is what Christ does toContinue reading “Destruction: God’s Alien Work”
The Internet Monk Archives 