Author Archives: Chaplainmike

Sermon: Advent II — The Repentant Life

Sermon: Advent II The Repentant Life (Matthew 3:1-12) The Lord be with you. John the Baptist proclaimed, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” One of our most beloved stories at Christmas time is a tale about repentance — Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. It’s about the repentance of a man named EbenezerContinue reading “Sermon: Advent II — The Repentant Life”

Saturday Brunch, December 7, 2019

Hello, friends, and welcome to the weekend. Ready for some brunch?  The Apostrophe Protection Society shuts down. “We, and our many supporters worldwide, have done our best but the ignorance and laziness present in modern times have won.” No idea’ what me meant:  His name is Bond. James Bond. The trailer for the next Bond movieContinue reading “Saturday Brunch, December 7, 2019”

When a survey and its interpretation miss the point entirely

In an article at Christianity Today, Ryan Burge reflects upon the results from the General Social Survey about American Christians’ view of the Bible. The GSS has been asking the same question since 1984: Which of these statements comes closest to describing your feelings about the Bible? 1. The Bible is the actual word ofContinue reading “When a survey and its interpretation miss the point entirely”

Review of “Love and Quasars: An Astrophysicist Reconciles Faith and Science” by Paul Wallace, Part 5.

Chapter 7 is entitled, Not Even Wrong: How Science Releases the Bible from Literalism. This is an important chapter for Wallace’s target audience; which is Southern Baptists.  Wallace himself was raised in Atlanta, Georgia in a conservative Southern Baptist church.  He was taught in Sunday School that the Earth was created in six twenty-four hourContinue reading “Review of “Love and Quasars: An Astrophysicist Reconciles Faith and Science” by Paul Wallace, Part 5.”

“She simply divided herself on behalf of everyone there”

• Sarah Condon at Mockingbird writes an appreciative article about Dolly Parton, her advocacy for the marginalized, and how her music has witnessed to the struggle of women to overcome inequality and mistreatment, while, ironically, she has been criticized for being “non-political.” In it — and here’s a set of words I never thought I’dContinue reading ““She simply divided herself on behalf of everyone there””

“Nothing can make us more blind to the Holy Spirit than the ordinary”

Each week during the winter months and until Easter, I preach to a little country congregation. The congregation is over 180 years old, the building 150. Like many small, rural churches, our pews are populated by members in the second half of life. We have a few children, fewer teens, a couple of college studentsContinue reading ““Nothing can make us more blind to the Holy Spirit than the ordinary””

iMonk Classic: “Lo, How a Rose” — Experiencing the Power of Beauty

Note from CM: This is one of the first posts by Michael Spencer that I remember commenting on, back in 2008. He touched an area of my life that has always been precious: the profound joy of choral music, especially during the Advent and Christmas seasons. In my comment, I wrote, “There is a combinationContinue reading “iMonk Classic: “Lo, How a Rose” — Experiencing the Power of Beauty”

Sermon: Advent I — Living in Hope on the “Day Before”

Sermon: Advent I 2019 The Lord be with you. Happy new year! Today is the first Sunday in the Advent season, the beginning of a new church year. From now until Pentecost, we will be remembering and reflecting upon the story of the good news that came to us in Jesus Christ. And it allContinue reading “Sermon: Advent I — Living in Hope on the “Day Before””

Another Look: A Favorite Gospel Word

Note from CM: This is one of the first posts I wrote for Internet Monk, back when Michael asked me to help during his illness nine years ago. I think it a good preparation for the turn of the Christian Year, which happens this Sunday on Advent I. • • • Blessed be the LordContinue reading “Another Look: A Favorite Gospel Word”