Author Archives: Chaplainmike

Guess What Grandpa Bought From Wal-Mart?

UPDATE: Support the monks of St. Meinrad, who make a great wooden casket/urn at a reasonable price. Will look much better under the tree 🙂 Stand by America, Wal-Mart is selling caskets. And urns. I’m not joking. Any of you with a small funeral home in your community might want to consider two things: JustContinue reading “Guess What Grandpa Bought From Wal-Mart?”

Why Electing Palin or Huckabee Makes More Sense To You Than Reforming Your Church

Imagine, for a moment, that I came to your typically conservative evangelical church and asked to visit with your young people, high school through young married couples. I want to ask them some questions. -What do you think of the President? -What is your position on abortion? -What do you believe about the legalization ofContinue reading “Why Electing Palin or Huckabee Makes More Sense To You Than Reforming Your Church”

The Evangelical Liturgy 20: Silence

Silence has been banished from most contemporary worship as if it were an outright evil, yet what modern worship consumer is not likely to come back from a monastic retreat saying “I loved the silence?” The Protestant liturgy has no tradition of silence, but periods of silence have often been incorporated into Protestant worship. ForContinue reading “The Evangelical Liturgy 20: Silence”

Today’s Three Push-Button Words

Despite what you may have read in the kinder, gentler corners of the blogosphere recently, you would all be surprised how un-contentious I am most of the time. In my real life, I regularly run from situations where I’m being pressed for my opinion. I much prefer print as the medium of debate. In realContinue reading “Today’s Three Push-Button Words”

The Evangelical Liturgy 19: The Pastoral Prayer

In his excellent book, Mother Kirk, Douglas Wilson makes a marvelous defense of the ministry of the written pastoral prayer. The average reader will say “What is he talking about?” And that is the problem: an important area of worship that is the responsibility of the pastor has been very neglected. So much so thatContinue reading “The Evangelical Liturgy 19: The Pastoral Prayer”

iMonk 101: Baptist Holy Days of Obligation

My wife’s journey to Catholicism has inspired some fun around here. Here’s a post from August 2008 that generated a hundred comments at the time. Surely worth another go around. My wife sent me an email this morning. I keep forgetting to tell you that there’s an obligatory Mass this week (for the Solemnity ofContinue reading “iMonk 101: Baptist Holy Days of Obligation”

Preaching For Grown-Ups: Mark 10:46-52

I want to thank everyone for your input. I felt a bit overwhelmed. This text needed a small series. I tried to make some judgments about what my little congregation needed. Visitors today. Very well received. Many of you were my partners in preparation. I enjoy the lectionary’s ability to create a community around aContinue reading “Preaching For Grown-Ups: Mark 10:46-52”

Internet Monk Radio Podcast #162

This week: 7 Ways to Hate or Leave Evangelicalism When You Don’t Need To + How has your sense of calling evolved? Support the IM sponsors: New Reformation Press. Reformation theology for everyone. Rockbridge Seminary. Family, ministry and online seminary all coming together. Modern Reformation Magazine. Featuring my current article on discipleship. The Ministry toContinue reading “Internet Monk Radio Podcast #162”

Open Mic at the iMonk Cafe: Lectionary Lesson Blahs

Mark 10:46 Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road.47 When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 “BeContinue reading “Open Mic at the iMonk Cafe: Lectionary Lesson Blahs”