Chaplainmike

Open Mic at the iMonk Cafe: You Tell Me…Why Does Red Envelope Day Bother Me?

Matt Stokes responds like a reasonable person. Good blogger, Matt. Good. It’s all over Facebook. All over email forwards. All over Christian discussion sites and blogs. All over evangelicalism and elsewhere. It’s Red Envelope Day: Hey everyone, I just was invited to a group on Facebook that I thought would be good to give youContinue reading “Open Mic at the iMonk Cafe: You Tell Me…Why Does Red Envelope Day Bother Me?”

Liturgical Gangstas 7: Can the Church Require Fasting and Other Spiritual Disciplines?

Welcome to IM’s popular new feature, “The Liturgical Gangstas,” a panel discussion among different liturgical traditions represented in the Internet Monk audience. Who are the Gangstas? Father Ernesto Obregon is an Eastern Orthodox priest, who as a result of this IM feature, now has a fan club of several million :-). Rev. Peter Vance MatthewsContinue reading “Liturgical Gangstas 7: Can the Church Require Fasting and Other Spiritual Disciplines?”

Big Words, Barbeque and the Bus to the Church That’s Got It Right: Protestant Ruminations on Church Salesmanship

Occasionally, I get complaints for using big words on this web site. I’m not very impressed with that complaint, because I’m aware of the existence of dictionaries and I believe that most education consists of learning the meaning of words, putting them into thoughts and thinking differently. So if terms like complementarian, discernablogger or antinomianContinue reading “Big Words, Barbeque and the Bus to the Church That’s Got It Right: Protestant Ruminations on Church Salesmanship”

Review: 10 Things I Hate About Christianity by Jason Berggren (and Some Thoughts On Post-Evangelical Voices in Christian Publishing)

A lot of people write me every year and they say “Why don’t you write a book?” Honestly, no one would like to be a published author more than me. I am eaten up with envy toward friends like Jared Wilson, Trevin Wax and Travis Prinzi who have turned their studying/writing/preaching/blogging into books. Bill KinnonContinue reading “Review: 10 Things I Hate About Christianity by Jason Berggren (and Some Thoughts On Post-Evangelical Voices in Christian Publishing)”

What Have I Learned From Living In Community? (Part 1)

When you’ve lived in an intentional Christian community for almost 17 years, you’re a pretty sorry excuse for a person if you haven’t thought about how your life has affected that community or how that experience has shaped you as a person. You live together on the same campus, eat together for most meals, liveContinue reading “What Have I Learned From Living In Community? (Part 1)”

Internet Monk Radio Podcast #128

This week: Why is it so easy to walk away from the Gospel? (Some thoughts about Galatians) Steve Brown, ETC Guest Room Blog. My piece shows up Monday March 2, I think. Exit music from Randy Stonehill. The new CD, Paradise Sky. Our sponsors are: 60 Ways to Leave Your Mother…Alone. A comic by MichaelContinue reading “Internet Monk Radio Podcast #128”

Twenty Kinds of People Who Lurk, Read and Comment at IM

We have a lot of good people here at IM, and I count many of you as dear and wonderful friends. But I got to making this darned list….Who actually hangs out here, reads this blog every day and comments on the posts? 1. People who strive to understand what I’m doing and take somethingContinue reading “Twenty Kinds of People Who Lurk, Read and Comment at IM”

iMonk 101: Plan 9 From Lower Space

iMonk 101 features posts from the iMonk’s vast archive of provocative material. A blast from the past; August 2005 to be exact. “Plan 9 From Lower Space” was an excursion into one of my favorite literary forms: The Screwtape Letter. In this episode, “Scrawlwart” orients “Bebblerot” to the greatest discovery the demonic realm every made:Continue reading “iMonk 101: Plan 9 From Lower Space”

Recommendation and Review: Vintage Jesus DVD Curriculum

A few months ago, friends of this web site contributed over $600 worth of curriculum resources so my students could study Jesus along with Mark Driscoll. I’ve been using the resources with three of my high school Bible survey classes, and I wanted to do a brief review for those who might be considering theContinue reading “Recommendation and Review: Vintage Jesus DVD Curriculum”

Russell Moore: On Sacraments and Sawdusts: Toward the Future of Evangelical-Catholic Public Engagement

I’m really enjoying the speaking and ministry of Russell Moore, dean of theology at my alma mater, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Here’s a recent talk that may be of interest to IM readers: “Of Sacraments and Sawdust: Toward the Future of Evangelical-Catholic Public Engagement”