Author Archives: Chaplainmike

Riffs: 09:03:07: Is Roger Olson Committing Blasphemy?

[UPDATE: Justin Taylor calls me out for saying this is at least partially about the “forbidden zone” of critiquing Piper’s theology. But not to worry; Steve Hays is here to show us how to blog. Read Rick Phillip’s reaction to Roger Olson’s criticism of John Piper. HT to John H for the head’s up.] IContinue reading “Riffs: 09:03:07: Is Roger Olson Committing Blasphemy?”

Post-Evangelicals and the Path of Catholic Spirituality

In Ian Morgan Cron’s book Chasing Francis, (reviewed below) burned-out pastor Chase Falson calls his Uncle Kenny- A Franciscan priest- to begin his path of rediscovering his faith. His pilgrimage takes him through the world of Saint Francis and into a discovery of the faith-tradition of Catholicism. Falson returns to his evangelicalism with a richContinue reading “Post-Evangelicals and the Path of Catholic Spirituality”

Recommendation and Review: Chasing Francis by Ian Morgan Cron

There’s a place in Ian Morgan Cron’s Chasing Francis where his spiritually-brokedown-now-on-pilgrimage pastor protagonist returns, looks his congregation in the eye and says “When I left here, I wasn’t sure what a Christian looked like anymore. My idea of how to follow Jesus had run out of gas.” The characters may be (barely) fictional, butContinue reading “Recommendation and Review: Chasing Francis by Ian Morgan Cron”

Dear CBD: Why the endorsement of Joel Osteen?

UPDATE III: While we wait for CBD to apologize, we can all play Oprah or Osteen. UPDATE II: Can anyone in a Lifeway Store or working for Lifeway confirm that Lifeway is selling this book? Please tell me it isn’t true. If TIME Magazine can tell us this fraud is a prosperity preaching wolf inContinue reading “Dear CBD: Why the endorsement of Joel Osteen?”

IMonk 101: A Generous Catholicity

Here’s an essay from the archives that discusses that part of post-evangelicalism some find the most obnoxious: the confession that I believe in the catholic church and a catholic Christianity. It’s called “A Generous Catholicity.” With discussions of ecclesiology beginning to heat up in Southern Baptist life and among the many new church leaders lookingContinue reading “IMonk 101: A Generous Catholicity”

No Riffs/Just Read: Jared Wilson on the “Cool/Uncool” Christian Videos

It’s not often that I don’t have anything to say, but I would insult you to try and add to anything my brother Jared Wilson says in this post lamenting the “cool Christian/uncool Christian” video ads used by some churches. This is raw, honest, real stuff. It’s the lament for and about the gospel weContinue reading “No Riffs/Just Read: Jared Wilson on the “Cool/Uncool” Christian Videos”

Recommendations and Reviews: Brand Jesus by Tyler Wigg Stevenson

How do you know I like this book? I spent three hours writing the review, hit publish and WordPress promptly ate it. I’m rewriting it. Tyler Wigg Stevenson is a writer, preacher and political activist with credentials as wide-ranging as a Yale Divinity M.Div., a year as an assistant to John Stott and being partContinue reading “Recommendations and Reviews: Brand Jesus by Tyler Wigg Stevenson”

Mother Teresa and the Mystery of God’s Absence

UPDATE: I am not going to publish comments claiming that Roman Catholics are not Christians. Critics- atheistic, fundamentalist, truly reformed and those too correct to be labeled- will probably go completely bonkers with pleasure at the revelation that Mother Teresa struggled with the dark night of the soul much of her life and ministry. InContinue reading “Mother Teresa and the Mystery of God’s Absence”