A World Series Of Biblical Proportions

And then there were two.

The 2010 baseball season has come down to two remaining teams. Don’t be surprised when you read headlines about this being a David (Murphy) vs. the Giant(s) series. The Giants are a team with biblical implications. They have been called a group of misfits and outcasts, bringing to mind those who gathered around David in the wilderness. They have been in a drought, not having won it all since they moved from New York more than 50 years ago. (But not as long of a drought as that experienced by Chaplain Mike’s Cubbies.) They are a group of scrappy veterans with a few young pups mixed in. They play the game the “right way,” meaning they sacrifice their own statistics for the good of the team. I can see how some would think that this makes them the more “godly” team.

Then there are the Texas Rangers. A team that demonstrates just what the Church, the Body of Christ, should be doing. Or at least what local churches should and could be doing.

Continue reading “A World Series Of Biblical Proportions”

Confabulous!

By Chaplain Mike

con•fab•u•la•tion
–noun
1. the act of confabulating; conversation; discussion.

Today, I want to give a shout out to the Internet Monk community for an engaging, thoughtful, considerate, and helpful discussion on yesterday’s post, “A Conversation We Must Have.”

It makes one hopeful.

We certainly didn’t all agree. We came at the subject from a number of different perspectives, and I was happy that we were able to listen so well to all the diverse voices and opinions that were expressed. I only had to throw out a few gentle encouragements to help us stay on track, no more. In fact, I’ve coined a new word to describe all of you—Confabulous!

I don’t need to go on. I just want to say, “Thank you.” Being able to be part of discussions like these is why we do what we do here at IM. You encourage me, and for that I am grateful.

You know, I wasn’t sure the conversation would end up that way. I was afraid it might turn out like this—

A Conversation We Must Have

Exit Sign, Hyatt Moore

By Chaplain Mike

Thanks for a great discussion, everyone. To be continued… Comments are now closed.

I have avoided this for a long time, but at some point, we are going to have to talk about it.

I haven’t wanted to bring it up because, like most hot-button issues, trying to have a conversation about this subject usually only leads to arguing and fighting, with those on the extremes yelling the loudest and drowning out voices that want some space and time to work through their thoughts and feelings. When people are screaming at each other from opposite sides of the room, it’s hard to sit in the middle and discuss something calmly.

What prompts me to bring up this subject? There is a new book that has been getting a lot of press lately. This book discusses the American religious scene, where we’ve come from and where we find ourselves now. It is called, American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us, by Robert D. Putnam and David E. Campbell. One of its findings was summarized in an article by Anthony B. Robinson with these words:

“Religious Right Drives Young from Churches.”

Continue reading “A Conversation We Must Have”

Rachel Held Evans Is Going “Biblical”

By Chaplain Mike

Friend of IM Rachel Held Evans has announced the project that she will be undertaking over the course of the coming year, which will result in her next book.

Right now, she’s calling it “A Year of Biblical Womanhood.”

I will let her introduce it via this video:

The book won’t be published until 2012, but you can follow Rachel’s experiences through the year each Friday on her blog, where she will post weekly updates, photos, reflections and videos.

If she will oblige, you can count on an IM interview during this next year as well.

The Touchstone

I have a question I’d like all you InternetMonks to tackle.  It’s this:  Is there any absolute standard of good and bad in the arts?

By arts I mean music, writing, painting, sculpture, architecture, and dance at least, and I’m willing to include other disciplines if you like.  And by absolute standard I mean the same sort of standard that enables Christians to determine if, say, murder, or selling church offices, is always and everywhere right or wrong, good or bad.

In the old days – that is to say pretty much all human history up to the last hundred years or so – people believed they could say what was good and bad art.  Socrates had a lot to say about good music, for example.  Ancient Chinese artistic training was very regimented.  Classical schools of art and rhetoric taught how to be artistic.  Critics were clear about what good art was in the Renaissance, and concert-goers who grew up listening to Mozart and Beethoven had no hesitation in stalking out of the theater when they first heard Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring.”

Have we twenty-first-century people matured beyond the narrow intolerance of the past, or have we lost some essential understanding of what art is?

Continue reading “The Touchstone”

Profoundly Human

By Chaplain Mike

In this morning’s Gospel lesson, we heard a story from Jesus’ lips about how the trappings of religion can keep us far from God. Oddly, the benefits of the religious life that enhance our thoughts, words, and actions, that re-order our relationships and priorities and bring us new purpose and direction, can also corrode our hearts. Such is the human capacity for self-deceit and self-righteousness, that we can transform God’s undeserved blessings into trophies of pride and weapons of contempt.

It’s even more dangerous than that. In the very situation where we are trying to do a faithful and obedient deed, our religious habits can lead us astray. We can forget the simple human act. We can define, “doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with our God” (Micah 6:8) in such “spiritual” or ecclesiastical terms that we neglect the common practices of ordinary neighborliness that actually embody such Biblical instructions.

It may be time to close the Book, exit the sanctuary, and look into our neighbor’s eyes.

Continue reading “Profoundly Human”

The Real Test of Being in God’s Presence

Der Pharisäer und der Zöllner, Peter Gallen

By Chaplain Mike

Sunday’s Gospel
• Luke 18:9-14

OK, let’s be honest. What are you thinking after you read this famous parable about the Pharisee and the publican?

I would guess that many of us who have accepted the Gospel read this straightforward story and say in our hearts:

“Thank God I’ve escaped the sin of this proud Pharisee. Thank God he showed me the truth about myself and I humbled myself before him like this publican. Thank God I prayed ‘the sinner’s prayer.’ Thank God I’m justified.”

We identify with the humble tax-collector, not the pious, self-righteous Pharisee.

And the moment we do, we’ve fallen directly into the trap Jesus set for us here.

Continue reading “The Real Test of Being in God’s Presence”

iMonk Classic: Evangelical Anxieties 5—The End of the World

Vision from Book of Revelation, Rev. McKendree Robbins Long, Sr.

Classic iMonk Post
by Michael Spencer
Originally posted Feb 12, 2007

From Chaplain Mike:
In the midst of all the insanity about “the end times” that Christians have produced since the Rapture theory became predominant, Michael Spencer (as usual) uttered this word of sanctified Biblical realism and common sense.

There’s not a lot that I like about the Appalachian mountain version of Christianity that surrounds me here in southeastern Kentucky, but at the top of a short list is their attitude toward the end of the world. They aren’t afraid of it.

They have a good idea what’s going to go on. They believe some will be ready and some won’t. They realize it will be a reunion for some and a final separation for others. But it’s not an occasion for fear. When they sing about it, preach about it or pray for it, it’s almost always saturated in happiness. When the end comes, they sing, it will be a better day.

If you are looking for the #1 fear producer in contemporary evangelicalism, you need look no further than the subject of the end of the world. Any Christian bookstore, radio station or television station will quickly provide you with evidence that fear-mongering and fear-motivating by holding out the imminent end of the world is still a major evangelical obsession.

In my years working with students, I’ve had thousands of conversations with Christian teenagers on hundreds of subjects. I’ve rarely ever seen any of those students seriously and consistently frightened except when they came to me with questions about if and how the world was about to end. I’ve seen far more evangelical teenagers afraid that Jesus would come back than that they or someone they know would go to hell.

For these students, the idea of missing out on their American-version of paradise on earth is nearly unthinkable. What if I don’t get my license? Or have sex? Or get a big house?

I wonder where they learned all of that?Continue reading “iMonk Classic: Evangelical Anxieties 5—The End of the World”

Saturday Ramblings 10.23.10

It is that time of week, time for us to sweep up and put away all the leftovers. Time to clean and shine and wax and … oh, forget it. It’s Saturday, a perfect day to bake a batch of peanut butter cookies, watch some college football, and read your Saturday Ramblings.

Cape Town, South Africa was this site this week for the Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelism. More than 4,000 participants from 200 nations gathered to discuss ways for people from various countries, ethnic groups and denominations to work together toward the common goal of evangelism. Ed Stetzer offers some insights into the gathering, as do our friends at Out Of Ur.

One address given in Cape Town was from Tim Keller, who urges those interested in evangelism to look to plant inner-city churches. Tim is one who can deliver this message as he pastors in the largest city in America. This is a good message. If you are at all thinking of planting a church, read this.

Continue reading “Saturday Ramblings 10.23.10”

Another Look: The Advance Team Is Spreading the Word!

By Chaplain Mike

Alert friend of IM Eric N. sent me a note saying that he had seen a bus stop ad for the Rapture. Apparently, Jesus has sent his advance team out to spread the word.

Back in March, we reported the convoluted prognostications of Harold Camping, who is behind this ad campaign. Since we are only a little more than a half a year away from the Rapture (May 21, 2011) and exactly a year away from the end of the world (Oct 21, 2011), I thought we might re-visit this post.

Can’t have too many reminders, you know.

Continue reading “Another Look: The Advance Team Is Spreading the Word!”