The World’s Worst Feet

The worst feet in the world undoubtedly belonged to St. Francis of Assisi. Francis walked miles everyday throughout the region of Italy where he and his followers preached the Gospel. He walked on broken rock, bare dirt, ice, snow, and thorny weeds each day–in his bare feet. His feet were a mass of bloody wounds, blisters and scars. Francis never owned a pair of shoes for long. If someone gave him sandals, he would only wear them until he met up with someone who had no sandals, and he would give his shoes away. Thus he was almost always barefoot.

Perhaps he knew better than we the importance of walking barefoot.

Continue reading “The World’s Worst Feet”

A Day At The Ol’ Ballyard

Update: Several people have let me know, through the comments and in emails directly to me (jeff@emoonpublishing.com) that they want to come, but the cost is a bit too high. I have found a way to get the cost down to $99. The seats will not be quite as good, but they are not in the upper deck. And you will not get a free Reds hat. But a complete meal at the incredible Montgomery Inn will still be included. So–are you in? Let me know!

We have received enough positive response to the suggestion we meet at a Cincinnati Reds game to 1) honor Michael Spencer, a lifelong Reds fan, and 2) get to meet one another in a fun way, that we are going to move forward with this.

We are looking at Sunday, June 13 as the first annual Internet Monk Day At The Reds. We could start by worshipping together at The Oaks, a church I wrote about recently located in Middletown, Ohio. Then it’s on to Great American Ballpark to watch the Reds take on the Kansas City Royals in a 1:10 game. (Yes, GregR, I chose this partly as a tip of the hat to you. No excuses–you will have to be there.) After the game, we will adjourn to one of the best restaurants in America, Montgomery Inn Boathouse, right on the Ohio River. They serve ribs so good that Johnny Carson and Bob Hope would have them shipped to California on a regular basis.

Oh, did I mention that this game is a Hat Day, and each person will get his or her own Cincinnati Reds hat?

The cost for the day is just $125.00. That includes good seats for the game and your complete meal (minus alcohol–you’re on your own for that). Any money left over goes to help fund this site–a worthy cause, as I’m sure you will agree.

So, check your schedules and let me know quickly if we can count you in. I will get back with you soon about how to pay, etc. Oh–I will be traveling the day before the game from Tulsa. That’s 762 miles away. So no excuses about not being able to make it because of the distance. The Cincinnati airport is right down the road. Southwest flies into Columbus and Indianapolis, both within 90 minutes. There are lots of hotels in and around Cincinnati. Bring the family and spend the day before at Kings Island, getting whiplash from the roller coasters.

We hope to see many of the IM family at this fun event. We will have some of our writers there for you to meet, and may have a few other surprises as well. And who knows? If we can meet in prayer before the game, the Reds just might actually win one for us.

In Support of Open Membership

I find it difficult to belong. You would think it wouldn’t be that hard. I am a Christian who sees many positive things in many traditions. I feel quite comfortable in many types of church settings. I am, however, in my core beliefs an Evangelical.

The problem is that where I live, Evangelicals are in the minority. In my community of 27,000 there is one Evangelical church. I helped start it. It was a Pentecostal church, and although I am not Pentecostal I figured that having one Evangelical church in town was better than having no Evangelical church, and so I offered my help.

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The Appearances of the Risen Christ, 7

By Chaplain Mike

We are marking the Great Fifty Days of Easter with a series of devotional thoughts on the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus.

Today we look at the second narrative in Luke’s story of Jesus’ resurrection and appearances, from Luke 24:36-49 (NRSV).

Text

While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, ‘Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.’ And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence.

Then he said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’

Continue reading “The Appearances of the Risen Christ, 7”

Follow Up: The Most Basic Question (And how the chaplain blew it)

By Chaplain Mike

The other evening, we posted an Open Mic discussion based on a situation I faced in my ministry. Here is a recap of the experience I described:

It is a rare conversation that cuts right to the heart of the matter. It happened to me the other day.

I was visiting a terminally ill patient who was actively dying. Her granddaughter had come to see her, and as I entered the room I observed her talking with the doctor, upset at the sight of her grandma dying, wiping away tears, asking anguished questions. The doctor departed and I introduced myself. In return, she briefly told me her story—Her father had committed suicide over a decade ago, when she was a teenager. Shortly after that, her grandmother had a stroke and was placed in a nursing home. That was the last time the young woman had seen her. Today that changed. After more than ten years, she had driven several hours to visit and finally face all the emotions, now rising up and choking her like fine dust from the place she had tamped them down for so long.

She asked me a little more about myself, and my ministry. Then, these words: “I don’t mean to offend you, but may I ask you a question?”

“Sure,” I said.

Looking me directly in the eyes, she asked the most basic question, “Why do you believe in God?”

And that’s when I blew it.

Continue reading “Follow Up: The Most Basic Question (And how the chaplain blew it)”

Sunday’s Gospel: The Final Apologetic

By Chaplain Mike

Each Sunday, we present devotional thoughts based upon the Gospel reading from the Revised Common Lectionary.

Today is the fifth Sunday in Easter.
Today’s Gospel is John 13:31-35 (NLT).

Gospel Text

As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. And since God receives glory because of the Son, he will soon give glory to the Son. Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

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iMonk Classic: The Three Stories

Each Saturday, IM posts a classic article by Michael Spencer.

Originally posted March 24, 2008.

In my preaching to students from all over the world and many different backgrounds, I am always looking for shorthand ways to communicate the Bible’s message.

For example, I’ve taught my students over the years to say “He (Jesus) lived a perfect life for us, and died a perfect death in our place.” I use this sentence over and over, hoping the Holy Spirit will use it to implant the essence of the Gospel into their memories and hearts.

I routinely talk about the Christian story as “Christmas, Good Friday, Easter and Pentecost,” using these four holidays as a way to talk about the major points of the New Testament message. We are invited into each one of these stories, often on several levels.

Recently, I’ve been using another shorthand reference that seems to be effective. In characterizing spiritual beliefs, I talk about “three stories.”Continue reading “iMonk Classic: The Three Stories”

Saturday Ramblings 5.1.10

Welcome to our weekly effort to tidy up here at the Internet Monk. We have some leftovers and tidbits that need to be put away, so bear with us as we do some light housekeeping.

N. T. Wright will retire as Bishop of Durham (England) this summer to take a position at St. Andrews in Scotland. Wright served as bishop for the past seven years before making what he calls the “hardest decision of my life.” St. Andrews is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world, having been founded in 1413. Wright will be a chair in New Testament and Early Christianity studies.

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Open Mic: The Most Basic Question

Question posed by Chaplain Mike

It is a rare conversation that cuts right to the heart of the matter. It happened to me the other day.

I was visiting a terminally ill patient who was actively dying. Her granddaughter had come to see her, and as I entered the room I observed her talking with the doctor, upset at the sight of her grandma dying, wiping away tears, asking anguished questions. The doctor departed and I introduced myself. In return, she briefly told me her story—Her father had committed suicide over a decade ago, when she was a teenager. Shortly after that, her grandmother had a stroke and was placed in a nursing home. That was the last time the young woman had seen her. Today that changed. After more than ten years, she had driven several hours to visit and finally face all the emotions, now rising up and choking her like fine dust from the place she had tamped them down for so long.

She asked me a little more about myself, and my ministry. Then, these words: “I don’t mean to offend you, but may I ask you a question?”

“Sure,” I said.

Looking me directly in the eyes, she asked the most basic question, “Why do you believe in God?”

In today’s Open Mic, I am asking you to put yourself in my shoes at that moment.

What will your answer be?

Here are the rules:

  • Realize this: you only have a short space of time. Three or four sentences at the most. One paragraph. No time to delineate the classic proofs for the existence of God.
  • Keep the situation in mind. ‘Nuff said.
  • You are welcome to add one additional paragraph explaining to the rest of us why you answered as you did.
  • If you are a person who does not believe in God, you have one paragraph to tell us how you might try to bring comfort to this young woman, and then a second to explain your reasoning.
  • You are welcome to reply to other posts, but my preference is that you give an answer first before responding to your fellow participants. (I only state it that way because I won’t be monitoring the discussion every single second. I’d appreciate adherence to my wishes, OK?) I also ask that you keep your replies to other posts brief, a paragraph or two. We’re working on being concise here. It’s a valuable asset in many conversations.

Got it? This should be fun. Every once in awhile, it’s good to go back and think about the basics.