Category Archives: In The Study

Classic IM: While We’re Talking About Interpreting the Bible

In our continuing discussion on issues related to the Scriptures, Chaplain Mike re-runs this classic IM post today. (from Dec, 2008) Hey look! If you read carefully, you will even find another “Bible = loaded gun” metaphor! Oh. We’re not talking about interpreting the Bible? Well….I am, so deal. I usually just don’t say anythingContinue reading “Classic IM: While We’re Talking About Interpreting the Bible”

I Am the Least of These

I heard it again in church today. Last week, it was in our church bulletin, used to announce a youth mission project. It is the poster passage for all manner of missions and social justice ministries. How can you go wrong with a text that epitomized Mother Teresa, the very Scripture by which she herselfContinue reading “I Am the Least of These”

From the iMonk Archives: There’s Always A Day Before

Today Chaplain Mike revisits a classic IM article from Nov, 2009 about our human finiteness. In the light of iMonk’s own unexpected health problems, this article seems especially prescient and poignant. The news story is strange and tragic. Three college softball players go for a night time drive in the country. On an unfamiliar road,Continue reading “From the iMonk Archives: There’s Always A Day Before”

My Strange Experiences With An Absent Gospel (Part 4): How It Feels In The Strangeness

The comments to the three previous posts have featured a variety of responses and reactions to the idea of “Gospel-less” sermons, teaching, testimonies, etc. I am happy for those of you who are in churches where this is unthinkable, but I assure you that here in the Bible belt, this is not an illusion, particularlyContinue reading “My Strange Experiences With An Absent Gospel (Part 4): How It Feels In The Strangeness”

My Strange Experiences With An Absent Gospel: Gospel Articulations (Part 3)

I’ve been trying to emphasize the Gospel as the foundational content of the Christian life for many years. While I’ve worked at fresh articulations of the Gospel, there are a lot of familiar articulations of the Gospel that show up in my preaching and teaching with high school students and the adults in chapel andContinue reading “My Strange Experiences With An Absent Gospel: Gospel Articulations (Part 3)”

Misplaced, Taken For Granted and Ignored: My Strange Experiences With An Absent Gospel (Part 1)

In a recent sermon, I said that I was deeply concerned about the understanding of the Gospel that I hear among adult Christians and especially preachers. I was not just making noise. With every passing year, I’m amazed that the level of Gospel understanding seems to be lower and lower among Christian adults. This isn’tContinue reading “Misplaced, Taken For Granted and Ignored: My Strange Experiences With An Absent Gospel (Part 1)”

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”

Open Mic at the iMonk Cafe: Anyone Willing To Complain About the ESV?

UPDATE II: McKnight on Translation Tribalism. UPDATE: Why the LCMS choose the ESV. I doubt that it was the Piper endorsement. I have this nagging feeling that the English Standard Version isn’t as good a translation as I’ve previously thought. My experience with the NLT has me in major regrets that I’ve got my studentsContinue reading “Open Mic at the iMonk Cafe: Anyone Willing To Complain About the ESV?”