Let me be clear. This post is not about homosexuality. This post is not about what the Bible does or does not say about the topic. This post is not about the rightness or wrongness of the decision of World Vision USA to open up employment to those in same-sex marriages. This post is notContinue reading “Ashamed!”
Category Archives: Michael Bell
Himself
Albert Benjamin Simpson (1843-1919) the founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance was a leader of the church during the early days of the Pentecostal movement. As a result many of the big debates in the church were around the topics of holiness, sanctification, and the charismatic gifts of the Spirit like speaking in tonguesContinue reading “Himself”
Lies, Damn Lies, and [Church Divorce] Statistics
While the phrase did not originate with him, Mark Twain once quipped, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” Statistics have always been an interest of mine, and it was my offer of statistical support for Michael Spencer’s “Coming Evangelical Collapse” that resulted in me starting to write for Internet Monk.Continue reading “Lies, Damn Lies, and [Church Divorce] Statistics”
Reviewing “What is an Average Size Church?”
Chaplain Mike’s post on small churches reminded me of one of the first posts I had made on Internet Monk in July of 2009. As many of our current readers may not have seen it, I thought it would be worthwhile to post again. Based on the last two surveys that were done, the numbersContinue reading “Reviewing “What is an Average Size Church?””
What is Church?
Chaplain Mike declared in a previous post that he was a Liturgical Christian. I cannot say the same for myself. While I have a lot of respect for liturgical and sacramental traditions, my own significant spiritual growth did not come in a liturgical church setting. In fact, you could argue that it did not evenContinue reading “What is Church?”
Elder Qualifications: Difficult Issues in Translation and Interpretation
I have been having a wonderful experience leading a small group through the Sermon on the Mount. We got side tracked a couple of weeks ago when we started talking about how we interpret the Bible, and so we spent one evening going through Michael Patton’s Biblical Interpretation in a Nutshell This is an excellentContinue reading “Elder Qualifications: Difficult Issues in Translation and Interpretation”
What about Job’s Kids?
I had an interesting picture in my facebook feed the other day. I don’t usually repost much, but this one really caught my attention as it represented how I was feeling that day. On particularly rough days, when I’m sure that I can’t possibly endure, I like to remind myself that my track record for gettingContinue reading “What about Job’s Kids?”
The 42 Books Beside My Bed
I have a bookcase in my bedroom. Unfortunately it is full. So books that I am reading, have recently read, or hope to read, tend to get piled up next to my bed. I did a bit of a tidy up recently and discovered much to my surprise that I had 42 books in, around,Continue reading “The 42 Books Beside My Bed”
When Science Changes…
In the year 1543, just before he died, Nicolaus Copernicus published “De revolutionibus orbium coelestium”. This treatise, in development for nearly 30 years, advanced the idea that the earth revolved around the sun (heliocentrism), rather than the long held idea that the earth was the center of the universe. It is unclear whether Reformer JohnContinue reading “When Science Changes…”
One Foot In The Wilderness
Michael Spencer kept looking over his shoulder. He was willing to express views that were not popular among others of his denomination and he expressed concern that there were individuals out there who were looking for opportunities to “report” him to the administrators at the school where he worked. I got a real sense ofContinue reading “One Foot In The Wilderness”
The Internet Monk Archives 