Just in case you were wondering, I love the Bible. I learned this from my life in evangelicalism. One key characteristic of evangelical Christianity is its commitment to the Bible as God’s Word. The evangelical (and “soft” fundamentalist) churches I was in were “Bible” churches, plain and simple. That’s what we were about. We taughtContinue reading “Another Look: Just in case you were wondering, I love the Bible”
Category Archives: Post-Evangelicalism
Rachel, we — the uncool — will miss you
Note from CM: It has been hard for me in the past couple of weeks to summon up the emotional energy to pay tribute to several folks who have died recently. Jean Vanier is one thing — I only know him through his books, and it feels more like I’m honoring a hero than aContinue reading “Rachel, we — the uncool — will miss you”
Wednesday with Michael Spencer: Shopping the Whole Mall
Wednesday with Michael Spencer Shopping the Whole Mall (2007) It started innocently enough. His name was Tim, and he was a Christian at my high school. There weren’t many of us, and we made friends despite those denominational differences that were supposed to matter so much. Tim invited me to a charismatic prayer meeting atContinue reading “Wednesday with Michael Spencer: Shopping the Whole Mall”
Jonathan Aigner — Farewell, Willow Creek: Where the “Regular” Churches Can Go From Here
Farewell, Willow Creek: Where the “Regular” Churches Can Go From Here by Jonathan Aigner It looks like the beginning of the end at Willow Creek. They aren’t saying that, but I feel like that’s what’s happening. If so, good riddance. And you can take the megachurch movement you spawned with you. I’m sorry if IContinue reading “Jonathan Aigner — Farewell, Willow Creek: Where the “Regular” Churches Can Go From Here”
Monday with Michael Spencer: How to Talk (and Not to Talk) to Evangelicals on a Journey
Monday with Michael Spencer How to Talk (and Not to Talk) to Evangelicals on a Journey From 2009 Dear Well-Meaning Non-Evangelical Friend, Please sit down, have a cup of tea or coffee…and listen. I see that you’ve responded to some of us who are pilgrims in the evangelical community and who are on a journeyContinue reading “Monday with Michael Spencer: How to Talk (and Not to Talk) to Evangelicals on a Journey”
Monday with Michael Spencer: Some thoughts about the institution
If you look at the church throughout time, cultures and history, I believe you will conclude there are three aspects to the church. (Consider this semi-original with me.) The church is a movement started by Jesus; a culture crossing, church planting movement that proclaims the Gospel in the power of the Spirit. This movement takesContinue reading “Monday with Michael Spencer: Some thoughts about the institution”
Just in case you’re wondering…I’m a both/and person
I am a both/and kind of person. This is a rather uncomfortable place to be in today’s polarized world. I know there are more of us out there, but our voices are getting drowned out by partisans and tribalists. At any rate, I thought I might list some of the ways (peculiar perhaps) that IContinue reading “Just in case you’re wondering…I’m a both/and person”
An excerpt from Rachel Held Evans’ new book
…“What if the Bible is just fine the way it is? . . . Not the well-behaved-everything-is-in-order version we create, but the messy, troubling, weird, and ancient Bible that we actually have?” These questions loosened my grip on the text and gave me permission to love the Bible for what it is, not what I want it toContinue reading “An excerpt from Rachel Held Evans’ new book”
Monday with Michael Spencer: You Need to Get Rid of Some of Your Theology
Originally posted in 2009 Some of you won’t like what I’m about to say, but trust me, I’m not shooting at you. I’m not shooting at anyone. I’m trying to be pastoral, if there’s any hope that I have any pastoral instincts left. Here’s the word: Some of us need to let go of someContinue reading “Monday with Michael Spencer: You Need to Get Rid of Some of Your Theology”
Richard Beck on Tribes
In memory of Michael Spencer, who died 8 years ago on April 5, 2010. † A part of the reason post-evangelicals have a hard time emotionally moving on from evangelicalism is that a part of them misses it. • Richard Beck What’s hard is losing friends, a community, a sense of belonging, a shared narrative.Continue reading “Richard Beck on Tribes”
The Internet Monk Archives 