Paul made a lot of sin lists. You know, lists of sins. If you’re a preacher or teacher, you’ve probably used Paul’s sin lists a few times as the raw material for a talk or sermon. You’ve walked through the list, one sin at a time and said a little something about each one. ItContinue reading “A Short List of Troublingly Common Sins”
Category Archives: The Second Half of Life
Confession
Some Christians love to talk about the sins of Obama or gays or the mainstream media, but get really animated when I suggest we need to talk about our own, even if they are listed in the Bible dozens of times. If the Gospel isn’t grabbing you by the real sins in your real life,Continue reading “Confession”
The Monk and the Abbot
I enjoyed worship at St. Peter’s Church in Lexington, and a lunch visit today with the abbot himself, my friend Alan Creech.
How My Wife’s Catholicism Has Changed Me For The Better: A Birthday Reflection
For you people that don’t know this story, I’ve pulled almost everything off the site that refers to it, so I’m sorry about that. I got some nice things for my 52nd birthday. A new iPod. (Blue, 4th generation Nano. Be envious.) A book of Benedictine Daily Prayer. (I’m figuring it out.) Birthday cake (Oatmeal.Continue reading “How My Wife’s Catholicism Has Changed Me For The Better: A Birthday Reflection”
Chronicle of the Journey
Back in the day, many of you counted on me to write about my personal journey. As I’m sure you’ve noticed, almost all of that kind of material has gone into storage or been deleted. Hopefully, this piece will recalibrate us all on the journey, but not cause quite the chaos in my environment asContinue reading “Chronicle of the Journey”
Sabbatical Journal: Baseball Week
It’s Thursday of “Baseball Week,” and I’m in a library getting some of my Cornerstone talks polished off before heading for central Ohio to meet my daughter and son-in-law. Sabbatical is certainly rushing by. Yesterday’s day game gave me a really nice case of sunburned knees. Knees. It’s so much like my life to getContinue reading “Sabbatical Journal: Baseball Week”
The Things That Won’t Go Away
They’re back. My sins, that is. Just in case you need to know, my name is Michael Spencer. I’m a Christian minister who has given 33+ years of my life to telling people… My sins, O the bliss of this glorious thought My sins not in part, but the whole Were nailed to the crossContinue reading “The Things That Won’t Go Away”
The Long Dark Night Is Over….
Baseball fans: what are some of your thoughts and feelings as the new season begins? Best memories? Ironies? Tragedies? Tomorrow at 1:05 EST, the Cincinnati Reds will take the field against the Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater, Florida. The long, dark winter of the soul will be over here in the Spencer household. My life runsContinue reading “The Long Dark Night Is Over….”
Three Christmas Stories for the Second Half of Life
You are invited to add your insights on the similarities of these three stories. Three stories. Three men in the second half of life. Story one. An almost perfect man loses everything. Unknown to him, God is in a contest with Satan, proving that the this man’s righteousness is no fluke. He loses family, wealthContinue reading “Three Christmas Stories for the Second Half of Life”
Henry’s Boys
In a church in Georgetown, Kentucky this week, there is going to be a funeral for one of my fellow teachers at the ministry where I serve. His name was Henry. Henry came to our school from a career in ministry, public school administration and teaching. After retirement he lost his wife, and a greatContinue reading “Henry’s Boys”
The Internet Monk Archives 