Tag Archives: Church

The Great Reimagining

“I’m walking away from the church.” As somewhat of a misfit pastor, I find people sharing this story with me more and more these days. And although the character names change each time, the story nearly always includes these plot … Continue reading

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What IS Lent?

It’s the first week of Lent. For the first 35 years of my life, I had nothing to do with the Church Calendar. I had nothing against it, it just wasn’t a part of my upbringing in my particular Christian … Continue reading

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Setting the Table; An Invitation to Belong

When I was a child, my grandparents had a working ranch near Dodge City, Kansas. It was a couple thousand acres sprawled across sandy slopes of alfalfa and corn bordered by the Arkansas River on the north that always ran … Continue reading

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Reasons I Use the Book of Common Prayer

On a whim a several years ago I bought an inexpensive copy of the Book of Common Prayer. When the Amazon package showed up on my door I opened it, thumbed through it, found the “Dearly beloved, we have gathered … Continue reading

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Killing Gungor

 The blood still stains the teeth of theologian yard dogs after they  encircled and mauled their victims the last few weeks. They follow the headlines and the rumors and the scent of blood and without questioning, without hesitating, without knowing, … Continue reading

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Feel called to the ministry?

Ministry isn’t a position. It’s a posture. Stop waiting for a title. Be a servant. If you feel called, but don’t know exactly what you are supposed to do, DO EVERYTHING. Take every opportunity. Serve until your soul bleeds. Minister … Continue reading

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Putting Discipline Back Into Discipleship

  “Have we been so accustomed to cheap grace that we instinctively shy away from more demanding calls to obedience?” Richard Foster, The Celebration of Discipline Every Christian feels the pangs of this statement. We know we need discipline, but it … Continue reading

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Making an Adventure Out of Advent

I was tired of Christmas feeling like a drive-by shooting; a loud bang, then all of a sudden I feel really tired and have an overwhelming sense of having been robbed. But there’s a different way, an ancient way, to … Continue reading

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A Pastoral Response to the Waldo Canyon Fire

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