Greetings from Adelaide Australia!

From Bob Jones University to the Roman Catholic Church, the story of Dwight Longenecker. “I began to study the writings of the early Church fathers and got a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. In our [Anglican] parish Bible study I took our people through a study of the New Testament Church. We considered the role Jesus gave the apostles. We considered what St Paul had to say about the Church. We considered the New Testament’s clear teaching that Church unity must be maintained at all costs. We confronted the verses which taught that the Church was built of the foundation of the apostles and prophets (Eph. 2:20) and that it was the Church through which God has made manifest his wisdom. (Eph. 3:10) and that the Church is the ‘pillar and foundation of truth’ (I Tim. 3:15) I was stunned when one lady in the Bible study said, ‘If what you are saying is right vicar, all of us ought to become Roman Catholics!’ She had drawn the very conclusions that I was trying to run away from.” Longenecker’s conversion landed on the issue of authority: “To offer a universal Christ in a personal way the Church had to speak with an authority that was bigger than any one individual. That authority had to have certain traits to offer a Christ who was both personal and universal. I began to draw up a little list to outline what traits such an authority ought to have.”

Is fellowship simply fellowship in mission? Chaplain Mike pushes back against Francis Chan. “Francis Chan must be reading a different Bible. The other day I watched a video clip from a message he gave at the 2012 Verve Conference in which he asserted that genuine Christian fellowship is missional fellowship. I think Francis Chan is partly right there, but the way he said it was striking and revelatory of the way many evangelicals today read and interpret Scripture…. Francis Chan rightly objects to temple-oriented “churchianity” and the kind of “fellowship” that primarily serves the personal comforts and needs of the church members. Too many churches, of course, are inwardly focused. Our fellowship is greatly enhanced when we break up the “holy huddle” and serve together for the sake of others. But to say — “If I just read the Scriptures, I wouldn’t even think so much about the gathering. You know–Like, my first thought wouldn’t be, ‘Let’s have a gathering.’ Out of the Scriptures, I would think, ‘I’m on a mission…’” — that is the kind of reading and application that gets evangelicals in trouble regularly. This view ignores the Story of the Bible and its consistent testimony to the ecclesial nature of salvation. The Story of the Bible is not only not about “me and Jesus” it is also not about “me on a mission.” It is about God forming a people, a family, a holy nation, a kingdom, a community for the new creation. It is a missional community, yes, but that’s not all it is.”

Bill Kinnon: “The separation of church and pastor is largely responsible, in my never humble opinion, for both the abuse of pastors, as well as abusive pastors.”

Marks of a good theologian by Michael Patton.

God thoughts and control: “But how does religion do this? The scientists think that faith-based thoughts may increase “self-monitoring” by evoking the idea of an all-knowing, omnipresent God. Previous research, which showed that priming people to think of a vengeful, angry God reduces the likelihood of dishonesty, supports this view. If God is always watching, we better not misbehave—he knows about the pepperoni. For Rabbi Wolpe, these results are an important reminder that human nature is deeply shaped by external structures. “People need a system of rules to live by,” he says, adding: “People drive slower when they see a police car. God is a bit like that police car: Thinking about Him makes it easier to do the right thing.” [HT: SS]

From The Anxious Bench blog by Thomas Kidd: “This Sunday was the final meeting of Falls Church (Va.) Anglican at its historic location near Washington, D.C. The parish dates from 1732, the church’s brick sanctuary from 1767. George Washington and George Mason were among the church’s early vestrymen. Falls Church’s removal from the property resulted from the latest in a series of nationwide court decisions regarding congregations who have broken away from the Episcopal Church USA, often to re-affiliate with the Convocation of Anglicans in North America, a “missionary district” of conservative churches sponsored by the Anglican Church of Nigeria.

Will religious (in)tolerance ruin Christianity in the UK?

Redemptive history preaching has its advantages and its disadvantages, and Jared Moore makes this clear. I find it more than a little odd that I searched “Israel” in this post and not one hit. I’m for the Trinitarian relations, but the best place to begin this is to learn to read the Bible from beginning to end, which means there’s a whole lot about Israel on the plane of history and whole lot about Jesus and another whole lot about the church. Redemptive history quickly succumbs to what I call “covenant soterian” frameworks. In the end, it cherry picks soteriological themes and calls that the Bible’s narrative.

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Jonalyn Fincher asks: Where are all the women apologists? “There’s a pesky rumor circulating among religions folks that women are more spiritually sensitive than men and therefore don’t want or need intellectual reasons for the Christian faith. “Women are just naturally full of faith, they’ll naturally believe in God.”  But there’s evidence that suggests otherwise.”

Zalman Kastel, an Orthodox rabbi, compares Christian/Jesus’ teaching on nonviolence to his own context: “I wonder if my low tolerance for revenge is the result of Christian influences on me, particularly from a young devout Christian peace builder I greatly admire named Jarrod McKenna. I remember when I first started work as a Rabbi 15 years ago, I was teaching a young adult about divine retribution as one of the themes the Friday night prayers. At the time, I thought this idea of divine justice was quite beautiful, righting the wrongs of the world. My student challenged me, would it not be better if at the end of days no one suffered? I remember reflecting on how different my perspective had been to that of my student who was raised with more exposure to Christian and secular influences.”

Fascinating interview by Tim Hein with Erwin McManus about his creative industry, and Tim has a post on the missional church and the Holy Spirit.

Ted Gossard reflects on one’s calling: “Without that sense of coherence in a calling which brings all of life in the world under the lordship of King Jesus, meaning can be up for grabs. There will be a sense that all is meaningless under the sun, since it all comes and goes without any underlying purpose. Although the sense of calling seems built in us humans as part of our being made in the image of God. Indeed part and parcel of that calling in the beginning was to be rulers and priests of God to and for the world of creation. In Jesus that call awaits fulfillment when the children of God are revealed in a resurrection in which all of creation will share in the new creation through Jesus. But what we do now can anticipate and somehow be taken up into that change which is to come. Even as we seek to point human beings back to God’s story and how this story will at long at last be fulfilled in and through Jesus.”

Frank Viola interviews David Lamb about God Behaving Badly. Jen Wilken sketches some problems with Bible study methods.

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Churches being churches, not perfect churches, just churches, by Jessica Goudeau – at Rachel’s blog: “When a refugee friend came to us to ask for a job, we called our church. They hired him as a janitor on the spot. When we found out that man’s wife made jewelry, our church bought the supplies for her to crochet these gorgeous necklaces. We watched that quiet woman become a leader and teacher for other Hill Country Hill Triber artisans within months; the money she earned and the respect that she felt from using her gifts to support her family made a difference in her life. And so, that Burmese husband and wife brought their friends to our church. Thirty to fifty Burmese refugees, dressed in traditional hand-woven clothes, sit in our mauve pews each week beside suburban Texas families in their Sunday best. We look at each other and wonder, “Who but God could have made this happen?” The truth is, my church is pretty average. Sure, there are some amazing people, but there are some really weird ones too. As an adult, I’ve gone to eight different churches on three different continents. Each had their own conflicts and points of contention. Every single church was as quirky as could be.”

Speaking of the church, it’s a tree for Don Johnson.

Dan Reid’s sermon: The Living Faith of the Dead. New atheists, puritanical Christian critics, and Shrovetide.

Why I like IBI – this place is transparent.

Why I like :mic — he sees the big perspective.

Larry Hurtado complains about Christians institutions dismissing faculty because of the consituency’s pressure.

Quite the Commencement speech outline. The nuns using social media to attract young adults into the vocations.

Wow, gorgeous libraries.

Pole fishing vs. Net fishing — Jesus style, with Robert Crosby.

OK scientists and mathematicians and engineers… some advice for writing.

Paul Miller quits internet for one year.

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Not Chicago

Reviews that missed the mark. “Many pioneering artists have endured abuse from critics and naysayers. But once in a blue moon, time brings acceptance and acclaim, making those early detractors look silly to future generations. Check out how the following works—whose ‘classic’ status now seems self-evident—were once butchered by the Simon Cowells of yesteryear.”

What say you? “Washington (CNN) – Liberty University students and alumni are accusing the Christian school of violating its own teachings by asking Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints whose adherents are called Mormons, to deliver its 2012 commencement address. By Friday morning, more than 700 comments had been posted on the school’s Facebook page about the Thursday announcement – a majority of them decidedly against the Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr.’s invitation, citing that the school had taught them Mormonism isn’t part of the Christian faith.”

Roger Olson compares the emerging movement and the Jesus People movement. J.K.A. Smith on Pete Enns on Adam and Eve, and J.R. Daniel Kirk on J.K.A. Smith on Pete Enns on Adam and Eve.

Writing with the lighting … opening post by Ryan. I like his emphasis on humans as co-creators.

Frank Viola proposes a solution to “thorn in the flesh”: what do you think?

The 13 Most Useless College Majors. Students, don’t listen to this kind of stuff… spread your net widely, but let your passions and calling shape your Major.

Kent Annan: “The initial Kony 2012 video bent some of these Golden Rule principles for communicating—but was made out of love and commitment to people who are suffering. In that way, the video is a bit like all of us: good, flawed, a mix of sinner and saint. Perhaps these principles can lead to conversations with the people you tell stories about. Are they okay with how you’re telling their stories? What is the most respectful approach that can build trust? Do they understand where you’ll tell the stories and what kind of action is being invited? This open exchange can actually become part of the story of justice we’re trying to achieve together. And that’s a story worth living.”

William Lane Craig responds to Stephen Law’s criticisms of the existence of Jesus. Some apologists will really like this piece by Richard Carrier, who tears into Bart Erhman.

There’s a dustup among the Reformed again, this time John Frame vs. “Escondido” theology. Here is Michael Horton’s response …

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Chicago, by Kyle Flubacker.

I like Kyle’s picture so much I’m bringing it out again this week.

There is a blog called “SBCVoices” (Southern Baptist Voices) that got wound up last week on the meaning of the gospel, but I have to say after Comment 1 the conversation was more or less over (for me) but not for all. Here’s the opening from the post itself: “Odd that the bedrock of the Christian faith has become a subject of controversy among Baptists.  ”The Gospel.” Last night, one of our commenters told another, essentially, “You don’t understand the gospel.”  That’s a pretty severe accusation.  But I have often heard a more subtle accusation, that many Christians do not understand all the implications of the gospel. * You also hear things like, “We need to preach the gospel to ourselves every day. * I want to live a gospel-centered life. * We need to focus on the gospel in every area of life. So, I thought I would open up a forum here for a simple discussion.”

Editors at CT have some important wisdom for pastors: “The sickening net effect of fraud puts a dark cloud over pastors and other leaders in local churches. Very few pastors will ever become certified financial planners. The issue is honesty and integrity, not investment advice per se. If a faithful church member cannot trust his or her own pastor, whom can they trust? This is why when it comes to investment advice (not advice about the family budget or paying off your credit card debt) a pastor should stay two steps away from any investment plan under discussion. At the practical level, that means no endorsement or involvement of church or personal funds. Remove all appearances of conflict of interest so that public trust can thrive. Pastors can also help church members use unbiased third parties to evaluate investments. We should be skeptical of returns exceeding 8 to 12 percent annually and avoid secretive or highly exclusive investments.”

Good for Jonathan Merritt. Good for Derek, who reflects messianically on how gospel and salvation, and the grand story, all fit together.

Last interview with C.S. Lewis … worth your read.

Satire has a place, just not very often or too harsh, and this set of cartoons has some funny stuff. (HT: MT)

Both of these groups need to read Christian Smith.

The Pope and some American nuns — from NPR. “The Vatican has reprimanded the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, saying the group has “serious doctrinal problems.” The Vatican assigned an archbishop to reform the conference. The group has taken controversial stances on issues including health care and gender matters. Melissa Block speaks with Sister Simone Campbell, executive director of NETWORK, a national Catholic social justice lobbying group which works closely with the LCWR.”

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Chicago, by Kyle Flubacker.

Steve Buttry turns around the criticism by journalists: “Dear Newsroom Curmudgeon, I sometimes share your anxiety and occasionally share your concerns about some of the changes in journalism. I learned journalism in the old school, same as you. I am steeped in the same values of accuracy, fairness, dogged reporting and good writing that you cherish. But I’m having as much fun as I’ve ever had in more than 40 years in journalism, I have as high regard for my colleagues’ work as ever and I’m as optimistic as I’ve ever been about the future of journalism and the news business. If you would like work to be fun again, if you’d like to be optimistic again (or, if you never were, to finally be optimistic), I’m writing to tell you about the fun and optimism that I find in journalism. I wrote about you last fall, but you probably didn’t read that blog post. You’re probably not a regular reader of my blog or a regular user of Twitter, where a lot of journalists learned about that post. Maybe you’re reading this because a colleague emailed you a link or printed it out for you. That’s OK. I’m writing this because an editor asked me recently how to deal with curmudgeons who resist learning the skills, tools, techniques and principles of digital journalism. I gave him an answer off the cuff and sent him a link to that earlier blog post. But upon reflection, I think the best way to deal with a curmudgeon is to talk candidly and directly with him or her. So I’m doing that.”

My friend Ben Witherington’s reflections on the death of his daughter, and this is my favorite paragraph: “My hope is in nothing less than a dramatic reversal of death in the flesh. My hope is not even just in the Risen One, though that is true enough, but in his promise to raise from the dead those who are in Christ. Nothing less than this is my hope. So as I grieve for Christy, I do so in the sure and certain hope of the Resurrection. I cannot wait to see her new resurrection form! If she is any more bright and beautiful than she is in the photo here, I will need strong sunglasses to view her.”

Wonderful video, after the ad, about Tony Jones’ parents… wonderful.

Evangelicals and “he descended into hell”: Last week, Daniel Burke wrote an article in the Washington Post called “What did Jesus do on Holy Saturday?” in which he examines the line from the Apostles Creed: “He descended to hell”. Though Burke admits that what Jesus did after his death and before the resurrection has been a matter of disagreement and debate throughout the history of the Church, he also affirms that “Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and most mainline Protestant churches teach that Jesus descended to the realm of the dead on Holy Saturday to save righteous souls, such as the Hebrew patriarchs, who died before his crucifixion.” However, Burke reports that some prominent evangelical spokesmen [Grudem, Piper] are calling for the removal of this article from the Creed, asserting that there is no biblical evidence for Christ’s descent or the “harrowing of hell”.

Tourists visiting historic African American churches in Harlem NYC: “NEW YORK (AP) – The stern warning issued from the pulpit was directed at the tourists – most of whom had arrived late – a sea of white faces with guidebooks in hand. They outnumbered the congregation itself: a handful of elderly black men and women wearing suits and dresses and old-fashioned pillbox hats.  ”We’re hoping that you will remain in place during the preaching of the Gospel,” a church member said over the microphone at this Harlem church on a recent Sunday morning. “But if you have to go, go now. Go before the preacher stands to preach.” No one left then. But halfway through the sermon, a group of French girls made their way toward the velvet ropes that blocked the exit. An usher shook his head firmly, but they ignored him and walked out. The clash between tourists and congregants plays out every Sunday at Mother African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, the oldest black church in New York state. It’s one of many Harlem churches that have become tourist attractions for visitors from all over the world who want to listen to soulful gospel music at a black church service. With a record number of tourists descending upon New York City last year, the crowds of foreigners are becoming a source of irritation among faithful churchgoers.”

Fender guitars, and we have an interest because Lukas, our son, had a couple at one time.

King Jesus Gospel reflection by Derek.

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Must read of the week about Thabiti Boone. (HT: LNMM) “He went to work for a law firm in Rochester and made enough for a real place, a real bedroom for Kim, a real life. Money kept law school on the back burner, but over the next couple decades, he made a good living, eventually moving back to a middle-class section of Brooklyn, getting Kim into the best schools he could. He never married and never had another child. His story began to leak out, the teen dad and star athlete who gave up everything to be a father first. He began making speeches, working with the New York Knicks and then the NBA. He became active in the community. He realized his story is bigger than what he did for himself and his daughter. It’s about a national crisis of broken homes, particularly in the black community. It’s about support and empowerment and showing young men there is another way. He now works on President Obama’s Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative. “This has to end,” Boone said. “Fathers have to stand up. Not just in doing big things. That’s the pressure society puts on them. They think they have to be Superman. It can be little things. Take your kid to the park. Cook them breakfast. Just spend time. Be there. “The rewards of being a father will repay you.”

Tim Stafford on the BioLogos event in NYC: “The most sobering moment for attendees of the Biologos “Theology of Celebration” conference in New York City, March 20–22, came when David Kinnaman of Barna Research presented findings on what U.S. Protestant pastors believe about creation. More than half profess a 6-day, 24-hour creation of life. Fewer than one in five, on the other hand, follow Biologos in affirming an evolutionary process as God’s method of creation.”

Joan Acocella on T.M. Luhrmann’s study of the Vineyard: “It is hard to blame her, though, for these confusions. Much of our culture is based on the teachings of people who had visions: Moses (God gave him the commandments personally), Muhammad (the Archangel Gabriel spoke to him in a cave), St. Francis, Joan of Arc. Whether or not we believe in visions, we often believe in the principles communicated via visions: do not kill, do not steal, love God’s creatures, kick invaders out of your country. Some historians have treated the visionaries as psychotic. That interpretation is less popular today, but, in my experience, the contemporary approach—that contact with the supernatural is merely the sort of thing that happened in the old days—is not very helpful, either. Modern writers also seem not to notice that many of these vatic souls belonged to sects that were far weirder (by our standards) than any modern evangelical congregation. Luhrmann is one of the few lay writers who attempt to account for visions via modern scientific theories. If, in the end, she tries to resolve the question of her attitude toward evangelism by saying that she, too, came to know God, because she began to weep and pray at Vineyard gatherings—an experience that seems to me no different from crying at a sad movie (it wouldn’t butter any parsnips with the Pope or, I would guess, many evangelical pastors)—it is wrong to make trouble over this. She has addressed a subject that most other people would never touch. We should thank her.”

Amy Julia Becker: “Many Americans, including many Christians, do not consider urban schools like Chimborazo good enough for their children. Despite federal programs such as George Bush’s No Child Left Behind and the Obama administration’s Race to the Top, American students still struggle to achieve basic academic goals. The nonpartisan Broad Foundation for Education reports that 68 percent of American 8th graders can’t read at their grade level, and most will never catch up. Nationally, 70 percent of students graduate from high school, and only 50 percent of African American and Latino students graduate on time. But in recent years, a growing number of Christians across the country have felt called to take up the educational challenge in their own communities. In many of those communities, including Richmond, Virginia, the tide seems to be turning.”

Good study by Martin Cothran of C.S. Lewis’ storied-conversion.

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Chicago

Tamara Out Loud, Mama for a moment.

The Oregon Ducks win! (Top Ten College Towns) Comment: For the life of me, how can anyone not have Pepperdine (Malibu for goodness sake) and Point Loma University (San Diego, on the beach) on a list of top college locations!

Women and politics, By Melinda Henneberger: Karen Tumulty has a terrible story in the paper today. Of course, it’s very well done. But in it, she reports that a major reason there aren’t more women in elected office is that, having seen how Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin, among others, were treated when they ran, a number of prospective female candidates have decided they’re not up for more of the same. … Women are certainly well aware that, as Mitt Romney said, politics“ain’t the beanbag.” But if fewer of us are willing to take and throw a punch, is that so horrible? In one way, yes — because the result is that we remain chronically underrepresented….What can those of us who do not sit on the Supreme Court do? Stop supporting the extremes and rewarding negative attacks, that’s what. We all play some part in the tone of the conversation, and as consumers, in defining what’s fair and unfair commentary. I have to wonder if anyone who’d describe Michele Bachmann as the “queen of rage” ever heard her extremely conservative but calm, low-decibel pitch. When magazine covers like that stop selling, they’ll stop being printed.”

Must-read post of the week.

Arlen Specter, as I remember his saying this on CNN’s news yesterday … “Teddy Kennedy, with his 280 pounds [naked come up somewhere] plopped into the hot tub … you know what a rising tide is? My head hit the ceiling!”

Stunningly insightful comment by Carl Trueman: “If Roman Catholics are free to argue that the history of Protestantism has made the Bible impossible, I submit that for Protestants like myself, the history of Roman Catholicism has made the Church implausible.”

Leadership is relationship with Bill Donahue. “Today it was just raw, relationship-at-the-core leadership, with no demands, no controlling interests, and no need to impress one another. Perhaps this is why I love doing so much work with groups and teams, helping leaders establish a real sense of community, whether between individuals or throughout organizations. It is because I am privileged to serve leaders who, at the center of all they are and do, are “relaters.” Here’s a thought: Perhaps this is what we need in more organizations and in our government: a Chief Relating Officer or Relater in Chief (RIO).”

Kris and I really enjoyed this news item by Chris Boren: “When Jeremy Lin said he harbored no ill feelings over a racially insensitive headline about him that appeared on ESPN, he meant it. Lin recently had lunch with the editor who was fired for writing the headline during the height of Linsanity with the New York Knicks in February. Anthony Federico apologized after the incident andNewsday’s Anthony Rieber reports that the meeting came at the instigation of the Asian-American point guard.”

Michael Mercer’s story into the mainline. Patrick Mitchel has a helpful, informative discussion on religion in Ireland.

Isabel Wilkerson’s The Warmth of Other Suns is one of the best books on racial relations in America, so her words about Trayvon Martin are worth your careful reading: “(CNN) — Isolated in the moment, the shooting death of Trayvon Martin may seem a singular tragedy: a teenager mistaken for a criminal by an overzealous neighborhood watchman armed with a gun and backed by a state law that gives greater latitude to people to defend themselves when they feel threatened. But that moment in February in the central Florida town of Sanford was steeped in a history that has haunted the state, the South and the country for generations. No matter the state, the circumstances are eerily familiar: a slaying. Minimal police investigation. A suspect known to authorities. No arrest. Protests and outrage in a racially charged atmosphere. Florida is known for its amusement parks, beaches and pensioners from the North. But history bears out that Florida has been as much a part of the South and its vigilante-enforced racial caste system as Georgia and Alabama.”

Christian Smith gives sociology professors, who are often ignorant of religion, an ear full.

Impassible God is impossible God.

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We are back in action after a week off from Weekly Meanderings during our Spring Break.

Gotta read this one by Pastor Matt: “I was shocked that such brutality could happen right outside the doors to our church building but I was glad to know that God has raised up young men who are willing to move into the most crime ridden area of our town and reach out to the “least among us” for Jesus Christ.  I hope and pray that your church will raise up members who are willing to sacrifice their time and comfort to go into the darkness with the light. Thank God the woman is alive and thank God He has been so merciful as to raise up young men like Stephen with a heart for those who are suffering and seek to become their friends.  May she accept their offer of help, come to know Christ and live a blessed life that blesses others.”

Amy Simpson: “People with mental illness are the butt of jokes, the subjects of terrifying movies andamusement park rides, and sources of entertainment that seem to assume they are mythical creatures—like leprechauns and unicorns—so no one should be offended.  The church’s response to mental illness is typically silence—a silence that is tantamount to complicity in the world’s rejection of the most vulnerable among us, that speaks volumes about the weakness of our faith in the face of suffering. When the church is not silent, it often condemns, suggesting people need exorcism or simply more faith, and denying people’s need for legitimate medical intervention to ease their suffering and help them function as the people God made them to be.”

Bob Cornwall on how God speaks today: “I think we’ve established over the past few weeks that even if God doesn’t normally speak to us in an audible voice, we can still hear the voice of God.  We just need help.  There’s Scripture, of course, which we often call the Word of God, and it is normally our starting point.  After all, we read from Scripture every Sunday as part of worship.  But as the Gospel of John reminds us, Jesus is the Word of God in the flesh, not the Bible.  Although Scripture seems to be a central way in which God speaks to us, is it the only way we hear God speak?  We started to answer this question last Sunday with a conversation about Tradition, which is the ongoing story of God’s involvement in our world, beginning with Creation and continuing to this day.  Tradition is an important voice, but perhaps there are still others that might speak to us.  If so, could Reason be one of those ways in which God speaks?”

Kathy Keller on why to raise your kids in the city.

President Obama: “Obama praised Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s decision to create a task force to review the “stand your ground” law and said that it would be important to “examine the laws and the context for what happened as well as the specifics of the incident.” ”But my main message is to the parents of Trayvon,” Obama said. ”I think they are right to expect that all of us as Americans are going to take this with the seriousness it deserves and we will get to the bottom of exactly what happened,” he said.And he obliquely addressed the racial component of the case, saying it struck home for him because, “If I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon.”

Clergy killers: “They are called “clergy killers” — congregations where a small group of members are so disruptive that no pastor is able to maintain spiritual leadership for long. And yet ministers often endure the stresses of these dysfunctional relationships for months, or even years, before eventually being forced out or giving up. Adding to the strain is the process, which is often shrouded in secrecy. No one – from denominational officials to church members to the clerics themselves – want to acknowledge the failure of a relationship designed to be a sign to the world of mutual love and support. But new research is providing insights into just how widespread – and damaging – these forced terminations can be to clergy. An online study published in the March issue of the Review of Religious Research found 28 percent of ministers said they had at one time been forced to leave their jobs due to personal attacks and criticism from a small faction of their congregations.”

Wendy McCaig on releasing the caged. “This post is a personal confession.  I have been in hiding.  I know God called me to minister boldly as a part of the church universal but I have been hiding behind my non-profit and under my “Executive Director” title.  I have been hanging out in the margins with people who let me be me. But just like Jonah, I am discovering that the call to go to Nineveh is in inescapable.  For me Nineveh is the hierarchical institutional church.  A place that can be as brutal to women ministers as ancient Israel was to the prophets.   Well maybe that is an overstatement, but you know what I mean.  It is far easier to just not go there – to remain in hiding.  Is that a big fish heading my way?”

Derek Leman on “hesed” in the Bible.

The Orthodox Church in the USA.

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For the Spring Breakers, ah…

Oh my, Jonathan Storment got himself into (almost) trouble.

John Koessler on gospeling during Lent: “This means that the gospel is for the believer as much as it is for the unbeliever. To marginalize the gospel by relegating it to the entry point of our faith and to ignore its application to the believer’s daily experience is spiritually deadly. The gospel offers hope for the present life as well as for the future. It is about living as much as it is about dying. It is true that the gospel promises a kingdom in the future, a time when those who know Christ “will also reign with him” (2 Tim. 2:12). Like Christ’s apostles, we too are waiting for the day to come when Jesus will “restore the kingdom to Israel” (Acts 1:6). But we do not have to wait to be placed under new authority. We do not yet see everything subject to Jesus, but we do see the one who has “tasted death” on our behalf (Heb. 2:9). The Sundays of Lent and the important events that surround the Easter holiday provide preachers with a rich opportunity to unpack the gospel for believer and unbeliever alike.”

Tony on Why Pray?

Tom Smith, cardiac asthmatic: “But, I am more than my brokenness and labels. I am more than number 595400000040 who is a cardiac asthmatic. We are more than the labels that are ascribed to us. I am also husband, father, friend, pastor, joker, jogger and Lion’s rugby team supporter. One of the hardest things in life is to bring our fragmented lives with their shattered identities to the One who ultimately names us. Because Jesus loves us with all our stuff and invites us into a relationship with Father, Son and Spirit where we are named and offered the gift of healing. This does not mean that I can ignore all those other labels, even though some will have to be ignored. What it does mean is that I have to herd all those other labels under a Label that can bring wholeness and coherence to the rest of those ordinary labels. Like stray sheep we have to bring those labels into the sheep pen with a shepherd that can name us in a way that the other labels become secondary.”

Why pastors should blog. The Burner and Gabe.

Good for Syler: “As I walked back to my car, I was struck with a sense of wonder. I had just portrayed Jesus in a hit play, and had the opportunity to talk about significant matters of faith with a playwright from New York. How exactly did I get here? I wondered. What lessons did I learn? First, I realized that as a pastor I spend far too much time in the Christian ghetto. We attend meetings, send emails, and study books at the expense of investing time in the larger world. Our studies are safe; the world is risky. We must not “neglect the ministry of the word of God” (Acts 6) but we also can’t forget that Jesus came for the sick and not the healthy (Matthew 9). That’s a balance we must maintain. We lose our mission when our schedules only include people who share our faith.”

The MethoBlog.

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