When Renee Walks Away: On “De-conversion” Stories

January 25, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Walking_away_from_the_Frobisher_Rooms,_The_Barbican_Centre

The latest "I once was 'found', then I headed for the exit door" tale making the rounds among the Christian internet world is that of George Perdikis, one of the founder of Christian pop band, the Newsboys. Whether it's stories like that of Bob Dylan, Frank Schaeffer, Katy Perry, or countless others over the last 2,000 years who have elected to walk away from orthodox Christianity, we who stay may have one or both of these responses: (1) We may chalk it up either apostasy or a belief that the le … [Read more...]

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When The Heart Waits: Chapter 1

January 15, 2015 by Leave a Comment
kidd

How can the church better nurture spiritual growth for those in the second half of their lives? I contend that the way we answer that question may well change the way we disciple all of our members.Certainly cultivating the spiritual disciplines is part of that answer, but it's important to remember that those practices are not the goal. Christlike maturity is the goal - not just for individuals, but for all of us, corporately. Because we've often defaulted to talking about spiritual growth … [Read more...]

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In Search Of Mitford

January 2, 2015 by Leave a Comment
somewhere

To The Good People Of Mitford, NC -You may be classified as fictional characters living in an imaginary place, but after reading all nine books in Jan Karon's series featuring so many of you during the last two decades, I feel as though I've you've taken on the status of my second home. I've had five addresses since I first met you all when a good friend pressed a just-off-the-press copy of At Home In Mitford (the 1994 Lion Press edition) into my hands. I've imagined myself living among … [Read more...]

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Mona Lisa In A Plastic Orange Frame

December 8, 2014 by Leave a Comment
frame

He told them a story. Then he told them another one."The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed," he said. "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast kneaded into dough."Jesus told them stories meant to help their souls awaken to the life to which he came to invite them. He told them stories that held up a mirror that allowed them an unfiltered look at who some of them really were, instead of who they pretended to be.I've been thinking about the way in which we tell stories about God to … [Read more...]

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The Grinch @ Seminary

November 19, 2014 by Leave a Comment
grinchheart

This quarter at Northern Seminary, I took a class for which I had low enthusiasm before I walked in the door back in September. In fact, the words "low enthusiasm" might be overstating it a bit. If it hadn't been required to complete my degree, I would have probably found a way to avoid taking this course altogether.However, you can't opt out of core theology courses when you are enrolled in seminary.I'm not anti-theology. I noted in my first paper for my Theology I course this quarter … [Read more...]

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Unpacking Spiritual Baggage – Part 3

November 12, 2014 by Leave a Comment

"How are you doing?" There's a lot of different ways in which those words can be voiced ranging from a casual aside with no desire for an answer to the way the pastor of the church we'd attended for a year and a half asked it of me. It sounded as though he really wanted to know because he really cared about the state of my soul.I hesitated for a moment. Could I trust him? I'd worked hard with the help of the Holy Spirit using the gfits and training of an excellent counselor to unpack some of … [Read more...]

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The Paradox Of Retreat

November 10, 2014 by Leave a Comment
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In military terms, a retreat is the decision for an army to withdraw because they're losing a battle. In Evangelical church circles, a retreat is a weekend packed to the rafters with activity, teaching and relationship-building.Jesus often retreated from the go-go-go of his ministry to seek his Father in solitude. Solitude was the life-giving marrow of his ministry as the Spirit shaping his communion with the Father. His withdrawl into retreat was an advance for him. Solitude was not about … [Read more...]

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