“Truth—is as old as God— His Twin identity And will endure as long as He A Co-Eternity— And perish on the Day Himself is borne away From Mansion of the Universe A lifeless Deity.” Emily Dickinson What are we talking about when we talk about “truth”? On one hand, the answer to this question seems pretty obvious. On the other hand, especially in our current age, understanding exactly what we mean when we say “truth” is pretty elusive. After... Read more
In our current cultural climate, there has been a lot of talk about “Privilege.” A lot of folks have been forced to examine the ways that our society has been built to favor a certain type of people at the expense of others. We often hear talk about “White Privilege”- it’s the reality that Western Culture was designed by white, European, straight, men, in order to function on their behalf, make their lives easier and better, and give them advantages... Read more
This sermon was originally preached at Missiongathering Christian Church in San Diego, CA. Following the intertestamental period, in the first century, the Jewish world was becoming gradually Hellenized, which means it was adapting to and adopting Greek and Roman culture and worldview because the Greeks and Romans ruled over the province of Israel. During this period, a large number of Jewish Rabbis were rising up claiming to be “Messiahs” which was a word that simply means “anointed one”, and is a... Read more
This sermon was originally preached at Missiongathering Christian Church in San Diego, CA. Today, we’re going to specifically look at the Hebrew Bible or Jewish Scriptures, commonly called by Christians “The Old Testament”. And to begin, the first note I want to make this morning is this: did you realize that it’s actually quite disrespectful to refer to the Hebrew Scriptures as “The Old Testament”? When we do that, we’re actually proclaiming some sort of Christian superiority that our Scriptures, the... Read more
The following is a sermon that was delivered at Missiongathering Christian Church in San Diego, CA. I really love, and really dislike the Bible. On one hand, there has been no book that has shaped my life more than the Bible. Since I was twelve, I’ve read the Bible daily, I have a degree in the Bible, and I quote the Bible frequently. I’ve traveled the world, seeking to walk in the footsteps of the Bible’s authors, and have relied... Read more
This is the final post in a series of blog posts outlining principles of inner-reformation taken from the life of St. Francis and Martin Luther. This series was prepared as a series of talks for the Order of Lutheran Franciscans 2017 Retreat. Conclusion: A New Reformation Era As we approach the edge of a new era of spirituality and a new reformation of spirit, it is important that we as spiritual seekers and leaders find rhythms in which we can live our... Read more
This is the seventh installment of a series of blog posts outlining principles of inner-reformation taken from the life of St. Francis and Martin Luther. This series was prepared as a series of talks for the Order of Lutheran Franciscans 2017 Retreat. Inner Reformation Principle 6: Have Fun The sixth and final principle of inner spiritual reformation is to always make room for fun. If any two figures in Christian history knew the importance of lightheartedness and fun, it was Francis and Luther.... Read more
This is the sixth installment of a series of blog posts outlining principles of inner-reformation taken from the life of St. Francis and Martin Luther. This series was prepared as a series of talks for the Order of Lutheran Franciscans 2017 Retreat. Inner Reformation Principle 5: Incarnational Living The fifth principle of inner-reformation is living an incarnational and ordinary life in the world. At the heart of the Christian story is the belief that in the person of Jesus, God became a human,... Read more
This is the fifth installment of a series of blog posts outlining principles of inner-reformation taken from the life of St. Francis and Martin Luther. This series was prepared as a series of talks for the Order of Lutheran Franciscans 2017 Retreat. Inner Reformation Principle 4: Embrace Simplicity The fourth step towards spiritual reformation is to embrace humility, non-judgment, and simplicity. Both Francis and Luther were raised in religious systems that valued complexity, austerity, and gaudiness. All religious systems have the tendency to move... Read more
This is the fourth installment of a series of blog posts outlining principles of inner-reformation taken from the life of St. Francis and Martin Luther. This series was prepared as a series of talks for the Order of Lutheran Franciscans 2017 Retreat. Inner Reformation Principle 3: Sacrificial Obedience The third step of inner reformation that we can learn from Francis and Luther is that of sacrificial and courageous obedience. Upon hearing the word of the Spirit through their prayerful obedience, both Francis and... Read more
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