No More Jiminy Cricket: Reflections on Conscience

November 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Jiminy

In the beloved classic Pinocchio, the puppet that wanted so to be a “real boy” was devoid of one essential component – a “conscience.” Since he did not come equipped with one, a lovable, and sometimes irritable, companion named Jiminy Cricket entered the puppet’s world and, for a time at least, assumed that role.  Jiminy was Pinocchio’s constant companion forever dictating advice on the “good” and the “bad” in the potential choices he faced. Depending on Pinocchio’s response, the benefits and consequences that ensued in the story proved Jiminy’s judgments right again … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Belief, Bible, Conflict, Conscience, Ethics, Faith, Following, Journey, Obedience, Religion, Salvation, Sin, Soul Tagged With: , , , , , , , , Leave a Comment

So Help Me God!

October 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Mitt Romney and John F. Kennedy have something in common. They both have come under sharp scrutiny with the press and with some of the public over their faith. But, perhaps Romney and his team should take a few cues from JFK. In 1960, with his bid for the presidency in full swing, many people were worried about Kennedy’s Catholicism. At one point, it appeared that the biggest hurdle for him to clear in order to end up in the White House was a religious one. Among the concerns then were: What would it mean to have a Catholic president? Would the pope now become infallible over political … [Read more...]

Filed Under: America, Belief, Bible, Church, Democrat, Faith, leadership, Politics, Presidents, Religion, Republican, Voting Tagged With: , , , , , , Leave a Comment

The Honor Deficit

October 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment
carrot

An honoring culture is one that is always flowing with regular praise and recognition. It is characterized by consistent mutual support and affirmations. In their book, The Carrot Principle, Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton cite a report (from HealthStream Research) which says that 69% of North American workers reported that they were not recognized at all in their jobs last year. And, if that is not alarming enough, 79% of the top performers who change jobs reported that one of the main reasons was a lack of recognition for the work they had done. Perhaps most amazing was the discovery … [Read more...]

Filed Under: America, Bible, Church, Collaboration, Community, Encouragement, Honor, Relationship, Teaming, Teams, Trinity, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , Leave a Comment

The Most Misquoted Bible Passage at Weddings

October 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment
The 3-fold Cord

The Biblical value of teams over individual efforts is described in resonant and simple terms in Ecclesiastes. It is especially interesting that, although someone who held a supreme hierarchical position, namely King Solomon, wrote this passage, he nonetheless saw the wisdom and value of teams even in his day. Even from his lofty throne he thought to include these insights and the model of the triple-braided cord in his volume of wisdom. Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one; they get a better return for their labor. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Collaboration, Communication, Community, Faith, Friendship, Giving, God, Gospel, Grace, Humility, Innovation, Intimacy, Journey, Obedience, Relationship, Soul, Teams Tagged With: , , , , , , , Leave a Comment

Rick Warren’s Questions for Obama & Romney

September 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Mark Brown

One of the most unique moments in the 2008 presidential election year in America was not only the selection of our first African-American president, there was another moment. When Pastor Rick Warren opened the doors of Saddleback Church to then Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain for the first-ever Civil Forum on the Presidency, it was something special. You may have heard by now that Warren has cancelled this year’s forum due to the incivility already evidenced from the candidates and their respective campaigns. He said in a recent interview that “to pretend civility … would be … [Read more...]

Filed Under: America, Bible, Democrat, Election, leadership, Marriage, Politics, Power, Presidents, Republican, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a Comment

The Teaming Church: Ministry in the Age of Collaboration

August 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment
The Teaming Church New

I am excited about a new book I have coming out this Fall (Abingdon Press). It is entitled The Teaming Church: Ministry in the Age of Collaboration. Here is a link to an excerpt from the book. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Collaboration, Culture, Ecclesiology, Generations, leadership, Organization, Teaming, Teams Tagged With: , , , , , , , , Leave a Comment

Friday Night Fun Food!

August 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment
My family loves this meal!

OK. Granted this is a departure from our usual topics here at The Current. But, I just had to tell you about this. My wife, Pam, and I found this little grilling chicken pan on sale at Target. It is called a "non-stick deluxe vertical chicken cooker". You can get one online for about $18. Anyhow, it does just what it says. It allows you to cook a chicken vertically on your outdoor grill. It comes with a "cone" to set the chicken on ... or you can remove the cone and place a beverage can (soda, etc.) and draw out the flavor of your favor beverage into the chicken. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Food, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , Leave a Comment

When God Sees A Soul: Jesus’ P.O.V.

August 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment
eyes of Christ

  What was Jesus’ P.O.V.? And how did he view the places, people and things around him? If you could see the world now the way Jesus saw it then, just what would it look like, how would the people appear, and what would you look like? P.O.V. is a literary and theatrical term used to describe Point Of View. POV is simply the viewpoint, angle or spectrum through which someone observes settings, situations or people. In movies and television, stories are usually seen through the “lens” of one specific character at a time. In novel writing, the story is told through one main … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Belief, Bible, Christ, Compassion, Encouragement, Faith, Jesus, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , Leave a Comment

Jesus and His Dependency on the Spirit

August 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Presence

Scot McKnight recommends the volume by Hawthorne as the best work available on Jesus' relationship to the Holy Spirit. This is an important subject for Pentecostals, and Evangelicals in general, to consider. Hawthorne makes an interesting, and highly significant, distinction between "faith in Jesus" and "the faith OF Jesus." Consider this excerpt: (p. 35) "In thinking still more about the faith of Jesus as a mark of his humanness, there are also those difficult phrases - pistis lesou and pistis lesou Christou to be considered. They appear in the letters of Paul and are most frequently … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Belief, Bible, Charismatic, Christ, Faith, Holy Spirit, Pentecostal, Pentecostalism, Spirit Tagged With: , , , , Leave a Comment

Alexander Whyte on Friendship’s Power

July 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Alexander Whyte

Abraham is described in the Bible as “the friend of God” (James 2:23). This was perhaps the most intriguing title ever given to a created being. The 19th Century biblical biographer, Alexander Whyte, describes the significance of the term, in the language of his time: You may take sarza to open the liver, steel to open the spleen, flower of sulphur for the lungs, castoreum for the brain; but no [substance] opens the heart but a true friend ‑‑ a true friend to whom you may impart griefs, joys, fears, hopes, suspicions, counsels, and whatsoever lies upon the heart to oppress it. . . … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bible, Christ, Friendship, God, Intimacy, Relationship, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , Leave a Comment