how to be the church with the mind of Jesus | Philippians ii.1 Since it’s almost Christmas, let’s look at a passage about the coming of Christ, found in Philippians ii. This Scripture is poetry and in fact a song This is actually a hymn or song of the Early Church. If you have an NLT, you will see it printed in verse form. This is not just any hymn, a Church historian, Dennis Duling states: “The first pre-Pauline ‘Christological... Read more
To begin drawing upon good from Ecclesiastes, one has to take a deep dive so to speak. This series does not cover every chapter and verse, but key themes. Each bolded statement is the title of an entire article. Each following sentence is a lead-in to the article, setting the stage a little. With each click, you’ll be directed to the article of your choosing. Solomon, if this is Solomon, is older now. The youthful vigor of Song of Solomon... Read more
How can people find out more about your faith online? This is a primary question being asked at this time, so I thought it would be decent to take time to address the issue. i. setting some parameters to my faith I’m usually considered an in-betweener, maybe a bridger. At times I’m considered Ecumenical. My Catholic Padres say if their church officially recognizes the baptism of my Ecclesial Community they can call me brother. In short, my High Church friends often... Read more
6 ways you can make an interfaith marriage work When I use the term interfaith, I am speaking of Christian faiths. A couple/family merging from various faiths is no small work, but it is a good work. Plus I know the ways Christian couples have navigated these waters. i. celebrate different charisms Once the pharmacist told me he is a non-charismatic, but his wife is Pentecostal, speaks in tongues, and believes in the prayer language. He has never spoke in... Read more
“Silent Love” still stands out as a personal favorite from Russ Taff’s Medals LP. throwback Russ Taff “Silent Love” I searched for a live performance to capture some of Russ Taff’s charisma back in the day, because he’s changed… like the best of them. He ventured into a Harry Connick style Christmas project a couple times. Then, he basically went country. Now his voice doesn’t have the same strength in my opinion, unfortunately. Embed from Getty Images However, Russ Taff and... Read more
highlights from Solomon | hit the refresh I received some positive feedback from the Proverbs and Ecclesiastes series I compiled this year. Here are the articles from Proverbs. I hope you’ll find in them some refreshing reflections on Solomon’s wisdom. sin drains one’s life blood | Solomon’s wisdom At best, Solomon is referring to shedding the blood of animals in idolatry. At worst, he is referring to the murder of humans made in the imago Dei. Either way, the habitual... Read more
Do you have a cause for others, or even for someone else? There are plenty of causes, plenty of ways to give yourself to someone for the greater good. The great Evangelist Paul narrows the question a little. Is your cause something more than simply offering a good work to someone now and then? Can your cause become a Christian practice or discipline for you? Is your cause for someone else becoming part of who you are, like your 2nd... Read more
There are 4 vacancies to be filled for Members of the Roanoke City Council. For those who are used to voting the Party line (all R or all D) this will not be an option this year. The main question on the ballot is about the Members of the City Council. Some digging is required to discover their Party affiliations. However, about all of them have their own websites. I always have to have a “why” for writing a political... Read more
Should politicians be guided by their faith in their elected office? The political scuttlebut is every President up until President John F. Kennedy claimed to be a Protestant. President John F. Kennedy claimed to be a Catholic. I’m really not too sure if this is common knowledge, but journalism used to be different than the media hype these days. There are different types of ways to express faith. Have you ever read up on the James K. Fowler’s 8 Stages... Read more
What place does prayer have in sports for both spectators and athletes? Consider this an old fashioned editorial. These are lessons learned if experience is still a good teacher. I’ve ran with sports psychologists, in a manner of speaking. Wait for it… sports psychology prayer integration begins at 6 minutes,30 seconds Some of the greatest spectators are preachers. There’s no doubt preachers often use their favorite teams/players for sermon illustrations. In fact I’m always seeing pictures weaving their way through... Read more
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