Mindy Caliguire, who is known in all spiritual formation circles as a result of her “soul care” ministries, public speaking, and national leadership, has just written two small books designed for concentrated retreats — whether at home over a week or more leisurely over a month — and I’d like to commend them to the readers of Jesus Creed. |inline Read more
Missional Jesus implored his contemporaries to realize that there are final and earthly consequences for how they live now. He warned his contemporaries who saw his deeds — deeds that evoked the presence of God’s kingdom — and who were not sensitive enough to see the hand of God at work that they would find judgment on themselves and on their communities. |inline Read more
While in Denmark I got an e-mail from a friend. I had explained to my friend that the tax system in Denmark had basically (not completely of course) eliminated poverty. The Danes pay 25% sales tax and anywhere from 50-67% of their income is taxed. The result: national healthcare at a significant level. Perhaps as complete of care as one can find in the world. From the cradle to the grave basic healthcare is provided by the government. My friend... Read more
Our week at Oase in Odder, Denmark, rocked. Maybe because we can’t get the beat and words (we don’t often understand) out of our minds or maybe just because of the fellowship, worship, and enlargening of our sense of God’s work in this world … and probably because of all of these, we are so honored to have been invited guests and given the opportunity to minister at Oase last week. Some highlights: |inline Read more
We are now back from Denmark and will resume our summer-long series on Missional Jesus. Today we look at Luke 7:18-23, a passage that deserves far more attention in gospel preaching than most permit, and it deserves more attention because it expresses the missional perspective of Jesus. Jesus, because he loved God and loved others, loved all others. It’s that simple and it’s that hard. No one loves all others easily. |inline Read more
Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Read more
A young man in Copenhagen, evidently out too late or who had recently had too much to drink, decided to imitate HC Andersen’s The Emperor’s New Clothes in the middle of Amagertorv. The Americans took pictures and the Danish ignored him … with so much attention, he posed as a muscle builder with a cup for donations at his feet. |inline Read more
Another interesting yesterday at Danish Oase here in Odder, Denmark. Our Bible study this morning was a call to get us to consider again the robustness of the gospel and to avoid simplistic, reduced gospels — so I worked through some ideas in Embracing Grace. Today I will be giving my final address, this one on seven realities of a missional life. |inline Read more
Yesterday was our “off day” — no speaking and no seminars — but I have to confess I’m ready for my next talk (today) and it swarmed through me all day long. But, we took the day to visit a special part of Århus called Den Gamle By, the re-creation of medieval to late modern life in Denmark. |inline Read more
Yesterday I took a bit of a risk and addressed the large crowd of renewal-minded Lutherans (and others) on Mary and used the Mary texts of the Gospels as an avenue to show that “all biblical roads lead to the cross and to Pentecost.” It seemed to go well and I was so appreciative of the nice comments about the session together. Then we got a special treat: |inline Read more
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