Brothers and sisters, this statement is complete nonsense. It is another feeble copout crafted in exclusive meetings of denominational good old’ boys clubs, in which men in navy suits and cowboy boots sit down over bacon, grits, and coffee to figure out how to pacify all of us meddlin’ liberals who dare challenge their long-held Read more

“Evelyn Waugh once remarked that the West is dying of sloth, not wrath. For the most part institutions are lost, not because they are stormed by hostile outsiders, but because their custodians, overcome by apathy, rdiffidence, and intellectual fecklessness, simply give them away. Will we give away the Church and its gospel power by dumbing it down or by failing to reach out?… Truly, all of us who serve the Church want to be faithful and not to be dumbing... Read more

Prelude The increasing speed of TV is a great contributor to the loss of imagination since the mind has no time to recover from the constant bombardment. How does this affect our ability to meditate on God in the necessary silences of worship? Are we able to deal with the ambiguities of God that force our minds to go beyond what is readily apparent? The loss of imagination is also related to some of the twaddle (Kierkegaard’s word) that characterizes... Read more

Transfiguration Sunday O Wondrous Sight, O Vision Fair Text: 13th c.; trans. John Mason Neale, 1851 Tunes: DEO GRACIAS, WAREHAM, LOB SEI DEM ALLMÄCHTIGEN GOTT Collect O God, who before the passion of thy only-begotten Son didst reveal his glory upon the holy mount: Grant unto us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who... Read more

Let me say it again, in case you think you must have misunderstood me. Sometimes it’s okay to leave a church over worship style. Hear me out. I’m not saying you must leave, or even that you should leave in any of these situations. For any number of reasons, you might not feel you have much of a choice. But worship is so important to the life and mission of the church, and there are certainly times when you may... Read more

“Sing all. See that you join with the congregation as frequently as you can. Let not a slight degree of weakness or weariness hinder you. If it is a cross to you, take it up, and you will find it a blessing.” – John Wesley If one was to begin a new Sunday morning feature on ones blog, especially a feature called the “Worship Quote of the Week,” a quote from John Wesley would be a good place to start.... Read more

Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany Give Me the Faith Which Can Remove Text: Charles Wesley, 1749 Tunes: MAGDALEN, SURREY, MOUNT ZION, GIESSEN Collect O Lord, who hast taught us that all our doings without charity are nothing worth; Send thy Holy Ghost and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of charity, the very bond of peace and of all virtue, without which whosoever liveth is counted dead before thee. Grant this for thine only Son Jesus Christ, who... Read more

I loved Sesame Street when I was a kid. In fact, fascination with the show lasted longer that it did for most other kids, to the point at which I realized bringing up current plot lines at the elementary school lunch table was socially suicidal behavior. I remember watching new episodes through around 1990, but my Sesame Street mania gave me a sense of its two decade history. As the youngest of three children, its presence in my childhood home... Read more

Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany Take My Life, and Let It Be Text: Frances Ridley Havergal, 1874 Tunes: HENDON, MOZART, YARBROUGH, PATMOS, MESSIAH Psalm 119:1-8 Happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD. Happy are those who keep his decrees, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways. You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. O that my ways may be steadfast... Read more

Thanks for those of you who offered your feedback on yesterday’s post about why I almost left the church. In the comments, good ol’ Basement Berean (a Basement Berean is less aggressive as the Attic Berean, but not as friendly as the rare Closet Berean) called me on the obvious reason I stayed. OK fine, but isn’t the reason you actually show up: “I’m a professional Christian and I have bills to pay?” Yes, one of the reasons I stayed... Read more