Did you know 74 different cities [and growing] actually have laws against feeding the hungry in public? Think about that for a second, 74 different cities where giving a homeless person a ham sandwich in public can get you in trouble with ‘The Man.’ In places like Orlando FL you can be arrested for the simple, graceful, loving act of ladling hot soup in a public park. It seems doing this simple act of human compassion violates the city’s restrictions on feeding the homeless in... Read more
One of the complaints I have leveled at me for my Spirit-led progressive faith is that I do not “discern the spirits” as John wrote about in I John 4:1. The method for doing this is generally described as comparing everything you “hear” from the Spirit to the Bible, and if it’s not in there, it’s not of God. I wanted to share a few words about how I believe the Spirit works in our lives and what I believe the... Read more
It being Mother’s Day today and all, I am doing a lot of thinking about family. My mom died way too many years ago to keep the tally at hand. My Nanny, the woman who did the day to day raising of me, passed only a few years later, and my ex-wife’s mom has been gone for over five years. So pretty much I’ve been a free agent for a while now. Truth is, I’ve forgotten what it’s like to... Read more
I hear too many people saying, ‘I live my life without regrets.’ When we say that, what are we saying? What are we telling the people we care for? What are we telling people we interact with on a daily basis? What are we telling ourselves? To regret is to feel sad or disappointed about something you did to another. It centers on loss, or missed opportunities, you caused to another person. To live life without regrets means you live... Read more
Is friendship important to you? It is to me. Why do you make friends? Are you making friends to share Christ and invite people to your church? Are you making friends so your church will grow? If you are, let me say that when you do, you’re not making friends – you’re making sales contacts. You see, if you’re making friends with some ulterior motive, you’re not making friends. Not long ago, I heard a Pastor share with his church, ‘you should... Read more
We have lived in our new City for just over six months, and I am still trying to find the perfect radio station. I am looking for that amazing mix between 80’s. 90’s and today. One thing I have found over time is that the “seek” button seems to find different stations every time I hit it, which is both frustrating and cool. Recently, I came upon a “Christian Station” – normally I would just hit the seek-button again, but... Read more
I have struggled with addiction the better part of my life. Like many before me, the sting of it’s consequences have shaped the course of my journey. It has been a spiritual battle that has kicked my butt. Many say you have to hit rock bottom in order to start climbing up. I really thought I had. I never took issue when confronted with the fact that I was powerless over my addiction. To me, that was a no-brainer. What... Read more
I’ve always been repelled by the Turn and Burn crowd. I think, for me, the message is too negative, and does not share the love Jesus was speaking about. Now, those who desire to spread the Turn and Burn message will tell you the reason I’m repelled by their message is because “I am not right with God;” they tell me all the time, “because you are not right with God,” but I think it is much deeper; I’m naturally... Read more
I am always amazed at how many Pastors, and “christians,” want to point out all the bad in the world. They can spend hours telling people how bad they are, how bad the world is and how all this bad proves we are at the ‘end of days.’ Yet I wonder, is it our role to point out what we see as bad? Think about it for a second, times up. In the narrative of John, John shares these words:... Read more
One of the first lessons clergy learn in their ministry is that being “the preacher” comes with lots of assumptions – some good, and some…not so much. It is amazing how people broach religious and political topics with me with the idea I share the same assumptions simply because I am a pastor. Sometimes when I’m in public, I wish I could be pastor incognito. Upon introducing myself to complete strangers, I’ve discovered that once I reveal my vocation, often... Read more
The Naked Jesus
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