I want to invite you to join a Facebook group I started called, Thanks N. T. Wright for helping me see a Bigger Gospel! This is a way to acknowledge how Tom Wright has influenced you in various ways, and a chance to exclusively discuss his work with like-minded facebook friends (well, hopefully they become your friends!). I want to tell the story of how N. T. Wright totally changed my way of viewing the Gospel of Jesus. I grew... Read more
I want to offer a way of looking at the destruction of the Canaanites that helps me to understand God’s attitude toward violence in the Old Testament. Then, I’d love to hear your ideas / thoughts… What is different about Israel compared to other nations? From their beginnings they are a community that is devoted to God and are a people on the move. They are nomads in search of a land where they can govern themselves under the love... Read more
As we read the Old Testament, it is easy to get frustrated on several points. The greatest of these is the violence of God. Below is a quote from renowned atheist Richard Dawkins… The God of the Old Testament is arguable the most unpleasant character in all fiction: Jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.[1] At a superficial level,... Read more
What follows is based on a seminary assignment where we were encouraged to use the indicative (what God has done) to lead to an ethical imperative (what we can do). I wrote a mini-sermon or sermonette 🙂 It is very personal and a bit longer than the average post (about 1500 words), but I trust that if you take the time to read that thoughts will be moving. Love to hear your thoughts... Read more
It has been about a week since I did a post about the dilemma between purchasing ethically and becoming a new kind of legalist. I want to draw some attention to an idea that came through a few of the comments that were shared on the last post. It is the tension between the almost typical mark-up of both organic and fair trade goods, and the un-affordability of such products for those in poverty in the U.S.A. or other “Westernized”... Read more
A couple of weeks ago I purchased a book called, “The Better World Shopping Guide” and the corresponding “Better World Shopper iPhone App.” It is an invaluable resource for anyone who cares about ethical buying. Tools like this remind us that what we purchase at the grocery store, fast food restaurant, car dealership, coffee shop, pharmacy, department store, clothing store, etc can have an impact on planet, communities, families, and individuals. Business is not simply competitive, but can become a... Read more
DOWNLOAD MP3 HERE (Right click, save link or target as…) This is a message that kicked off the New Testament portion of our Storyline series. We have studied the bible in 6 “Acts” (Creation, Crisis, Community [Israel], Christ, Church, and Consummation). This is a talk that bridges the gap between the Old and New Testaments by looking at 3 Kings: Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, And Caeasar Augustus. In the midst of the ‘expected’ way the world was operating, an... Read more
This is a re-post from May 2008. I want to emphasize that this ‘peek’ into my personal prayer life is not meant to be about making me look good, but as simply a story of God working with a messed up guy named Kurt… The following is a journal entry from last summer. This was an experience that continued to encourage me that in spite of my skepticism at times that God speaks to us in direct ways. This is... Read more
This is a Repost from back in May of 2008, but the question is still relevant to us right now… I was watching Good Morning America this morning and they are doing a special called “Seven Wonders of America.” The first of these was the National Mall, and today’s was the Alaskan Wilderness. ABC.com says the following about this place… “This is what is meant by undisturbed nature — some 19 million acres that make up the extraordinarily remote Arctic... Read more
I haven’t done many posts on the blog in the past few months, but I want to ask a question that is both simple and has HUGE theological implications for how we understand God. Here is the question: “Can our prayers change the future?” Please answer the above question and give a thorough response to why you feel a certain way on this issue. If “no,” then why do we pray? If “yes,” is it possible for God to change... Read more
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