(picture via) Open Mic Week keeps rolling on with a post from Daniel Elliott. You can check out Daniel’s blog here or follow him on Twitter – @dapper_dan_ or both! Last summer when I was working at a Christian youth camp, I was walking back to the staff apartments when I saw that someone (presumably a camper) had written in chalk on the asphalt: “WHO ARE WE TO DOUBT?” This disturbed me, because A) I didn’t like that... Read more

    Our second post for Open Mic Week comes to us from Dawn Wyatt. Dawn is a barista, writer, and aspiring seminary student living in Bowling Green, KY. You can find her blog at morningstardawn.blogspot.com and follow her on Twitter @Dawn_N_W.    I’m a huge coffee person. I love coffee. I work in coffee and I do a lot of living in coffee. The thing I love most about my business is the impact it has on someone’s day. Unlike any other... Read more

    Our first guest post of Open Mic Week is brought to us by Ryan Pugh.  Ryan (@ryanjpugh) is a husband, friend, mentor, and youth pastor living in Boise, Idaho, with his wife Rachael and labradoodle, Ellie. He is passionate about the Church being the living presence of Christ in the world. Ryan is the author of The Money Experiment: A Community Practice in Financial Simplicity, published by The House Studio. He enjoys reading and playing basketball and blogs... Read more

    This story is just sad. All the more sad because it didn’t have to happen (the oft-cited passage for snake handling doesn’t appear in the oldest versions of Mark). Biblical exegesis aside, I genuinely hope and pray that his family and friends are finding the comfort and support they need. Serpent-handling pastor profiled earlier in Washington Post dies from rattlesnake bite Washington Post By Julia Duin Mack Wolford, a flamboyant Pentecostal pastor from West Virginia whose serpent-handling talents were... Read more

Do you remember the story of God leading George Washington out of his tent and promising him that God would make of ole’ George a great nation and that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the shore? How about the story of Thomas Jefferson going up on the mountainside to receive the law from God which outlined America’s covenant relationship with God? Surely, you’ve at least read Benjamin Franklin’s epic work, the... Read more

    Well, those crazy Brits are at it again. First, it was a pastor leaving the ministry to become an Elvis impersonator/evangelist. Now, a hair salon is using the Second Coming to promote their business. When will the madness end?! Hopefully not soon because this is rather entertaining.   ‘Jesus is coming, better get your hair done’ advert deemed not offensive The Telegraph The advert for Barber Brown’s hair salon, which is based in Bristol but has a string... Read more

    Or maybe they haven’t. Who knows for sure, but this a really interesting story nonetheless. Using records of earthquake activity in the area, a group of geologists have determined that Jesus was crucified on April 3, 33 A.D. I just don’t know why they put so much time and effort into their research. They should have just done what the rest of us do when we need find an answer: Google it. It really would have saved them... Read more

    I don’t feel much like a Christian. At least not when I read the Gospels. Jesus said “sell everything you have and give it to the poor.” On a good week I give 10% of my paycheck. Jesus fed the hungry. I usually just feed myself. Jesus said “turn the other cheek” and “love your enemies.” I still think violence can sometimes solve problems. Jesus was mocked, arrested, and murdered for what he said and did. I worry... Read more

A big thanks to everyone that submitted posts for our Open Mic Week! We really appreciate all of the submissions, not to mention the help covering our tails while we’re out of town. We’ve got some great posts to share with you that we think you’re really going to like. S0, without further ado, here’s the lineup of our guest posters for the week of June 4th-8th.   Monday, June 4th Ryan Pugh – “I’m A Christian, I Don’t Like... Read more

    Happy Memorial Day from The American Jesus!! Here’s a song we hope you’ll be singing all day…. Read more