Precision, Truth, Humor, and Conviction :: Thank You, Stanley Hauerwas

It is no secret that among my favorite theologians Stanley Hauerwas stands tall.  My closest friends who have read Hauerwas’s “work” recognize how my theology has been influenced by his thought, his cantankerousness, his wit, and, most importantly, his love for the church.  I am not just a “fan” of Hauerwas.  I have done my [...]

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Speak the Truth to me. Don’t sell me.

Jesus is a person.  Not a product.  Introduce me.  Don’t sell me.
I’m quite accustomed to hearing Jesus presented as someone who can help me, lift me up when I am down, or solve my problems.  Through song and sermon I’ve become acquainted with “feel good” Jesus.  I’ve been told that I have needs only Jesus [...]

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The Four Evangelists

This past week I had the opportunity to teach Methodist kids from all over the Kansas East Conference about Jesus.  That’s right.  I did something I enjoy.  For the past three summers I’ve been part of iNstitute, which is a camp for high school youth sponsored by Kansas East and held at Baker University in [...]

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Low-Hanging Fruit (John 15, anyone?)

Yesterday Seth Godin put forth an interesting question I couldn’t ignore.  Here’s an excerpt from his post:
Imagine that half the cars in the US get 10 miles per gallon. And half get 40 miles per gallon. Further stipulate that all cars are driven the same number of miles per year.
Now, you get one wish. You [...]

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Clever Church Marketing

After searching the web for “Jesus Sign” or “Jesus Saves Billboards,” I came across this rather intriguing article from Church Marketing Sucks.  LifeChurch.tv launched the above campaign last year, posting a series of 5 billboards pointing drivers to SatanHatesLife.com.  My favorite in the series of 5 simply says, “LifeChurch.tv sucks.”  Though I’m normally not a [...]

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Sometimes Eschatology Makes Me Want to Vomit

This story from FoxNews reports that a group of Christians holding a pre-tribulation, premillenial doctrinal understanding of eschatology (or “last things”) have launched a website which will alert friends and loved ones if the “Rapture” has occurred.  According to this report, “Final e-mails from vanished subscribers will be triggered when three of the site’s five Christian staffers [...]

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Developing and Shifting Theologies

This post from Dick Staub got me thinking, “How has my own perception(s) of the church emerging/Emergent continued to shift and change?”  I’ve encountered a number of bloggers, pastors, church leaders, and thinking Christians who have come across emerging church thinkers, leaders, and writers and have  strongly embraced the thinking and ethos of this strata [...]

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Recipients of Worship…

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A Brief Recommendation

Last week I completed N.T. Wright’s Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church.  For those interested in Christian theology and the historical development of the doctrine of the resurrection, the first two-thirds will be of great interest.  The final third is dedicated to specific applications for how a re-understanding [...]

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Dan Kimball :: They Like Jesus But Not the Church

Last week I picked up Dan Kimball’s They Like Jesus But Not the Church: Insights from Emerging Generations.  You can find Dan Kimball’s blog here.  Dan Kimball is a pastor in Santa Cruz, California at Vintage Faith Church, and has published The Emerging Church and Emerging Worship.  He is also one of the contributors to [...]

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