True Fasting

Isaiah 58
“Shout it aloud, do not hold back.
       Raise your voice like a trumpet.
       Declare to my people their rebellion
       and to the house of Jacob their sins.
For day after day they seek me out;
       they seem eager to know my ways,
       as if they were a nation that does what is right
       and [...]

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Yet More Bloggers Weigh In

Just came across more bloggers who have been led to write about prosperity preachers in the past 24 hours.
This is #4 – Click here to read an excellent post by Scott Kay.
And #5 – Floating Axehead can always be depended on to see the “lighter” side!
And I think Jesus Focused on Building People… could count [...]

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Prosperity Preachers, Academics, and Fence-Sitters

Part 2 in a series of three
Part 2 is for the fence-sitters.  The folks who say “but we need to be fair.  These prosperity teachers do some good.  They’re not all bad.  What’s so wrong with what they’re teaching?  Christians need to stop attacking other Christians.  Why can’t we all just get along?”
First — brief answers [...]

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God Wants You To Be Rich and Successful!

Part 1 in a series of three 
That’s right!  If you don’t believe me, ask Joel Osteen.  Or Joyce Meyer, or Kenneth Copeland, or Robert Schuller, or TD Jakes, or Benny Hinn.  How could so many TV personalities, er, Christian ministers be wrong?
Check out their “gospel teachings”:
Q: Do you need to have a personal relationship with Christ [...]

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An Emerging Liturgy

I found this communion liturgy while blogsurfing and wanted to both share it and keep it on hand for future reference.  I think it’s quite lovely — maybe not everyone’s cup of tea, but I think it does a good job of translating ancient faith concepts into modern language.  I particularly like the visual symbolism of [...]

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Blogsurfing: The Emerging Church: Humor and Seriousness

Here’s a wonderful article I wanted to share on the Emerging Church.  Some very funny moments, along with level-headed talk about what the Emerging movement really is.   I can relate to the author’s summary:
“Do I consider myself an emergent? Not necessarily. I am excited about some of the movements and focuses that are growing out [...]

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Taking the Lord’s Name in Vain

A piece of junk mail arrived in our mailbox today.  It was ugly.  Manipulative.  Deceitful.  Written by a guy who calls himself a “Reverend”. 
I’ve never received a letter like this one before, probably because I’m on the nation’s “not likely to fall for it” mailing list.  In fact this piece was addressed to the previous owner [...]

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The Woman at the Well

I wish we knew her name so we wouldn’t have to always refer to her as “that woman, y’know, the one with Jesus at the well”.  Someday…!  Anyway, this is one of my favorite Bible passages… being a woman who’s less than perfect myself I can relate.  I love this lady and I love the [...]

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Progress and the Human Race

The concept of progress is in itself a relatively new thing, an idea that became popular during the Industrial Revolution when science and technology were changing everyday life — and theoretically improving it — at an almost unbelievable pace. 
Up until then, history passed pretty much without the thought of the human race going anywhere… we [...]

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Bits of Church History I Didn’t Know

Just a few odds and ends as I wrap up the second (and final) volume of the church history books I’ve been reading.  Did you know…?
That Pope Leo XIII (pope from 1878-1903) encouraged the formation of labor unions to defend the rights of laborers?  He felt they were necessary to ensure justice for all workers [...]

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“That Don’t Impress Me Much”

How much of what we do for God is for God, and how much is actually for ourselves?
That was the second point of the sermon we heard on vacation a couple Sundays ago, based on the first chapter of Isaiah.  Here’s the text:
“The multitude of your sacrifices –
what are they to me?” says the Lord.
“I [...]

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A Reformation Within the Reformation

“…we shall be asked how faithfully and with how childlike a heart we sought to further the kingdom of God; with how pure and godly a teaching and how worthy an example we tried to edify our hearers amid the scorn of the world…”
– Philipp Jakob Spener, Pia Desideria
With these words a renewal movement within [...]

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BlogSurfing Find: Hermeneutics for the Rest Of Us

This is hysterical, had to share it.  Found on Jesus the Radical Pastor blog…  
The Meaning of “STOP”
Hermeneutics in Everyday Life
by Tim Perry, Durham University.

Suppose you’re traveling to work and you see a stop sign. What do you do? That depends on how you exegete the stop sign.
1. A postmodernist deconstructs the sign (knocks it over with his car), [...]

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We’re Home

Hubby and I just returned this afternoon from a wonderful, restful week at the beach.  Thanks to all for your patience while I was away (especially those of you awaiting replies to your comments — good to see you all!)
I’ll be back doing faith chat soon but for now just wanted to share a little about [...]

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Cart and Horse Questions

Which came first: faith or theology?  Am I crazy, or didn’t faith come first?  Didn’t people know Jesus and believe in Him first, and then go write the gospels and epistles? 
Why is it then, it seems like nowadays whenever one starts talking about sharing the faith or evangelizing or making disciples (that is, talking or [...]

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