This Side of the Pulpit » Uncategorized
A Generation Gone
I find it sad when I meet the children of faithful members and I ask them where they live and they say, “Oh, I live here in Enid.” Then I find out they are going to a church of another denomination. As a parent I know that we only have so much influence on our children. But I look at my congregation and see an entire generation missing from our pews. Seriously. There are exceptions, to be sure. But I wonder what happened then, and what happens now, and what I can do as a parent and pastor to prevent that in the future. Any ideas? … Read entire article »
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Small Business Congregations
This seems to be making some rounds. I stole it from incarnatus est: The pastors of America have metamorphosed into a company of shopkeepers and the shop they keep are churches. They are preoccupied with shopkeeper’s concerns—how to keep the customers happy, how to lure customers away from competitors down the street, how to package the goods so that the customers will lay out more money…The biblical fact is that there are no successful churches. There are, instead, communities of sinners, gathered before God week after week in town and villages all over the world. The Holy Spirit gathers them and does his work in them. In these communities of sinners, one of the sinners is called pastor and given a designated responsibility in the community. It is this … Read entire article »
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Oof! Why or Why the Y?
True confession: several years ago I mentioned working out and inspired Bill Weedon to do the same. He’s lost pounds and pounds and is fitter now than he’s ever been (he says). I have started and stopped and gained 30 pounds over the last year or so. Everytime Weedon boasts on Facebook about his 450 mile bike trips and 87 mile daily runs I want to jiggle my belly at him and tell him it’s his fault. No, it doesn’t make any sense, but that’s how I feel. So today I went to the Y and did a light total body workout. It felt like my lungs were going to explode (note: could be the untreated asthma–check into that), my legs were replaced with rubber bands and my head was pounding … Read entire article »
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Jewish Translation of Genesis 3:15
I’ve run into two different translations of Gen. 3:15 from the Torah which read, “You shall bruise their heel, and they shall…”. Yes, plural instead of m/s/n singular. The Hebrew is clearly singular, so what gives? In Bible Study I suggested this was out-and-out anti-Christian translation to eliminate this as a prophesy of the Messiah. But I did some more research, and, while this still may be true, it also is a result of the singular/plural ambiguity of the word translated “seed,” which Christians render as singular, and Jews translate in the plural, referring to Israel. … Read entire article »
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Finding your Ideal Bedtime
Dr. Michael Breus writes on the Insomnia Blog that to find your perfect bedtime, you should count back 7.5 hours from your typical wake time (the average person has 5 sleep cycles that last 90 minutes long, so that’s why we should start with 7.5 hours). If you wake up within 10 minutes before your morning alarm after three days, that’s your target bedtime. If not, move your bedtime back by 15 minutes every three days until you do wake up just before your morning alarm. Imagine waking up without needing the alarm clock—and getting the sleep you need. That definitely seems worth this little experiment. HT: Lifehacker … Read entire article »
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The Magicians: A short review
Lev Grossman’s, The Magicians has often been compared to a in adult Harry Potter. On the surface, the comparison cannot be denied. The Magicians details the life of Quentin Coldwater who is chosen to attend a prestigious and secret school of magic hidden from outsiders in upstate New York. Hogwarts in America. But it’s not really about Harry Potter. The Magicians is an anti-Narnia book. It’s an anti-Narnia book written by a man who obviously loved the series, but can’t understand it. Does not understand the God Aslan, or the God of this universe. Quentin Coldwater has always been fascinated-sickly fascinated-with the world of Fillory, written by Christopher Plover, the Lewis-stand-in in the novel. While Quentin is learning to be a real wizard, he is continually drawn to the make-believe world … Read entire article »
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What Do You Actually Do at Work?
My eldest asked me the question last night. She was watching TV with us and luxuriating in having a second day off from school. I mentioned I had to go into work tomorrow and she asked what I did all day. So I gave her the run-down of what I had planned for today: 1. Devotions 2. Two or three letters to write, including two transfers 3. The statistical report for the Synod. 4. A few phone calls to sick/shut-in members to check on them. 5. This blog to maintain (yes, not a hobby but part of my ministry, as I consider it). 6. Lunch time! 7. Back at the office to go over liturgy, readings, propers for Sunday, work on the rough drafts from the bulletin the Secretary sent last week, send those to the Director of … Read entire article »
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The Spirit of Christmas from a Four-year-old
On my day off yesterday I had to go to Walmart. Jack got all excited about spending some of his allowance money on some Star Wars men. I explained to him that this time of year he should spend his money on presents, not on himself. I suggested buying something for Mommy, and finally he decided that yes, he would buy a present. But he wanted to buy a present for Mikayla…maybe a Star Wars mens that he didn’t already have? And maybe he would play with it? Getting frustrated, I mumbled, “Buying presents for someone that you want to play with is not the Christmas spirit.” A few minutes later Jack calls up from the backseat, “Dad, if I buy Mikki a Star Wars mens and then she shares with me. Dad, … Read entire article »
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Communication Tip #1
When you speak, make sure you are saying what you mean to say. If not, say it. The same goes for writing: know what you want to say, then say it. Subtlety and nuance are for literary criticism classes at self-important Universities. Furthermore, if you mean to say something nice and the other person gets mad, chances are you didn’t say what you meant. Go back while you have a chance and say it. … Read entire article »
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The Resurrection and the Life
February 1st, 2011 | Add a Comment
Phillip raised an important question in his comment on the previous post: what is the relationship between bad–or no–teaching and rejection of teaching begin? First, church members need to make sure they are reading Scripture. Pastors can teach all they can till they are blue in the face, but if Christians are not reading the Word of God, actively attending to it, then all kinds of falsehood and wrong impressions can fester. Bible study is an important tool as well. Second, Pastors need to make sure they are speaking Scripturally when it comes to speaking about death and the resurrection. I try to avoid saying that we will “go to Heaven when we die” because Scripture does not speak like that much. It can be misunderstood as well. We need to make … Read entire article »
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