In answer to the question, “Why don't women ever read or pray in Bethlehem's church services?” John Piper answered in part: But the real question, I think, they're asking is about the prayers of praise, the reading of the text, and the preaching, and none of those the women do at Bethlehem. And that is intentional. My reason is because—not that others have to see it this way—I view that moment and that place in … [Read more...]
CRUCIFIXION — Nail In Ankle Bone
Posted on December 14, 2011 · 4 Comments
“But there are no explicit descriptions of how crucifixion was done. Until fairly recently there was not a single piece of archaeological evidence to explain the practice. In 1968, however, a significant archaeological discovery was made in a suburb of Jerusalem: an ossuary with the skeletal remains of a man named Yehochanan who had been crucified. Yehochanan had been nailed to an upright beam of wood through the ankle, but the nail hit a knot in the wood and bent, making it difficult to be … [Read more...]
SHOULD THE TAIL WAG THE DOG?
Posted on December 12, 2011 · 25 Comments
“If you indeed continue in the faith having been founded and steadfast and not being moved away from the hope of the Gospel which you heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, of which I Paul became a servant” (Colossians 1:23). “In fact, Christ, Himself, spelled out the mission of the church in what we refer to as The Great Commission . . . . That commission from Christ is the sole reason why the church exists today.” – James Longstreet, http://www.christianpost.com Is … [Read more...]
WHAT ARE MY REASONS FOR WANTING TO GO ON LIVING?
Posted on November 23, 2011 · 4 Comments
Recently, Dotty and I attended a Marriage Encounter (www.wwme.org) weekend. Toward the end of the sessions, the husbands and wives were to spend an hour writing a letter to their spouse and then read their letters to each other. The letter would be in response to nine questions that were listed on a sheet of paper. This sheet opened in such a way that only question #1 was visible at first. The other questions were to be looked at only after #1 was answered. Here is my response to #1. After I … [Read more...]
CONFINED TO THE KITCHEN? The Lord Doesn’t Put Women in This Box
Posted on October 19, 2011 · 6 Comments
It breaks my heart to see the same worn-out ideas about the “woman’s role” parroted over and over again in source after source. During our recent travels a brother gave me an article, “The Godly Woman’s Role & Influence” by Marlin Kreider (Reaching Out, #69, 2011, Living Waters Mennonite Church, pp.5-6). I would like to deal with several aspects of this article in hopes of helping us discern … [Read more...]
CHRIST LOVES US, NOT OUR ADORNMENTS!
Posted on August 31, 2011 · 2 Comments
In the evenings, Dotty and I are reading through Bob Emery's "His Desire Is For Me: The Story of Solomon & the Shulammite -- A 30-Day Devotional & Commentary on the Song of Solomon" (ISBN 9781935265771). In the book, He unfolds numerous parallels between the Song of Songs and Christ and his bride. A few nights ago a statement in the narrative caught my attention -- "My hair was pulled high over my head, revealing my prominent cheekbones. Gazing at them, he commented tenderly, 'Your … [Read more...]
WHEN ARE WE GOING TO WAKE UP TO REALITY? The Nightmare of the Pastoral Institution
Posted on August 9, 2011 · 10 Comments
Mark Galli of Christianity Today has given us another article in a string of many that candidly lays out some serious problems resident in the traditional one-pastor system (August 8, 2011, http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/julyweb-only/mostriskyprofession.html?start=1). It is titled, “The Most Risky Profession: Why you need to pray desperately for your pastor.” Notice the near-fatal weaknesses Mark points out in the American … [Read more...]
Does It All Boil Down to Pulpit & Pew?
Posted on July 16, 2011 · 15 Comments
My heart is burdened concerning a phenomenon I've witnessed over and over again. It goes something like this: I would never pursue anything in my personal life in Christ without seeking the Lord for his will, but when it comes to my life together with others in Christ's body I pretty much accept church structures as they are in my community, and don't ask any questions. Many people exert great diligence about the Lord's will in how they live Monday through Saturday, … [Read more...]
UnInstitutional
Posted on June 23, 2011 · 35 Comments
We expect the proliferation of institutions and hierarchies in the human realm -- business, government, the military, education. But there is no place for such things in the Lord’s ekklesia because it is not a human organization. It is a spiritual temple whose Builder and Maker is Christ. Probably most of us have been part of some group in school, college, church or society that started out with excitement and verve, but after a period of time ended up in stagnancy and micro-management. The … [Read more...]
An Important Book for Our Times!
Posted on May 31, 2011 · 2 Comments
REVISE US AGAIN: Living from a Renewed Christian Script by Frank Viola (David C. Cook, 2011, 174 pages). This is a singularly refreshing book. Frank tackles some very thorny issues - like how Christians use the phrase "God told me to . . ." - with remarkable candor and wisdom. In the process he corrects the traditional script we have inherited and opens the door for us to express the freedom we have in Christ in a much fuller way. In a vital sense this book is about fleshing out … [Read more...]
Author, speaker, editor of Searching Together, itinerant encourager of relational communities.
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