Mixing Jesus With Everything Else

We are currently making our way through Colossians on Sunday morning.  It was written to a group of people who are being misled by false teachers.  Those teachers seem to have taken a mish-mash of religious belief and combined it with what they had learned from their original teacher, Epaphras.  Maybe Colossians seems irrelevant to some, but it turns out that such mish-mash thinking is very common to us today.  And probably right here in my church.

Introverts and Extroverts

Jesus Creed has a post up today about introverts and extroverts.  In addition, I’ve been leading a small group through Romans 12 and talking about the various gifts and talents of people, and using those gifts the way God made us.  Of course, God made some of us as introverts and some of us as extroverts and we’ve spent some time talking about that.  Which are you?  How does it affect your gifts and the ministries that you are involved in?  What would you expect your pastor to be?

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

I can’t believe people are upset about this.  Would you have been willing to do the same thing?  (I would – but I’m not overly competitive, in general.  At least not in comparison to some people I know.)

The Great Big Giant Pile of Floating Garbage

Did you know that such a thing existed?  It’s just now being reported on (I think I saw the first story on it a couple of months ago), and this morning I saw a slide show.  If you haven’t heard about it, it’s in an area in the Pacific ocean that is twice the size of Texas.  And it’s made up of garbage.

Thinking of Seminary?

Quite a while ago, Brian reprinted a post from John Stackhouse that was aimed at those considering seminary.  Recently, I encountered and read a book that is aimed at that same audience.  So, if you have ever or are currently considering a theological education of any type, I suggest you purchase and read So You’re Thinking About Going To Seminary by Derek Cooper.  It explains who needs seminary, the different types of theological education available, the different degrees, and what a seminary education looks like.  It is very helpful for opening your eyes.  I wish I had read it before I attended seminary.

Returning To God

I’m thinking a little bit today about the Old Testament idea of turning and returning to God.  Many times in the Bible, we are encouraged to turn to God.  But the Bible has something interesting to say about what happens when we return to God.

Pastors and Depression

This article focuses on pastor suicides, but it seems to me that the most important information contained in the article is about pastoral depression.   You have to read the article carefully to get to the important stuff regarding depression and pastors.  (While the information on pastors and suicide is important to note, it is also important to note that the article itself says – despite its own focus – that there is no statistical evidence to indicate that pastors commit suicide at a higher rate than the general population.)  Read on to see a few of the highlights.

Of Dead Kings and Borders

I’m working my way through Deuteronomy with my small group.  (Actually, they would probably say that I am inflicting Deuteronomy ON them!)  It is sometimes odd to me the ways that God communicates with us, and Deuteronomy is full of such examples.  For instance, the verse that seems to randomly mention a dead king in the midst of a description of borders.  What’s that about?

The Popularity of a Wii

I knew video games were popular, but isn’t this a little ridiculous?  Just asking…

Mixing Discipleship and Business

Should business and discipleship be mixed together?  Do they belong together? 

Well, actually, yes.  Capitalism can actually be combined with kingdom work.