I chose today to start blogging again: the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther releasing his 95 theses. The Reformation Anniversary. Some random thoughts: I have doubts that Martin Luther actually nailed his 95 theses to the door in Wittenberg. I used to believe this until many of my German friends convinced me it was a…
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The Women Who Blogged and Brought a Heresy To It’s Knees.
How fitting that an unorthodox theological position running rampant for 30 years in evangelicalism, namely the complementarian doctrine of a hierarchically ordered Trinity based on authority/submission (ESS – Eternal Subordination of the Son) that has given rise to patriarchy, misogyny, clerical abuse by arrogant bully New Calvinist pastors, the silencing of women, the problematic ESV…
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2015 in Review
It’s been a wonderful and challenging year and I give thanks to God for making it possible. And a SPECIAL THANKS to those of you who supported us financially through our New Zealand supporters and SYRIOUS LOVE (Syrian Refugee Ministry). Some highlights from 2015 We worked in these countries: Jordan, Israel, Turkey, Egypt, Serbia, Croatia, Slovakia, Czech Republic,…
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Being Human. Being Present
I just submitted an article for a mission publication but its a bit long and boring and probably too academic so I thought I would just post it here. It’s called “Being Human, Being Present” and it’s part of my reflections from The Nicholas Sessions last month in Prague. BEING HUMAN. BEING PRESENT. A priest…
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Feeding Syrian Refugees at the Border
From the main blog A little update from me. We arrived at the border a few days ago and started cooking immediately, both for the team and for the stream of Syrian refugees. Most of them were in too much of a hurry to stop and chat – they were at the finish line of…
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Helping Syrian Refugees
We leave for Turkey in a few days and are quite excited about helping out with the Syrian refugee situation but also not quite sure exactly how we can be of greatest assistance. Perhaps the best answers will come when we arrive in Turkey and then Jordon. Right now we are putting a team of…
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The High Calling of a Blogger
Having a blog does not make one a blogger. I was reminded of this some months ago when Rachel Held Evans, after admitting her “diligent investigation” into a particular controversy she was writing about was not very diligent, claimed that she was not a blogger but a writer. I appreciated her admission. A blogger writes…
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Relevant Magazine on Beer
Relevant Magazine has good article on Christianity’s Most Enthusiastic Beer Enthusiasts. Nothing you probably dont already know but its good to be reminded, especially when you lift the Guinness to your lips and reflect on church history. It doesn’t feature the excellent micro-brews coming out from the pub churches and modern day monasteries but its worth the…
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Thoughts on Ashley Madison Scandal
Here’s some random thoughts on the Ashley Madison Scandal, marriage, shaming, and its impact on Christian pastors and bloggers. Reformation Sunday came early this year. An expected 400 Christian pastors resigned today in the wake of the Ashley Madison marriage cheating website being hacked and the names of subscribers, including the particularities and peculiarities of their sexual fantasies with a…
Read MoreWhy Earth Day Texas is the new SXSW for Baptists
I recently visited Texas and met with some of the key leaders of the Texas Baptists. I was encouraged to see some necessary transitions and changes but was quite shocked to see the presence of styrofoam cups at the coffee machine in the main HQ. I believe EDTx is the new SXSW for Texas Baptists…
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Outreach Trends for Next Year
In July of 2013, a well known Christian magazine that focuses on Christian outreach asked me what I thought they should cover in 2014. WHAT I SUGGESTED I suggested articles on urban agriculture, going off-grid, permaculture, voluntary simplicity, interaction with Muslims, nomads, social enterprise, DIY and self sufficiency, outreach that includes seekers rather than targets…
Read MoreEnough for All – My Bible Study
If you are in Germany then you might be joining the 100,000+ people in Hamburg for Kirchentag 2013 (Church Day) on May 1-5. If you make it to my session, please say hello afterwards. The Kirchentag folk do an absolutely incredible job of organizing and hosting a massive scale festival – the best organized I have…
Read MoreRick Warren sets up memorial fund
I have been thinking of Rick Warren all week. A dreadful loss. Praying peace on the family after the tragic suicide of their son Matthew. Rick Warren just set up the Matthew Warren Memorial Fund for Mental Illness. I hope the fund does well in raising awareness of this issue that affects so many, including…
Read MoreThoughts on Pope Francis
GREAT to hear waves of excitement over the new Pope. I am also excited about the appointment of Pope Francis, because . . . – he is from South America. – he is a humble man, riding the bus to work and refusing ecclesiastic titles. – he has a heart for the poor. – he…
Read More12 Resources for Christian Generosity
My friend Sas Conradie from the Global Generosity Movement has just released 12 Resources for Christian Generosity: E.G. “Jay” Link’s latest book ‘Who’s In Charge Here?’ is now available. The pdf and Kindle versions of the book are free – just go to this webpage. The Money Revolution is a website linked to a book that helps…
Read MoreIf I was Pope
Wishing Pope Benedict XVI a smooth transition into his next phase of life as simply Joseph Ratzinger. What a surprise!! I was thinking of running for Pope. Change is good. I have been a Baptist, an Anglican, and a Presbyterian, but never a Catholic. And besides that, the Catholics have the coolest church buildings, especially…
Read MoreAmerican Christians and the Mormon factor
Right now is an interesting time in American politics and religion. There are plenty of conservative evangelical Christians in USA who are about to vote for a Mormon to be their president. Who woulda thunk??? I read a few snippets on Billy Graham removing the “cult” status on the BGEA website. I would be curious to…
Read MoreWhy I decided to become a follower of CHRISLAM
You know when a word has real scare potential when Hal Lindsay starts using it on TV. Like the word “CHRISLAM”. Last year, televangelist Jack Van Impe got kicked off TBN for calling Rick Warren a ‘Chrislam’ promoter. Rick Warren says the newspaper reports were false and he does not promote Chrislam, but the damage had already been…
Read MoreGlobal Church Forum
A really important missions gathering is happening from Tuesday to Thursday in Chicago and is being streamed. I was invited to be there and blog the conference but I am still in the southern hemisphere and couldn’t make it. But I hope it goes well. A lot of my friends are speaking there and I think…
Read More8 Thoughts on Lasting Out, not Burning Out
Greater productivity in ministry comes from lasting out and not burning out. A mentor once told me, “In your first year, you can do NO WRONG. In your second year, you can do NO RIGHT. In your third year, either you or your critics WILL LEAVE. In your fourth year, if you are still there,…
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