Have It All?

I’m notorious for being hard on TV preachers. And I’m hardest on those that always seem to be telling us that if we send them money (a seed), or pay $300/ person to register for their conference then God will bless us and make us rich. They tell us that we can have everything if [...]

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The Psalm of Malia

People think I’m kidding when I tell them that my 3-year-old daughter Malia is the great theologian in our family. It’s true nonetheless.
This last Friday, as Malia was sitting at my desk typing, this is the Psalm she wrote: (She actually spoke it, her mom transcribed it. And, yes, she actually said this.)
“God, the Holy [...]

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Reflections on CNN’s “God’s Warriors”

If you didn’t see CNN’s Christian Amanpour’s three night special, God’s Warrior’s, you’ve missed some of the best reporting I’ve seen. Please catch it this weekend! I want to offer a couple of thoughts on last night’s coverage of God’s Christian Warriors.
1. First of all, I’m not quick to say that Amanpour’s coverage was as [...]

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Meeting People’s Needs

From William Willimon’s “Pastor: The Theology and Practice of Ordained Ministry”:
“My colleague Stanley Hauerwas has accused the contemporary pastor of being little more than ‘a quivering mass of availability.’ Practicing what I have called ‘promiscuous ministry’–ministry with no internal, critical judgment about what care is worth giving–we become the victims of a culture of insatiable [...]

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God’s Warriors

Last night — in between reading 100 pages and telling my daughter to “get back in bed” — I caught the first installment of Christiane Amanpour’s three night special on CNN, “God’s Warriors”. Last night’s special focused on God’s Jewish Warriors. Very informative and interesting.
Tonight Amanpour takes a look at God’s Muslim Warriors and Thursday [...]

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The Nature of Preaching

I first discovered the sermons and writing of Barbara Brown Taylor about 5 years ago when I read “The Preaching Life”. Recently I been looking back over the book. Here are some great words from her:
“If the preaching they hear is effective, it will not hand them sacks of wisdom and advice to take home [...]

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