imagining how the church can reorient around mission

Too frequently the church morphs into the dominant culture in its values, while adhering to a sub-cultural external expression (a Christian ghetto mentality and appearance). The very opposite must happen. Howard Snyder addresses this nuance when describing the differences between being counter-culture and sub-culture stating, read more

I believe that our theology does make a difference. There is a Rich Mullins song that states how important  our theological belief system is. He sang referring to the Apostles Creed, “I did not make it, but it is making me.” I believe that. Our theology is not irrelevant or unimportant, but it forms who we are and how we are to act. read more

I really like this short video clip.  The line that comes on first is, "Theology matters because…what we know about God shapes the way we think and live."

A second line, the statement at the end, "We are all Theologians," is so important.  Anyone who thinks about God is functioning theologcally.   read more

I don’t know if you can remember your dreams or not.  I usually cannot.  However, lately I’ve been both dreaming and remembering them in stark detail.  If you are a dream interpreter, get ahold of me.  I would like to know what is lurking around inside my bald dome.  Ok, maybe not!  Anyway, I have had two in the last week that were both elongated and stunning in detail.  They were not the kind where you are being chased by a bear down a beach naked.  I hate those!  These were different: One was about playing basketball with President Obama (quite a happy dream of me teaching Barack how to talk trash in Spanish – I even showed him a sweet In and out move) and another about Fasting from words.  Here is the second one. read more

Along with his two best friends, Kohl Crecelius is expanding the boundaries of digital connection, philanthropy and retail with a business rooted in a very personal experience — and a talent for crocheting. read more

There has been much discussion about the meaning of the Gospel.  What is the Gospel?  Entrance into to heaven?  A list or propositions?  In this video, Dallas Willard talks about what the Gospel is and how we live in it.

 What do you think about Willard's perspective?  Do you think he captures the essence of what the NT calls the Good News?

I don’t usually put a lot of political stuff on here, but I do post stuff that relates to peace and how to live lives of shalom.  Here is a quote at the first Republican debate from the “crazy” Ron Paul about the war in Afghanistan. read more

A month ago I got the amazing privilege to wander around Barcelona with one of Christian Associates missionary families, Justin and Jenn Powell.  I was deeply impressed with how they lived and how they intentionally connected with so many people.  While we walked, it was remarkable how many people Justin knew by name.  This came about as a result of them taking the time to, what we in our church planting lingo call, “embed” in their context.  That simply means for us the first step for every missional church planter is not to plan or start a worship service, but to actually make friends…I know that is an amazing concept, but you’d be surprised if you knew however many people just don’t get the habit of listening and learning the culture they seek to bring the Gospel to.  We use the phrase “listen for the joys and laments of a particular context.”  Jenn and Justin do get it and it shows.

Here’s a video of their project in Barcelona.  You can catch right away that Justin has become a keen student of his city and as a result has fallen in love the Catalan people.  read more

  Please hear me on this. I do not think it was wrong for the American government through the CIA and Navy Seals to kill bin Laden. I seriously doubt that killing bin Laden makes the world a safer place, but that’s a debate for another day. I too am grateful for the courageous military servicemen who serve America and the world. read more

A great one by Johnny Cash.  Bono on Johnny Cash: "Locusts and honey … not since John The Baptist has there been a voice like that crying in the wilderness. … Every man knows he is a sissy compared to Johnny Cash."

Sing it Johnny… read more