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Worthless – Lamentations 1:15
When life’s challenges march against you rank on rank, pretending everything is fine won’t save you. Whether you’re facing spiritual warfare or just the exhaustion of daily life, where do you turn when panic sets in? Discover the power of trading denial for true, unshakable peace.
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What Is Biblical Literacy?
We complain about it, write about it, claim it’s important or even critical, design programs to create it, but what is it? I don’t mean that none of us know what we mean when we say “biblically literate” or “biblically illiterate,” but do we all mean the same thing? I don’t think we do, and…
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Fences: Mending or Rending
The following is a sermon I presented at the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Pensacola on September 11,2005 and originally posted here on September 13, 2005. I’m reposting it because when I went to look for it, I found that the original post had somehow been truncated, and also because there is a one word at a…
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Experiencing the (Baptism of the) Holy Spirit
This is a topic where I tend to make just about everyone uncomfortable. Long time readers may recall a previous discussion of speaking in tongues, and my own experience of it. Those who expect me to be intellectually oriented and rational are uncomfortable with mystical experiences, and many who are comfortable with the mystical experiences…
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Doing Something
I’ve been trying to think of something useful to say about the nine people killed at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston and failing miserably. My wife beat me to it. What she said.
According to John: Clean by the Word
Again, I’m announcing this late, but you can get more information on the Google+ event page, and you can watch using the viewer below. Note that the Q&A app will be active and you can ask questions or make comments.
Would You Like a World that Was Perfectly Square?
Not sure? Tonight you can find out! On the Energion Hangout tonight I’ll be interviewing my friend Dr. Dolly Berthelot, author of PERFECTLY SQUARE: A Fantasy Fable for All Ages, and an all around great person. Let’s get the commercial part out of the way first. This book was first published in 1994, and its…
According to John: The Whole House Was Filled with the Fragrance
I’m late again. Check the Google+ event or use the viewer below. I really am going to catch up with my blogging, announce these things earlier, and post comments afterward. Really I am!
Hangout Tonight: Social Justice, Good or Bad?
I know this is late, but tonight I’ll be hosting the re-do of this hangout with Elgin Hushbeck, Jr. and Steve Kindle. You can get the details on the Google+ Event page, or view using the embedded viewer below.
According to John: Have I not Chosen You, the Twelve?
Tonight, internet permitting, I continue my study of the gospel according to John following Dr. Herold Weiss’s book Meditations on According to John. You can find more information at the Google+ Event Page, and view either there or via the embedded viewer below.
Discussion Tonight: Violence in the Bible
On the Energion Hangout tonight at 7:00 PM central time, we’ll be discussing the topic of violence in the Bible, with a particular emphasis on the Old Testament. But as participant Dr. Alden Thompson will doubtless remind us tonight, there’s violence in the New Testament as well. Alden Thompson is author of the very first…
Correction – According to John: Salvation is from the Jews
I posted this hangout incorrectly in my previous post. The Google+ link is now on my own page, and the correct YouTube viewer is below: I apologize for the confusion!
According to John: Salvation is from the Jews
Tonight I discuss the 15th chapter of Dr. Herold Weiss’s book Meditations on According to John, “Salvation is from the Jews.” You can find more details at the Google+ event, or watch using the embedded YouTube viewer below. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JR8ZRWFFVE
According to John: Remember My Words
Tonight’s study on According to John, based on Chapter 14 of Dr. Herold Weiss’s book Meditations on According to John, will have me going far afield from the gospel of John into a discussion of individual and community memory and the importance of a message transmitted by and shaped by a community. I will argue…
Who Are the Homeless?
I want to keep everyone thinking about social justice. In my view, if more people become more aware about what is going on and take action, whatever action they believe is best, we’ll be better off. Discussing this and related issues can only help. We have multiple Energion authors who have a variety of views…
Yet Again Hebrews Authorship
In September of 2013 I published a book titled The Authorship of Hebrews: The Case for Paul by David Alan Black. It has been interesting to read material on this topic since. I would note that while I believe Dave’s case is well presented, and was convinced by it to give more room to the…
Tomorrow Night: Pentecost and Your Ministry
You can find all the details on the Energion Publications news page.
The Bible and Social Justice
I’m going to shamelessly link to a post by Allan Bevere in order to publicize a hangout I’ll be hosting next month. Allan’s post is Once Again, The Civil Religion of the Religious Right AND the Religious Left, and I’m interested because I think Allan might well dispute both of my guests. We tried for…
According to John: It Is Not by Measure that God Gives the Spirit
I failed to post on this earlier, but in about 20 minutes I’ll be starting this study. Of course, there’s always the option to watch it later (or not!). YouTube viewer:
Hangout on Social Justice
Update: We had audio problems. This hangout has been rescheduled to June 9, 2015. I’m hosting tonight’s Energion Hangout which is Social Justice: Good or Bad?. I’ll be interviewing Energion authors Elgin Hushbeck, Jr. (What Is Wrong with Social Justice, Preserving Democracy) discusses the impact and value of social justice with Rev. Steve Kindle (Stewardship:…
Interviewing Thomas Hudgins for According to John
You can go to the event for more information or watch using the embedded YouTube below. I’ll be talking to Thomas about the text of John and textual criticism in general for about half the time and then talking about John 17 in the second half with some discussion of rhetorical criticism.
According to John: I Have Overcome the World
I will resume my study of According to John tonight with chapter 12 of Herold Weiss’s book Meditations on According to John, I Have Overcome the World. We’re going to look at the meaning(s) of “world” in John and what it means to overcome it. You can either watch via the Google+ event or with…
According to John: Interview with C. Drew Smith
I know it’s very late, but I’ve had an extremely hectic week. Here’s the link for tonight’s hangout. I’ll be interviewing Dr. C. Drew Smith, author of Reframing a Relevant Faith. According to John: Interview with Drew Smith And the YouTube:
Unity and Bible Study
That’s a very broad title, but I do want to look at the connection. One of the places where we, as Christians, find the most disagreement is in our study of the Bible. In my view, there’s a good reason for this. The Bible is a complex book. Yes, one can find common themes, but…
When I Need to Restore My Focus
This: Not the best recording of her on YouTube, but my favorite.
According to John: The Law Was Given through Moses
Tonight in my study on John via Google Hangouts on Air I’m going to talk about the law and Jesus, Jews and Christians, and Judaism and Christianity. I’m embedding the player below. In the meantime, read 3 ways to Confront the New Antisemitism by Rabbi Evan Moffic. For tonight:
Why Jesus Had to Die
In the study of the gospel of John I’m doing via Google Hangouts on Air, last Thursday night’s session was titled “I Finished the Work.” This reflects Jesus confidence that he had completed his mission, even before he had died on the cross or risen from the dead. For many Christians the reason Jesus had…
According to John: I Finished the Work
Tonight (4/2/15) at 7:00 pm central time I’ll be continuing my study of John using the book Meditations on According to John by Herold Weiss. We’ll be working from chapter 10, “I Finished the Work.” This is an exceptionally good chapter to be studying on Maundy Thursday, though I’m going to assume nobody will miss…