To my Christian brothers and sisters on both sides of the Gay Marriage debate

Believe it or not there are passionate followers of Jesus on both sides of this argument.  It is essential that we understand that or there can be no dialogue and we are headed as a church family for another divorce.  This is not a central issue of the faith but it has become a divisive one that is tearing people apart.  Wherever you are on the spectrum I respect your position but hope that there is also some room for examination and reflection.  Without that space we cannot find common ground.

What do your itching ears really want to hear?

For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  - 2 Timothy 4:3

[Jesus] taught daily in the Temple, but the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders of the people began planning how to kill him.  But they could think of nothing, because all the people hung on every word he said. - Luke 19:47-48

Every few months 2 Timothy 4:3 becomes a trending topic on Twitter.  It usually coincides with a pastor or teacher making a statement that another pastor or teacher disagrees with.  Usually the statement has to do with homosexuality or who is getting into heaven or the double whammy of whether or not homosexuals get into heaven.  That is not really the subject of this post.  This post is more concerned about how we use this verse and verses like it to shore up our position and in essence become the people who “gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”

6 Ways to Honor Saint Patrick on Saint Patrick's Day

Saint Patrick's Day is upon us and while it may be fun to wear green and pinch drunken strangers here are some ways to honor the saint that might actually honor the saint ;)

1. Spend time with Family and Friends (preferably sober):  While St. Patrick’s Day here in the States has devolved into “hey lets drink green beer” day it is important to remember that in Ireland it is closer in feel to Thanksgiving than Mardi Gras.  During Patrick’s day clan and kin were very important.  To celebrate this year take some time to honor your friends and family.  Strengthen your bonds of kinship and do not let your love grow cold. 

Questions for Reflection: Lent

As Lent approaches many of us are considering, "What am I going to give up this year?"  While this is a good thing; Lent is about so much more than that.  It is about repentance, reflection, anticipation and new beginnings.  It is about taking a good look at ourselves and at Christ and finding ways to journey closer to him.

Feign Outrage and Cry Persecution: A Failed Christian Business Model

Nod your head if this sounds familiar.  A marginally Christian organization comes under scrutiny for one reason or another.  An outraged Christian “leader” cries persecution and calls for a “day of support.”  We do our Christian duty and shop till we drop (or eat till we burst).  The Christian organization has record one day sales and the day is saved.  



This cycle has repeated itself in various ways several times this last year.  We saw it with Chick-Fil-A and now with Hobby Lobby.  We saw it earlier with the Family Research Council and today we are rallying around the NRA and our God given right to own as many guns as we can get our hands on.  We tell ourselves that we are doing it to “fight the good fight” but in reality I believe that we are doing it out of fear.  We are told that the world will end or that the character of our country is at stake if we don’t get out there and spend money.  We solve problems, not as Christians, but as consumers and fear-mongering is good for business.

Fourth Week of Advent: Love

For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing.  And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt. Deuteronomy 10:17-19

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:8

This week we light the Advent candle of Love.  We remember the love of God for all mankind and look forward to the day when that love has its fullest expression at the end of history.  We long for the day when love is truly the new law and we patiently and diligently work to make that a reality sooner rather than later.  Followers of Christ, compelled by love, expand it’s borders each and every day.  

Advent Week 3: Joy

A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted because they are no more.  Matthew 2:18 

So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. John 16:22

This week of Advent we are supposed to light the candle of Joy.  It is supposed to symbolize the joy that we feel at the coming of Christ and the joy we will experience when he finally sets the world right at the end of all things.  It is supposed to be an inspiration to us to embrace the good news that will be a great joy to all people.

It is hard to be joyful today.