Posts on General

Paul’s Big, Wild, Loving, Punch in Gut Letter to the Corinthians “I do not want to appear to be frightening you with my letters…” – 2 Corinthians 10:9 Lesson One: The Big Picture Suppose you overheard a conversation about a big church in a major city that was having problems with divisions in their fellowship rooted in the powerful preachers they preferred, the place of spiritual gifts, how women were supposed to function in ministry, marriage, divorce, and celibacy, the way the wealthy handled the poor, and whether or not they were being too accommodating to the prevailing culture on... Read this post

College Football Week One Review I love this crazy, wild, silly, fantastic game. The joy and heartbreak and unpredictability of college football are just entirely wonderful. Week one did not disappoint. Filled with shocking upsets, last-minute drama, and eye-popping performances, this past Thursday through Monday night came through with compelling and exciting viewing for the rabid college football fan to enjoy… or bemoan. Prediction Results for Week One 20-6 Big Hits: Auburn over Oregon; Boise State over Florida State; Utah over BYU; Memphis over Ole Miss Missed it bad: OK, who saw Tennessee losing to Georgia State? Not me. That’s... Read this post

Time for Week One College Football Predictions!! Last week: 1-0. Florida beat Miami 24-20 (I had Florida 28-24) Here we go with this week’s crazy predictions for the games beginning Thursday night. I don’t predict a score for every game. I am SOOOOO HAPPY College Football is BACK! Thursday Utah over BYU by 7, 35-28. In Provo, and a rivalry game. ‘Holy War’ will be close, but Utah has the muscle to win on the road. Cincinnati over UCLA by 3, 31-28. In Cincy, and the Bearcats are just better than UCLA… again. Clemson beats Georgia Tech by a fistful.... Read this post

Two weeks ago I wrote this letter to Dr. Rosaria Butterfield. It is self-explanatory. I am publishing it now as she has not responded, nor has she responded to other similar communications from others. My blog post I note in the letter will be published shortly. Dear Dr. Butterfield, Grace and Peace. Thank you for your diligent and faithful work in the Gospel, and for all the help and encouragement you have brought to so many through your writing and speaking. When I served as Pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas and quoted ‘Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely... Read this post

Tomorrow will mark the 40th anniversary of my ordination to the Christian ministry. I’m grateful and repentant and amazed and tired and exhilarated. * I’m grateful to God for calling me – and I recall it very clearly when I was a small boy at tiny Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Kokomo, Indiana. Pastor Youngdale was preaching on the dangers of neo-orthodoxy and the need for fidelity to the Gospel. I was ten, and I heard Jesus say, ‘You will contend for and preach the Gospel too.’ I was not surprised or shocked. It seemed as natural as anything. I’d... Read this post

Time for some College Football Predictions as the season kicks off this weekend. The first thing to remember about all preseason college football predictions is to know the ‘Three Key Words’: “No One Knows”. Last season I bought into the preseason hype over Wisconsin – and they were awful. Washington was supposed to be good. Wasn’t. No team could stop Bama. Well, actually… Clemson did and in style at that. The second thing to remember: whatever happens in week one doesn’t tell you much. Texas lost to Maryland (Maryland!) in week one last year – and finished by beating Georgia... Read this post

“If I were to switch sides and  become a Christian, I wouldn’t be Gay anymore. But that is who I am and always will be. It’s who I AM, not something I do.” That was a response from a friend who was telling me why he could not begin to even think of becoming a Christian. He added more reasons, but this objection was primary. His identity was tethered to his sexual desires and he saw no way around that. That’s not surprising. His view is also at the core of many conversations within the Christian community about the issue... Read this post

I flew into London last Saturday for a week of ministry and drove right into the largest Gay Pride Parade in history (or so the organizers claimed). Traffic was snarled, cab drivers riled, business owners thankful, and the Pride participants thrilled. Some 1.5 million people gathered from around the world for the event, and thirty-five thousand people marched. Number Ten Downing Street was festooned with a rainbow arc, and virtually every business and all government buildings in sight displayed signs and flags supporting the marchers and ‘Pride’. The rainbow was ubiquitous. The newspapers carried glowing stories of the events with... Read this post

Silence for a season is a gift God gives us to help us listen more attentively to the voice of his love and mercy. It is impossible to hear God while we are doing the talking, a lesson Peter painfully learned on the Mount of Transfiguration. Overcome by the splendor of the scene, he spoke out passionately, but also imprudently. God silenced Peter, interrupting with an admonishing but merciful rebuke: ‘This is my Beloved Son! Listen to him!’ (Mark 9:7). The prophets also knew that their first priority was listening in silence rather than speaking in the Temple. Isaiah wrote,... Read this post