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Elevator Talk
In a class this semester, we were asked to write a short blurb about our theological convictions. The catch was that it had to be an “Elevator Talk.” Think of it this way. Imagine you get into an elevator and punch the button for your floor. It’s a pretty big building and it’ll take a…
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Jesus Loves Gay Porn Stars
Yup. I said it. Jesus loves gay porn stars. And what’s more, I believe it! A friend, classmate, and author named Steven Luff gave me a T-shirt just the other day with that saying on it, and it made me think. Just how far does Jesus’ love go? Is it possible that Jesus could really…
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Grace
I wrote a few weeks ago about the Profound Disappointment I was feeling after hearing that I did not pass the interview portion of examination for Commissioning in the Cal-Pac Conference of the UMC. And the responses have been overwhelming! More than once, I have been moved to tears… In that manly way of course. 😉…
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Profound Disappointment
In this process toward ordained ministry, I underwent a psychological assessment that determined that I top out the introvert/extrovert scale. And guess which end I was on? <insert my best imitation of a smile here> So it may make sense that I begin to process this profound disappointment in an outward way. To be honest,…
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Wesley’s Quadrilateral & Arizona’s Immigration Law
Wesley’s Quadrilateral is applied to the recently signed immigration law in Arizona…
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Leadership: Seth Godin gets Tribal
For a long time I’ve been watching the Internet develop. Though it will likely say more about my age than is comfortable, the reality is that I’ve been around since Netscape Navigator 1.0. Yes, I’m serious. My first email client was Pine. Yes, via Telnet. And yes, I’m still serious. What I’m trying to say…
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Politics in the Pulpit
So yesterday I preached on Acts 11:1-18 (Peter’s vision that prompted him to preach to the Gentiles) and John 13:31-35 (Jesus gives the disciples a new commandment: to love one another). In it, I applied the idea of “love in action” to the new immigration law in Arizona. I have to admit that I was…
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Podcast: 5th Sunday after Easter, 2010
Here’s a conversation I had with three UMC clergy from the Cal-Pac Conference on the upcoming Lectionary scripture. The verses can be read at the Vanderbilt Divinity Library. Voices heard are Rev. Krista Givens, Rev. Molly Vetter, Rev. J. Dan Lewis, and me! This is a “first-attempt” episode, so if you like it please forward a link to…
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Doubting Thomas
Here’s the video of the Nickle Creek song. It’s groovy. If it’s not embedded on this page, click here instead. Here’s what I wonder – and many others have too. Why do we call him doubting? Weren’t all the other disciples equally questionable? How many of them ran to the tomb to greet the risen…
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A Methodist & an Atheist Walk Into a Bar…
I’ve had some ongoing dialogue with an atheist (I’ve also heard the phrase non-theist) friend of mine. Yesterday he posted on my Facebook page a Daily Beast article quoting Orange County Pastor Wiley Drake who appears to be calling for the deaths of Congress members – and perhaps others – who support health care reform…