Adventures in Missing the Point

After hitting myself on the head twice in two weeks, the first time walking into the edge of a metal sign, I ran across this picture and thought it was pretty fitting. Don’t miss the subtitle. It is priceless.
I think two questions are important to answer when it comes to faith and religion:
1 – What [...]

Romans 14 – Dealing With Those Who Differ in Doctrine

I am convinced if we all followed the principles laid out by Paul in Romans 14 that divisions in the church would be held to a minimum. In Paul’s discussion of the weak and the strong in their faith he unpacks some information that get our heats in the right place when it comes to [...]

Resources on How to Read the Bible More Effectively

For those of you who want to read their Bible more effectively (in terms of interpretation and application) here are some resources you may want to consider:
Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible by Scot McKnight (more conversational)
Eat This Book: a conversation in the art of spiritual reading by Eugene Peterson (more conversational)
Elements of [...]

Speaking Where the Bible Speaks is Harder Than it Sounds Using Romans 10:9-13 as an Example

One of our main interpretive principles in the church of Christ is to speak where the Bible speaks and be silent where it is silent. I think that is a wonderful concept to try to attain. I respect our heritage and the overarching respect for scripture that our forefathers have brought to the table. We [...]

Tasting More Like Vinegar Than Salt

I had an email exchange earlier today with a fellow Christian minister that was eye opening to say the least. I had invited him to participate in an online discussion and he declined the offer based on past negative experiences. I can’t say that I blame him. Many of us have tried dialoging with other [...]

What Will the Church Look Like When Today’s College Bible Class Become Elders and Deacons?

I wonder about this from time to time. Each generation has its own strengths. Each generation also tends to react to the problems of the generations before it and often over look the strengths of the generations that came before them as well. So what will the church look like in 40 years when those [...]

Will the Real Restorationist Please Stand Up?

I am going to keep this short and sweet. The Churches of Christ are crossing paths in the night with many other relgious groups in America. We started out a unity movement. We have turned into a semi-homogenous group of fragmented and disjointed churches that have turned more into a denominational movement than one of [...]

Addressing Declining Numbers in Churches of Christ 2 – It is Not a Conservative or Progressive Problem

The progressive side of the church often has an attitude that conservative churches are dragging down the church from the inside out. You hear things about how out of touch they are and how they are fighting battles that are at least 100 years old and the like. I may have even said something similar [...]

Addressing Declining Numbers in Churches of Christ 1 – Identifying the Enemy

I don’t know about where you live but here in St. Pete we don’t have a bunch of inter-church battles. It makes me hope that those sorts of things are starting to die out. I do, however, see those things taking place in other places and it really disturbs me. We have been notoriously bad [...]

What is Romans 6 Really All About?

I have quoted or turned to Romans 6:1-6 & Romans 6:23 dozens of times when talking with people about becoming a Christian and the importance of baptism. Only recently have I really taken a look at Romans 6 in light of what Paul is actually trying to say through the context and audience of the [...]