A few weeks ago the music stopped. Riding the crest of a prosperous wave that had Americans living in self-assured presumption, the economies and societies of the whole world by and large ground to a critical halt. As of this writing, unemployment stands at a rate worse than the dark days of the Great Depression, … Continue reading More Sabbath than Storm
Category: Random Ruminations
The Power of the Smudge
Today is Ash Wednesday on the Christian liturgical calendar. That meant practically nothing in my decidedly sheltered southern Appalachian context. It never even dawned on our conservative Pentecostal churches to pay any attention whatsoever to that sort of thing. We were, after all, filled with the Spirit and ostensibly experiencing His presence every day, full … Continue reading The Power of the Smudge
The Comfort of the Staff
In the 1997 film Titanic, there is a scene near the climax depicting a trapped Irish mother comforting her children and tucking them into bed for the last time as the flood waters rose around them. In a nearby cabin a similarly trapped elderly gentleman embraces his beloved, cuddled in their bed for what would … Continue reading The Comfort of the Staff
The “Prototype” Christian
There is no such thing as a 'typical' Christian. That was a profound wake-up call for me as a relatively cloistered White Southern Appalachian-American Holiness Pentecostal believer coming of age in the tumultuous '70's. In those days, maintaining our 'testimony' was the primary qualifier when deciding on dress, conduct toward the opposite sex - pretty … Continue reading The “Prototype” Christian
Consequences and Repercussions
The first lie told by the father of lies was that God is the liar, and man believed him. Since that first sin, man has struggled with the concept of consequences and repercussions. The enemy continues to tell the same lie in different forms, and apart from the redeeming power of Christ man continues to … Continue reading Consequences and Repercussions
No Fence on Mars Hill
There's an alarming trend taking hold in the modern church. It's not really new - it happens every time something 'upsets the apple cart'. Liberty itself seems perpetually under threat, and the source of that instability is us. We are a study in paradox, maybe the greatest of which is our insatiable curiosity alongside our … Continue reading No Fence on Mars Hill
Don’t Waste Your Sales Pitch on the Receptionist!
"Don't waste your sales pitch on the receptionist!" That was one of the first pieces of advice I got from a seasoned pro as he was coaching me for my new position in outside sales. Simple, right? Think about it.... how much time do we spend saying the right things to the wrong people? I … Continue reading Don’t Waste Your Sales Pitch on the Receptionist!
Still Worshipping the Golden Calf
"I Quit!" That's the bottom line of a letter delivered to the POTUS yesterday. For the first time in US history, the Secretary of Defense of the United States resigned in protest over an order that amounts to us not keeping our word to our allies who have staked their futures on our fidelity. It … Continue reading Still Worshipping the Golden Calf
What’s This Salvation Thing, Anyway?
Every major religion touts some sort of salvation. The Buddhist is forever in search of Nirvana, the Muslim seeks to merit favor by submission and good works, Oriental religions seek to maintain purity of cultural thought and uniformity.....the list goes on and on, but there is a common thread - almost all religion points to … Continue reading What’s This Salvation Thing, Anyway?
Not Meant For The Middle
One would be hard pressed to find a serious Christian unfamiliar with John's warning to the Laodicean church in Revelation 3:16... "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." ….yet for all intents and purposes, much of the modern church has built it's entire … Continue reading Not Meant For The Middle
