July 2010

God Gave Communion to Satan

Today I want to share with you an insight that is just too good, and too hot, not to pass on to you. It's not mine, but I will be forever playing with it and thinking about it. It's a real mind-blowing insight. The insight came from one of the attendees of the Wednesday morning Bible Study. We're a rather loud group. (Shannon closes the doors to the conference room so she doesn't have to hear us!) We are slowly moving through the Gospel of Luke. A few weeks ago, we started Chapter 22. It's the very long chapter full of memorable events: the last supper, prayers in the garden, Jesus' arrest, his trial before the Jewish religious leaders, and Peters denial. the chapter ends with Jesus being dragged off to see Pilate.

June 2010

What God Will Not Do

She was losing her faith, she said, "Too many bad things happening to good people. I didn't tell her then, though I suppose I am now if she reads this, that losing your faith is a good thing. It probably means she had the wrong kind of faith. Probably too simple a faith. Or maybe just her childhood faith. Faith is like any other kind of knowledge. There are levels or degrees of faith. How one understands the world at four is different than how one understands it at 44. So our faith should change. But sometimes our faith knowledge gets stuck in 4th grade mode. Safe. Comforting. But not ready for prime time. Not ready for life's bad stuff.

April 2010

Easter Goodies

The Easter "goodies" magazines have arrived. These are magazines sent to churches to assist them in planning all our Easter parties, events, and special worship services. There are a variety of such magazines. I always look at them just to see the latest and greatest in "tacky" religious stuff.

February 2010

Spring Training

For many Americans, this week was holy. It marked the beginning of a great spiritual awakening. This week was the beginning of Major League Baseball Spring Training Camp. What! You thought I might be talking about Lent? I don't know the figures, of course, but I am reasonably sure that more people followed the opening of spring training than attended Ash Wednesday services.

October 2009

God Is a Myth

I won’t be coming to church anymore,” he said.  “God is a myth.”  I knew what he meant.  I absolutely support his decision.  We were having one of those parking lot conversations.  He is absolutely right to question everything.  He has to question everything or there will never be a coming back.  The best thing I can do for his faith is to let him leave with his questions.  

September 2009

Apologies

Apologies are on all the airwaves. Two of television’s new season shows, House and Castle, involved story lines with characters making or learning to make apologies. Another brand-new show, The Good Wife, has the entire show centered on misdeeds, apologies, and consequences. In the past few weeks, we have had numerous public displays of people behaving badly: politicians, rock stars, entertainers, and sports stars.

August 2009

Parking Lot Conversations

I have spoken before of parking lot conversations. Parking lot conversations are conversations that happen after the meeting is over and always involve some spiritual or theological issue or question. Recently there have been three occasions centered on parking lots.