From the category archives:

Ministry

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Prayer Practice

23 December 2009 Ministry

I’m horrible at prayer. I don’t make it a priority; I can be uncomfortable, and I often feel that discomfort because I feel exposed and open — sort of like Frodo when he puts on the One Ring and can feel the lidless eye of Sauron, ever-watching atop Barad-dûr, consuming him (see image below). Don’t get the Lord of the Rings reference? Well, that might be a good thing. Read on anyway…

Tagged as: practice, prayer, spiritual practices

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LWI Photo Feature: Like a Child

9 December 2009 Ministry

My lovely and talented wife, Natalie Hebert (check her website out) has a photo feature and an article featured at Living Water International’s (LWI) website. The photo spread and the article were created during her recent trip with LWI to Guatemala.
Check it out:
Photo Feature: Like a Child

Tagged as: charity, living water, natalie hebert, photography

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The Wretched Beauty of Scripture

4 August 2009 Biblical Studies

We often refer to Scripture as “The Word of God” or more simply “The Word.” Here we have a tome that contains within it the very Word of God, the Word from John 1, the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us. However, like Jesus who took on the trappings of man, took on the limitations of humanity, humbling himself in order to make himself more accessible to us, Scripture too has been humbled so that we can understand it.

Tagged as: bible, gospel of john, Scripture

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Canonizing Culture

31 July 2009 Ministry

New Testament texts were written roughly twenty centuries ago. Is it possible that some of the messages contained therein were not meant for a 21st century crowd? Or is it possible that some of those messages weren’t really meant for a 1st century crowd but are enormously important to those of us living in the 21st century? Quite the conundrum.

Tagged as: bible, culture, hermeneutics

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Thumbnail image for The Five Best Things About Unemployment (or Unemployment as a Spiritual Practice)

The Five Best Things About Unemployment (or Unemployment as a Spiritual Practice)

30 July 2009 Ministry

If you want to talk about a situation that really puts you in touch with yourself and with God, try unemployment. As a married American male, there is probably no circumstance that is more trying. However, unemployment has its benefits. If you can put yourself in the right attitude, joblessness can be a blessing. Allow me to enumerate.

Tagged as: spiritual practices, unemployment

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Thumbnail image for Withering Figs: A Figgy Perspective

Withering Figs: A Figgy Perspective

30 July 2009 Ministry

The story from the Synoptic gospels (e.g., Matthew 21:19ff.) shows Jesus withering a fig in a passage that often feels out of place. This anger of Jesus, this cursing, is not something that we’re totally comfortable with. After all, Jesus is supposed to be that emasculated European beauty that lets people walk all over him, right?

Tagged as: genesis, james, matthew

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The King’s Rhetoric

28 July 2009 Ministry

We say we serve a King who speaks truth and not circumspect, who causes light to shine over darkness, who raises people to life. We say that we serve the only King to ever offer real change. Surely we wait with bated breath for the words of our King, right? We, with hearts that long to see things change and His Kingdom expand, pour over the wisdom of His words, right?

Tagged as: social commentary

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Multiplex God

28 July 2009 Ministry

The Bible is a group of texts written by many different authors over the course of 1,000+ years. Each author added a patch (or patches) to the quilt by the inspiration of the divine one himself. If we take seriously that God inspired these men (and women?) to write, then we are putting a great deal of validity in the Truth that is contained in this document. Why try to superimpose our understanding on top of it? In the name of what? Harmony and evangelism?

Tagged as: god

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Where’s the Steeple?

27 July 2009 Ministry

Rolling Hills Baptist Church may not be that megachurch, and Frank Mercer may not be a high profile pastor like Hiam Shatir, but there is definitely something beautiful going on over there. On October 5, 2008, the members voted “overwhelmingly” to sell the church’s buildings and property and use the proceeds to better their community.

Tagged as: church, sacrifice

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Thumbnail image for The Default Position is Inertia

The Default Position is Inertia

23 July 2009 Ministry

The default position must be inertia. If we’re not moving forward, seeking God, seeking Christ, asking him to abide in us, and actively considering what it means to abide in him, then we are moving backward, moving further from him, coming to know him less, perhaps even misunderstanding him.

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