Category "Life With God"

flight simulator church

The Flight Simulator Church

- - Life With God, Uncategorized

I remember hearing Paul Scanlon use the analogy of a flight simulator to describe what church is often like…

“The church I grew up in was great. I loved the people. We all knew each other and loved each other—and we loved God. But we were turned inward. We liked things as they were and we weren’t looking to be changed.

paul scalnon speaking

God began to speak to my heart. I couldn’t explain it but I felt this overwhelming sadness and I knew I needed to change. So I left that church, and it was painful. The people I knew all my life were upset with me for leaving. It was like I’d left an Amish community and I was being shunned or something… Read More

sunday shout outs header 1024

Problem With The Bible

- - Life With God, Uncategorized

This post, “My Problem With The Bible,” by Brian Zahnd is definitely worth your time. Please check it out!

 

brian zahnd problem with the Bible

I have a problem with the Bible. Here’s my problem…

I’m an ancient Egyptian. I’m a comfortable Babylonian. I’m a Roman in his villa.

That’s my problem. See, I’m trying to read the Bible for all it’s worth, but I’m not a Hebrew slave suffering in Egypt. I’m not a conquered Judean deported to Babylon. I’m not a first century Jew living under Roman occupation.

I’m a citizen of a superpower. I was born among the conquerors. I live in the empire. But I want to read the Bible and think it’s talking to me. This is a problem… Read More

right place right now

Where You Are Right Now

- - Life With God, Uncategorized

I’m sure you know of a professional athlete who was not doing well on a particular team in that particular city…

Then, that athlete got traded to another team in another city—and all the sudden they thrived.

It was as if the old place just had the wrong mojo.

Sometimes, we think we’re professional athletes suffering in the wrong place.

And all we can think about is getting traded.

“If I could just move to a better city… Read More

miracle drops for everything

Magic Raspberry Weight Loss Drops

- - Life With God, Uncategorized

Now that the Super Bowl is over, I’m finally ready to get serious about eating healthy and losing weight. Yeah, I’ve been putting it off for long enough. This run of unrestricted food enjoyment has been fun. Too fun really.

With 30lbs to lose, I have my work cut out for me. I know what to do and how to do it – I’ve done it before, and I’m confident I can do it again.

Yesterday was my first day of eating right. Midway through the day, I starting thinking about how nice it would be if there were some magic raspberry weight loss drops…

It would be so much easier. And more fun… Read More

jumping the shark

When Church Jumps The Shark

- - Fun / Humor, Life With God, Popular, Uncategorized

Sometimes church jumps the shark.

What’s that mean?

From Wikipedia:

“Jumping the shark is an idiom created by Jon Hein that was used to describe the moment in the evolution of a television show when it begins a decline in quality, which is usually a particular scene, episode, or aspect of a show in which the writers use some type of ‘gimmick’ in an attempt to keep viewers’ interest. Its name is taken from a scene from a fifth season episode of the sit-com Happy Days when the character Fonzie jumps over a shark on water-skis.”

Related to church, I want focus on this aspect of jumping the shark…

“Using some type of gimmick in an attempt to keep viewers’ interest.”

I started thinking about this last week when I read a post by John Blase about his attempts to energize the small country church he pastored right after graduating from seminary. Here’s a quote from that post… Read More

my marijuana story

How I Became A Pothead

- - Life With God, Popular, Uncategorized

I went from attending a private Christian school to a public middle school in the 8th grade.

Suddenly I was the “new kid” at school.

I didn’t already have friends at my new school—I didn’t know people there (yet).

Soon, some pot-smoking skateboarders welcomed me, included me, and wanted me to be part of their group.

I wasn’t a big pot-smoker at that time… Read More

dropped stones

My Stones

- - Life With God, Uncategorized

I don’t know about you, but I’m quick to drop my stones.

Usually it’s because I’m embarrassed. Because I got caught.

My judgy attitude was showing and I had a full collection of stones ready to throw.

It’s dirty. It’s ugly. It’s the kind of thing Jesus interrupts… Read More