Discipleship
Listen Well / Hear Well
Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.Eyes and ears and mouth and nose.Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes. Fess up! If you have kids you’ve performed that aria. Indeed, many of you read it with the melody playing in your head as…
Read MoreThese Things (Part 2)
This week, we take our second look at the apostle Peter’s repeated use of the phrase “these things” – ταυτα. By way of reminder, this is a single word, “these,” in the Greek text, but the various translations will append “things,” or “qualities,” or some other phrase-completing word because it feels awkward in English to…
Read MoreThese Things (Part 1)
I have been reading in 2 Peter this week, and am finding it such a rich time that I’ll probably stay here for a bit, and may blog more about what I’m seeing in Peter’s letter. As you know, one of the things I like to do as I read my Bible, is to look…
Read MoreChristianese Phrases to Drop, #2
Some time ago, I proposed that those of us in the community of Christ need to lose the absurd phrase, “God showed up.” This week, I want to look at another “Christianese” phrase that needs to die a quick death – the phrase, “I led [insert name here] to the Lord.” This phrase is almost…
Read MoreHow Do I Imitate Jesus?
Imitation I suspect it is the practice of almost every toddler to step into mom or dad’s shoes. My granddaughter, Peyton, is intrigued by my shoes and looks adorable trying to wear them. Grandpa wears these things, so it must be important for me to wear them too, just like grandpa. We imitate those we deem…
Read MoreA Holy Child in a Dangerous and Dying World
Scripture consistently draws lines of demarcation between the Spirit and the world, and between Christ-followers and the world. As the called-out, we are repeatedly adjured to be set apart from the world system. We are entreated to resist the urge to pattern our lives and our passions after that system, pursuing rather the kingdom of…
Read MoreWhat is a Spiritual Man or Woman (Part 3)
After a one-week hiatus, Alean and I have returned to Washington state following a wonderful visit with dear friends in New Mexico. It is good to be home, but we are thankful for the break, and for good friends with whom to spend it. This week, we are returning to our look at the phrase…
Read MoreWhat is a Spiritual Man or Woman (Part 2)
Last week, we took a dive into defining what it means to be a spiritual man or woman. This week we continue that examination. You will recall that we looked at three classifications, or categories of persons: 1) The Spiritual – This is the Christ-follower who has the mind of Christ, discerns all things, but who…
Read MoreWhat is a Spiritual Man or Woman (Part 1)
“Oh, he’s so spiritual,” or “She’s so spiritual.” We hear this from time to time, and may have spoken those words with reference to others, but what does it even mean to say someone is spiritual? Society will offer up myriad answers to that question. For example, a spiritual person is one who practices yoga…
Read More