The Rambling Disciple

Something I think we often neglect is having an ideal to strive towards. We get wrapped up in the very real limitations, problems, and troubles of our world and adopt a very pragmatic attitude towards life. We focus on what we can do and how to simply keep things from getting worse. We then often dismiss those who put forward an ideal as idealists or naïve. There is nothing wrong with being pragmatic. We need to be aware of the gifts God has given us and the resources we have been blessed with. We need to be humble enough to realize that we cannot do everything we want and can do nothing perfectly. It is good to realize that unbridled idealism is unrealistic and ultimately disappointing. However, pure pragmatism simply keeps one afloat. Without an ideal to strive towards, a standard to reach for, we don't grow. If there is no vision or goal we tend to be aimless. As Christians we are called both to be realistic in our dealings with the world and to strive for the ideal that is Chri...

"Non Nisse Te Domine." - Thomas Aquinas I have the above quote engraved on the bottom of a watch that my father gave me several years ago. It means "Nothing if not you, Lord." Thomas Aquinas, 13th century monk and one of the most influential theologians and philosophers in all of history, said this after having a vision of Jesus. Reportedly Christ appeared to him and said "You have written well of me, Thomas. What what you have as a reward?" "Non nisse te Domine," was the response. After that, even though Thomas had dedicated his life to writing theology and was in the middle of writing his massive Summa Theologia, Thomas stopped writing. He said it was because all he had written, tomes and tomes of brilliant work, were as straw compared to seeing the actual Lord. Whatever you may think about such a mystical event, I personally believe it happened but I understand the more skeptical among us, the response of Thomas is what matters. When asked for...

I was born and raised in the Churches of Christ. I went to college at a Church of Christ university. For the past seven years I have served as a minister at a Church of Christ. I know the lingo, the disputes, the divides, and the tendencies of this tradition extremely well. I have been inexorably shaped by this tradition in so many ways it is probably impossible to accurately quantify.  As we all have been in one form or another, I've been on a years long journey of reevaluating my faith and inheritance. Where am I now is quite different than where I was seven years ago when I first moved to Peoria. There are many areas where I no longer agree with what I grew up with and what is considered typical Church of Christ teaching. There are also many areas where I hold more strongly to what I grew up with, though the reasons are most likely completely different.  Overall I am far more orthodox than I was. I am more deeply rooted in the faith of the early Christians. I am more firmly...

I talk a lot on this blog about negative trends and problems that I see in the church. Sometimes I do it directly and other times it is by way of discussing something that I think is important that isn't being addressed much. At the moment it seems to me that a lot of Christian podcasts, news outlets, and other general commentators are doing a lot of work unveiling some of the deeply imbedded rot and sin infecting many churches and institutions.  Though a painful thing this is a necessary step in true healing and repentance. Sin and evil must be brought into the light, kicking and screaming if needed. However, all this negative attention can give the impression that the Church is collapsing and that there is nothing redeeming to be found. This simply isn't true. Here are a couple of trends in our culture and churches that I think are positive, cause for hope, and a sign that God is still at work. 1. Openness to Spirituality - One very positive thing I've been noticing in o...

Why are you a Christian? I wonder how many of us have been asked that question in our lives. I know I have. It took me by surprise when I received however many years ago. At the time I honestly didn't know how to answer. This was, in part, due to my being an introvert and liking time to process answers to questions but it was also due to the fact that at the time I'm not sure if I really knew. Having served in ministry coming upon seven years I've been able to interact with and better understand the reasons why different people identify as Christian. Some value the community and sense of family a local congregation brings. Others love the worship and singing. Still others see it more as a political statement than a faith commitment. Some want to go to heaven when they die, and others simply want to avoid hell. Years ago I think the reason I was a Christian was because I didn't know any other way of living. Church was just a part of what you did in life. I was told God w...

Today marks the beginning of Lent, a season of repentance, self reflection, and contemplation of the Cross of Christ. Traditionally this is a period marked by fasting, prayer, and confession of sins. I encourage everyone to use this time to think about the gravity of sin and our utter need for the grace of God. I want to share an ancient prayer of Alfred the Great, a king of England from the 800s. I hope it encourages you during this time of Lent. "Lord God Almighty, shaper and ruler of all creatures, we pray for your great mercy, that you guide us towards you, for we cannot find our way. And guide us to your will, to the need of our soul,  for we cannot do it ourselves. And make our mind steadfast in your will and aware of our soul's need. Strengthen us against the temptations of the devil, and remove from us all lust and every unrighteousness, and shield us against our foes, seen and unseen. Teach us to do your will, that we may inwardly love you before all things with a pur...

It is OK to feel what you feel. Throughout our lives we all feel a veritable plethora of different emotions. Some we consider positive and others we consider negative. Generally speaking we cannot control what it is that we feel when certain situations come up. It just sort of happens. Still, I think all of us have experienced someone telling us what we should be feeling. "You should be excited!" or "You should be outraged!" or "You should be more sad about this." or something to a similar effect. Often times I believe that it is meant with the best of intentions, but rarely do I think those intentions are ever achieved. When we turn to Scripture, and especially the wisdom literature of the Old Testament, we see the full gambit of human emotion in all their messy glory. We see Job struggle with guilt, rage, grief, and emptiness as he debates with his friends over the events of his life. In the Psalms we can read laments of great sorrow, exultations of grea...