The Rambling Disciple

The past several months for my Thursday night Bible study group we have been studying the book of Genesis. Originally it started solely as an examination of Genesis 1-11 with specific emphasis on different, orthodox interpretations of those chapters. In other words, we were looking at different Christian views on creation, the fall, the flood, and so on. The goal was to show that you can have a different interpretation of those first few chapters of Genesis and still be well within the theological boundaries of Christianity. One thing I kept mentioning while leading this study was that Genesis 1-11, while important and the part of the book that gets all the attention, isn't the primary focus of Genesis. It is, in a sense, a set up for the story of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. So, when we finished Genesis 11 the group requested that we keep going and pay off all that set up. So we did. Here are some of my reflections on Genesis having just studied it for several months. 1. We desperat...

Right now we are hearing a lot about different things that "threaten Christianity" in our world and culture. It seems that almost daily I see Christians post on Facebook or on Twitter about CRT (critical race theory), the LGBTQ+ agenda, or Democrats' anti-Christian hostility and their attempts to undermine and eradicate churches from America. Still other Christians I know frantically post that actually Donald Trump, bigotry, or a lack of belief in science is the real threat. Are these things, no matter which side you are on, important to discuss? Yes! They are all a part of the culture we inhabit and are called to witness to, so we Christians should engage thoughtfully and graciously with all of it. We desperately need to have the brutal, rigorous, and honest conversations about all of these divisive topics. Still, none of these things are the greatest threat to Christianity. NONE. Not even close. The greatest threat to Christianity is, always has been, and always will be...

As Christians we are commanded to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. We know we need to do this, but the way we have often been taught how to do it is wrong. This problem runs down to our very conception of what the Gospel is and how we should think about responding to it. Most of the ways I've heard of sharing the Gospel is essentially a sales pitch. Whether you start with a corny line such as "Do you have a moment for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?" or sometimes even if you begin with your own personal testimony, the point is often to try and "sell" the story. Then you need to be prepared for the inevitable questions and objections. You're essentially trying to sell eternal life and convince others that they need it. That's not what the Gospel is. The Gospel isn't something we try to sell or convince others to buy into. The Gospel is something we proclaim. The Good News of Jesus Christ is the announcement of a new world order. It is a fact tha...

Being a minister working with a church I have the distinct honor of being able to talk about faith with many people from generations. I'm always blessed by the wisdom of the older generations and the enthusiasm of the younger. In many ways I think the way we talk about the different generations' differences is overblown and distracts from the fact that we are all simply human working our way through life with God's help. However, this doesn't mean that the differences are non-existent. One big difference I've seen recently talking to different people is how each generation seems to have a different struggle with the faith. Now I am by no means saying that everyone in a particular generation struggles with these same things. Obviously we are all unique individuals with our own questions and doubts. Still, I do some common trends. These are all, of course, anecdotal and only based on what I see and the conversations I've had with people. Let's start with the B...

I've talked on here before that written prayers are actually quite beneficial. Most Christians I know are wary of any sort of prayer that isn't spontaneous and impromptu. That is just a result of our tradition and the way we have always defined prayer.  Today I want to encourage everybody to try praying through the book of Psalms. We often refer to this book as "the song book in the Bible" but it would be more accurate to refer to it as the "prayer book." We mustn't forget that most hymns and songs of praise are simply prayers put to music, at least the best ones are anyway. Praying through the Psalms is a tried and true discipline of the Christian faith. It has been done since the beginning and practiced consistently throughout. The Psalms represent the full range of human experience. There is joy, grief, anger, praise, longing, and thanksgiving. In fact, the book of Psalms is the most quoted Old Testament book in the New Testament.  Try praying one psa...

Hymns and songs of praise are some of the most powerful, transformative, and beautiful things we can experience. There are many that encourage us, motivate us, and help us to encounter Christ in worship and reflection. When our hymns are theologically sound, God centered, and musically pleasing there is almost no better way to learn theology and worship. There is, however, one area in particular where I believe our hymns and songs are lacking. When we look at the book of Psalms we see psalms of praise, thanksgiving, and joy but we also see another type of psalm rather frequently. These are psalms of sadness, grief, and anguish. These are psalms of lament. Out of 150 psalms 42 are psalms of lament, both individual and communal. That is almost one third of all the psalms in the Bible. The reason why is simple; grief, pain, and loss are a constant part of human life. Sadness, depression, and doubt are just as much a part of living as happiness, thanksgiving, and celebration. The book of P...

This post will be a short one today. All I want to do is remind everyone to praise God no matter the circumstance because he is worthy of our praise. Even when things don't go our way, or the storm of life racks us hard God is worthy of praise. I think we say that God is worthy without always contemplating or even attempting to understand what that means. God is worthy of our praise no matter what our situation because God has made us. There wouldn't be a situation in our lives if it weren't for God. The very fact that we draw breath, love fiercely, and have today is because of God.  That is something that is altogether good. Creating and sustaining life is one of the things that God alone can do, and it is good. No matter how dangerous the storm or uncertain the season, you exist. That is a good thing. You existing means that you are loved by one who's love is infinite and eternal. Your very existence is a testament to your incalculable worth.  So praise God no matter ...