Tuesday, June 04, 2013
How a Gay Webcomic Teaches Christians About Resurrection
So, how do I come to understand the resurrection? What did it mean for Jesus to come back to life? What will happen to us in the future when we are promised to be raised from the dead in the same way?
This is where the androids come in.
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Children’s Sermon: “Help Is On the Way” | The Clockwork Pastor
“Help Is On the Way”
Luke 7:1-10
June 2, 2013 (Second Sunday of Pentecost)
First Christian Church
Minneapolis, MN
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Repost: Love, Justice, Vengence and Grace
‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” 44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same? 47And if you greet only your brothers and sisters,* what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.I decided to call my parents back home in Michigan tonight to find out how they were doing. Mom answered first, like she always does and we started chatting. At some point, she talked about a horrific crime just outside of Detroit. My mother expressed rage at the sheer savagery of the crime and saw this man as the perfect candidate for the death penalty.
-Matthew 5:43-48
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Tuesday, May 07, 2013
Discipleship or Consumerism?
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Is There a Plan B for Plan B?
The Obama Administration has decided to offer Plan B, the emergency contraceptive, to women over the age of 15 without a perscription. All those under 15 have to get a percription. That goes against a judge who ordered that the drug be made available to all women without a script.
Of course, most women’s groups tend to favor the judge’s ruling. It’s about the women’s health, the say.
Yeah. I’m pro-choice and favor comprehensive sex-ed and I even favor giving kids condoms. But going back to have my hypothetical daughter (I’ll name her Harriet, because I’ve always liked that name). I don’t know if I want my little girl being able to go to Target and get birth control when they aren’t even able to drive."
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Why Does God Hate Suburbs?
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Friday, April 26, 2013
Why Am I So Annoyed By Progressive Christianity?
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Monday, April 22, 2013
What Joe Paterno and Kermit Gosnell Have In Common
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Thursday, April 18, 2013
Sermon: “On Pastors and Pastures”
A sermon from Good Shepherd Sunday 2006.
“On Pastors and Pastures”
John 10:11-18, Psalm 23
May 7, 2006
Lake Harriet Christian Church
Minneapolis, MN
I have to “blame” our Associate Minister, Tammy Rottschaefer for this sermon. For a while she has commented on the problem with parts of the church today in that we don’t know how to be church together. Somehow, all that talking about being church, sunk into me. For the past few months, I’ve been thinking about what it means to be church at this time and place. I’ve also been thinking a lot about what it means to be a pastor, a question that has been on my mind since I was ordained nearly four years ago.
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On Holy Friendships
My thoughts these days are drifting towards relationships, or the lack thereof in churches.
I’ve been thinking about this in light of a recent blog post on CivilPolitics.org on the dearth of cross-party friendships. The post linked to a longer article in the Chronicle of Higher Education on the issue. The author, Neil Gross notes that such friendships have benefits for the whole of society:
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Friday, April 12, 2013
How a Clockwork Pastor is Becoming Human
Of course, as you can tell, I didn’t end up as a seminary prof. Instead, I’ve been the Associate Pastor at a church for nearly five years. And somehow, I’ve managed to not mess things up, praise be to God.
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Being Gay at Liberty University
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Wednesday, April 03, 2013
Now That We’ve Won (Maybe)…
This week's drama over the issue of same-sex marriage at the Supreme Court has been nothing short of historic. American society is at a point that I thought wouldn't come for several years, if not decades. Same sex marriage might be legal in most of the nation in a few short years. Here in Minnesota, it might be that by the end of the year we might have the right for gay couples to marry. It means that I can have my relationship with my partner Daniel, recognized by the state and therby able to receive benefits that heterosexual couples have enjoyed for a very long time. There's been a sense of celebration among my friends, as we see places like Facebook ablaze in the red equal signs with people showing support for same sex marriage. But there has also been a darker side. I've seen friends kind of using this moment to make fun and belittle those who have opposed same sex marriage. Of course, when you are on the winning side, especially in the culture wars, it's very easy to start "spiking the ball;" enjoying the tables turning.
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Happy To Be Stuck With You
16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to abandon you, to turn back from following after you. Wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17 Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord do this to me and more so if even death separates me from you.” 18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her about it.
Ruth 1:16-18 Common English Bible
On my wedding day, we had a reception for family and friends at our house. I remember Daniel and I were getting things ready for the event. Daniel kind of gave me an order to get something done. I looked over to a friend who smiled and said, "you're stuck with him now."
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