By Chaplain Mike Today, I want to have us simply compare two statements by pastors of large churches. The contrast between the two was, to me, striking. The first was made by Richard Halverson a long time ago. In his 1972 book, How I Changed My Thinking about the Church, Halverson, staff pastor in a [...]
Relating to Science, Our Neighbor
2 Jan by
By Chaplain Mike Christianity Today’s top ten list of news stories from 2010 included one that prompted a lot of discussion here on Internet Monk: 8. Prominent Old Testament scholar Bruce Waltke resigns from Reformed Theological Seminary under pressure amid debate on the historicity of Adam. “If the data is overwhelmingly in favor of evolution,” [...]
Open Mic: Election Day
2 Nov by
By Chaplain Mike I have a mantra: “I am about the most a-political person you will ever meet.” That’s why we don’t talk much about the subject here on Internet Monk. Generally, I have little interest in politics, except on a pragmatic level. I like to think that’s a theologically valid perspective. As Paul wrote, [...]
Open Mic: Is Narnia too Scary for Kids?
15 Oct by
By Chaplain Mike On her•meneutics, Christianity Today’s blog for women, Elrena Evans has written a post called, “Why There’s No Narnia in Our Home.” I’d like to hear your opinions on it today. It turns out that Ms. Evans takes a very aggressive role in controlling the reading material to which her children are exposed. [...]
Evangelicalism’s “New Day”?
8 Oct by
By Chaplain Mike Over at Jesus Creed, Scot McKnight muses on the meaning of Al Mohler getting a cover story in Christianity Today. For Scot, this marks a significant shift in evangelicalism. It shows that some of the most prominent and powerful leaders in what is called evangelicalism today are trying to bend it back [...]
Open Mic: What Are You Hearing about Hell?
27 Sep by
By Chaplain Mike Yesterday’s Gospel story of Lazarus and the rich man raised some of the usual questions about the afterlife, the judgment, heaven and hell, and the eternal destinies of humans. Today, over at Jesus Creed Scot McKnight is hosting some discussion the subject and I thought we might do the same. At this [...]
A Jesus-Shaped Challenge
2 Sep by
A passage from Michael Spencer’s Mere Churchianity: Finding Your Way Back to Jesus-Shaped Spirituality struck me as I was reading it recently. I’m going to offer it to all you faithful denizens of the Internet Monastery to consider. Here’s a simple example. Think about yourself if you had just spent three years with Jesus. How [...]
Open Mic: Why Do Women Want Moore?
6 Aug by
By Chaplain Mike This week’s Christianity Today magazine has a cover feature on Beth Moore. I have not read all of it yet, but while I am in the process, I thought I would give our Internet Monk community a chance to answer the question the title implies: Why are people (especially women) so attracted [...]
Open Mic: Our Money, Our Neighbors
3 Aug by
By Chaplain Mike Economics has been leading the news and preoccupying our minds for the past couple of years now, ever since the financial crisis that hit hard in 2007, with continuing effects on economies here and around the world. Some of you may be reeling from losing a job, not being able to find [...]
Open Mic: Short-Term Mission Trips
23 Jul by
By Chaplain Mike According to Warren Cole Smith in his book, A Lover’s Quarrel with the Evangelical Church (full review to come later this weekend), short-term mission trips may be more of a problem than a productive way of doing the work of Christ’s Kingdom. He cites Robert Priest, professor of mission and intercultural studies [...]
