This brief video from The BioLogos Foundation features Os Guiness talking about “Science and Faith in the Front Lines of the Culture Wars.” Watch it and let’s have a discussion. Guiness says, “In many ways, the new atheists are partly created by the Religious Right. You can see that in America there is no vehement [...]
Open Mic: Is Church Optional?
14 Feb by
Today’s Open Mic question is presented by Chaplain Mike. I read a message by Rick Warren on Christian Post today about belonging to the church. It got me thinking about the nature of the relationship that exists between evangelicals and the church. Let’s talk about it. Warren’s thesis is: “When we’re called to follow Christ; [...]
Open Mic: Picking and Choosing in the Psalms
30 Jan by
Chaplain Mike posts today’s Open Mic question on behalf of the iMonk, Michael Spencer. When I received this from Michael and was asked to post it, it reminded me that, often in my work as a hospice chaplain, I read the Psalms for my patients. However, I usually edit my readings. Why? The psalm Michael [...]
Open Mic at the iMonk Cafe: How do Christians “Live In the Gospel”?
18 Jan by
Chaplain Mike posts today’s Open Mic topic. From an excellent article posted today at Leadership Journal called, “The Everyday Gospel,” by Tullian Tchividjian comes this quote: I once assumed the gospel was simply what non-Christians must believe in order to be saved, while afterward we advance to deeper theological waters. But I’ve come to realize [...]
Open Mic at the iMonk Cafe: “Mere Christianity” Christians
2 Jan by
Today, Chaplain Mike posts this Open Mic question on behalf of iMonk. “Are the ‘Mere Christianity Christians,’ i.e. Christians who emphasize the smaller, more minimal and broadly efficient vision of C.S. Lewis and some of the early church fathers personified in the Apostles’ Creed, the greatest threat to modern Evangelicalism? More and more apologists are [...]
Open Mic at the iMonk Cafe: Missional Christmas
17 Dec by
Today’s Open Mic question is posed by guest blogger, Chaplain Mike Mercer. With all the talk these days of “missional” churches, this Christmas season might be a good time to take the ministry temperature of the churches represented by our readers here at Internet Monk. What, if anything, is your church doing during the holidays [...]
Open Mic at the iMonk Cafe: The Portable Christian
22 Nov by
I’ve been reading a used copy of a book edited by Christopher Hitchens called The Portable Atheist. Hitchens has selected, edited and introduced 47 various selections from atheist authors, philosophers, writers, journalists and so on. They bring forward a diverse variety of discussions of unbelief in a variety of formats: essays, novels, interviews, book excerpts, [...]
Open Mic at the iMonk Cafe: Who Wants All That Music?
7 Nov by
UPDATE: Please post on the question ONLY. Do not use this to complain about styles of music. Catholics, etc can go have a coffee. This is for evangelicals and others to whom it applies. Here’s my question: “Who wants 30-40+ minutes of music in worship? Who? Why? I mean…explain this to me. I seriously do [...]
Open Mic at the iMonk Cafe: Lectionary Lesson Blahs
23 Oct by
Mark 10:46 Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road.47 When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!†48 “Be [...]
Open Mic at the iMonk Cafe: Miracle Testimonies
15 Oct by
Testimonies about miracles. I’m not much on them. At least once a year or so, I’ll have someone want to tell our ministry of mostly non-Christian kids a “miracle” testimony of being healed, delivered from drugs, saved from prison, etc. I obviously don’t say “no,” but I really struggle with this kind of thing on [...]
