Turning 51 is really nothing special. Last year was a milestone–5-0. Last year was a party in the backyard, friends coming from all over to celebrate, gifts and cakes and all-day fun. This year is cutting grass, cleaning the garage and working on iMonk site stuff that is overdue. Hey, it has to be done [...]
Courage The Cowardly Christian
17 Jun by
“Hello, my name is Jeff, and I am a spiritual coward.” (Chorus) “Hi, Jeff.” This is me, a spiritual coward. It is not easy for me to admit this, and many who know me might question the accuracy or sincerity of this tag. But it’s most certainly true. Those who know me may say, “But [...]
Becoming A Dangerous Christian
6 May by
Editor’s note: Lisa Dye is a regular contributor to the Internet Monk community. We recently ran another post about the Dangerous God you might want to read in conjunction with this word from Lisa. Recently, two close friends and I hired a life coach to join us at a lake cabin for a weekend retreat. [...]
On The Way To Being “The New Humanity”
4 Dec by
C.S. Lewis, in one of the last chapters of Mere Christianity, says that the quality of life among the “new humanity†is such that those of us around them would know there was something different- otherworldly- at work. The spiritual life that they possessed was so different from the merely material, biological life we all [...]
No Regrets: A Better Look At Life
12 Oct by
Young folks in ministry. Adults living in regret. This is for you. There was a time, in the last decade, that I constantly and painfully struggled with regrets about various choices I’d made in my life. I regretted not finishing doctoral studies. (I made it 37 hours in and never finished the paper.) I regretted [...]
Marking 31 Years of Marriage to the Wonderful Denise
8 Jul by
Thirty-one years ago today Denise and I were married by the Rev. W.O. Spencer at Walnut Street Baptist Church in Owensboro, Ky. Rev. Spencer is gone to be with the Lord and the church building has burned, but our marriage has lasted and is a wonderful blessing to me. This is my one and only [...]
God Isn’t Gamey: My New Hot Button
7 Jul by
I’ve got a new hot button. I experienced it this week and I think it’s best to warn the general public that until I make some progress in sanctification, pushing this button could result in an ugly scene. (Before I say this, I know there are a bunch of books on this subject and I’ve [...]
The Shepherd of These Hills
2 Jun by
Other IM essays on Appalachia. The Gospel and Appalachia The Gospel and Appalachia: Can The Culture Change? The Gospel and Appalachia: Four Christian Responses Most IM readers know that I live in southeastern Kentucky, in a particularly poverty and crime affected area of Appalachia. In economic and social studies of crime and poverty, our county [...]
Blogosphere Spirituality: An Assessment
I’m writing about spirituality these days. Yeah, I know how a lot of you feel about that word. So deal. We’re going to use it. We’re also going to use another word some of you don’t like: formation. Now that we’re good and grumpy, let’s go for a ride. I’ve been reflecting on the spiritual [...]