Filed under church

Dave Grohl on Large Gatherings

Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters said this: In today’s world of fear and unease and social distancing, it’s hard to imagine sharing experiences like these ever again. I don’t know when it will be safe to return to singing arm in arm at the top of our lungs, hearts racing, bodies moving, souls bursting … Continue reading »

Thoughts on the beginning of Lent

Somewhere I read a line that said: Instead of giving things up for Lent, take something on. That’s a good word. But if you still want to give something up, here are some ideas: Forty things to give up for Lent. Here’s a “college-friendly” list of things to give up. Here’s another list that reminds us … Continue reading »

“We Are Not Enough in Awe of God”

In support of his new book Miracles, an interview in Christianity Today with Eric Metaxas. I began with the parting of the Red Sea, healing a tumor, curing blindness—things that aren’t fluffy like a kitten in the sunlight. People say life is a miracle, and yes, this can be a cliché that doesn’t mean anything. … Continue reading »

What to Sing During Advent

Reaching people during Advent. How (especially during Advent) does the church reflect and embody Jesus’ mission to the lost? Churches that refuse to sing Christmas carols until December 24 are in danger of being the only venue where such music is not sung during December. The church, therefore, becomes a place people may avoid, since … Continue reading »

Kirsten Powers’ Conversion Story

Via Donald Miller, the fascinating story of Kirsten Powers’ conversion to Christianity: I sometimes hear Christians talk about how terrible life must be for atheists. But our lives were not terrible. Life actually seemed pretty wonderful, filled with opportunity and good conversation and privilege. I know now that it was not as wonderful as it … Continue reading »

Youcef Nadarkhani Update

I’ve written before about Youcef Nadarkhani, the Iranian Christian whose life is in jeopardy because of a (apparently fictitious) charge of apostasy. In Iran, it is a capital crime for a Muslim to have a change of heart about their faith. (Really!) Which in any event is not the case with Nadarkhani, who was never … Continue reading »

Church Web Site Up

Hey cool! Soon after I got here I asked the people who do that stuff to migrate us from the old web hosting service to the new one. And now, here you go: the new web site of Jewel Lake Parish. Yay! For the technically inclined, here’s why. First, it’s marginally less expensive. That’s not … Continue reading »

Chi Rho

Here’s a symbol you often see in churches: and in cemeteries: The symbol is a sort of monogram or shorthand meaning “Christ,” and is formed from the first two letters of that word in Greek (“ΧΡΙΣΤΟ&#x03A3″). Those first two letters are, respectively, Chi (Χ) and Rho (Ρ). The letter Chi is pronounced “key” or “khee.” … Continue reading »

Fascinating Data in the Bible, Yahoo Listings, Etc.

I just stumbled upon a site called OpenBible that has the most fascinating blog. I just spent about half an hour reading one article after another, and finally decided I needed to share something. Fascinating place. Give it a look. I just added its RSS feed to my Google Reader. So what am I sharing? … Continue reading »