You Can't DO THAT! YES I CAN! NO YOU CAN'T!!!

Yesterday we began exploring Galatians 5:1, "For freedom Christ has set us free, stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery."  We explored the historical and literary context a bit.  Today, I want to draw some conclusions regarding freedom. The key word in the verse...

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Frrrrreeeedom!!! (Yes, read this with a Scottish brogue) Pt. 1

Whenever I think about freedom, I think about William Wallace.  Is it because I have Scottish blood running through my veins? Maybe.  Is it because of Braveheart (one of the greatest 'guy' movies ever)? Maybe.  I like to think it is because the story of Scottish liberation from the tyranny...

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Where we are going now?

Now that we have finished our travels through Brian McLaren's newest book I have been pondering what's next.  For a while now I have been chewing on the dual topic of freedom and law.  What does Christian freedom mean?  What is the role of the law this side of the cross? How does this...

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A follow up to "A New Kind of Christianity"

I saw this today and that it would be great to link these four posts for you.  Emergent Village did an interview with Brian McLaren.  So, if you are not reading his book you can at  least hear him talk in his own words.  I thought it was a good interview and will help give you more...

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So what? or The What-Do-We-Do-Now Question

This is the tenth and final post interacting with Brian McLaren’s A New Kind of Christianity. Please remember that I cannot reproduce the book in these posts. I will do my best to summarize without being overly simplistic or reductionistic. Each post will be two parts.  The...

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Why Don't You Eat Cows? or The Pluralism Question

This is the ninth post interacting with Brian McLaren’s A New Kind of Christianity. Please remember that I cannot reproduce the book in these posts. I will do my best to summarize without being overly simplistic or reductionistic. Each post will be two parts.  The first will be...

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Where's that Magic Eight Ball? or The Future Question

This is the eighth post interacting with Brian McLaren’s A New Kind of Christianity. Please remember that I cannot reproduce the book in these posts. I will do my best to summarize without being overly simplistic or reductionistic. Each post will be two parts.  The first will...

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It's All About Sex Baby! or The Sex Question

This is the seventh post interacting with Brian McLaren’s A New Kind of Christianity. Please remember that I cannot reproduce the book in these posts. I will do my best to summarize without being overly simplistic or reductionistic. Each post will be two parts.  The first will...

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You get up on Sunday and do what!? or the Church Question

This is the sixth post interacting with Brian McLaren’s A New Kind of Christianity. Please remember that I cannot reproduce the book in these posts. I will do my best to summarize without being overly simplistic or reductionistic. Each post will be two parts.  The first will be...

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Extra, Extra, Good News!!! or the Gospel Question

This is the fifth post interacting with Brian McLaren’s A New Kind of Christianity. Please remember that I cannot reproduce the book in these posts. I will do my best to summarize without being overly simplistic or reductionistic. Each post will be two parts.  The first will be a...

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Who's the long haired freak? or The Jesus Question

This is the fourth post interacting with Brian McLaren’s A New Kind of Christianity. Please remember that I cannot reproduce the book in these posts. I will do my best to summarize without being overly simplistic or reductionistic. Each post will be two parts.  The first will be a summary...

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Who's the Big Guy Upstairs? or The God Question

[caption id="attachment_776" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Can you name the movie?"][/caption]This is the third post interacting with Brian McLaren's A New Kind of Christianity. Please remember that I cannot reproduce the book in these posts. I will do my best to summarize without being overly...

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Baseball. Redemption, and a Hospital Room (re-post from May 29,2009)

Today I have a little procedure to deal with some scar tissue in my esophagus.  It is no big deal.  Last summer though our family dealt with a big deal medically.  I won't be writing a new post today but I thought that this was a timely one to re-post (it just so happens that the...

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Who's the Boss? or The Authority Question

[caption id="attachment_771" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Well that's not quite how it works..."][/caption]This is the second post interacting with Brian McLaren's A New Kind of Christianity. Please remember that I cannot reproduce the book in these posts. I will do my best to summarize without...

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What's the Story Jack? or The Narrative Question

This is the first of ten posts on Brian McLaren's, "A New Kind of Christianity".  As we begin this little quest of ours I want you to know that I am not commenting on the introductory chapters and just diving into the "red meat", so to speak. Also, I cannot reproduce the book in these posts. I...

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Leave your church? Yeah, he really said it.

OK, so before I get into A New Kind of Christianity, I had to write about this. Yesterday I ran across this story (this is a summary and includes some audio) about Glenn Beck thanks to Scot McKnight at Jesus Creed. In a nutshell he is arguing that churches which practice "social" or "economic" justice...

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A New Kind of Christianity

I have been reading Brian McLaren's newest book, A New Kind of Christianity.  It has totally engaged me.  My mind is wrestling through the challenges that he has laid out.  I am about half way through the text and I am very frustrated that he end-noted instead of foot-noted, I have a...

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YOUR preacher is DEAD.

[caption id="attachment_737" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Holograph (left), Tony Morgan (right)"][/caption]Is the title a little extreme? Probably.  But, that's the point. Yesterday Tony Morgan sported some new technology on his website.  It's the same kind of technology that we...

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The Most Demonic Movie EVER! Really?

When I opened up my RSS reader yesterday and saw Out of Ur's article on Pastor Mark Driscoll's comments on Avatar, I was intrigued.  I clicked. I watched. I was amazed. I was sitting with my wife and my jaw dropped and she began wondering if I had lock jaw on the off chance that I did not get my...

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The Law of Stickiness

Have you ever felt as though what you say does not matter? I have this experience often. Many nights I come home and flop on the couch and wonder why I ever speak.  It is as if nobody is listening.  Then I read The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell and the "Law of Stickiness"that he has identified....

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Law of the Few

I have recently finished reading Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point. I was very impressed with the book and it has given me much to think about.  Gladwell discusses epidemics and relates epidemiology to social movements.  I am going to post a few of my reflections and I how think the ideas...

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Pressure Points

There are few things in life that frustrate me more than watching other parents do things that hinder their child's spiritual growth. This may sound arrogant to you, it probably is.  I am not a perfect parent, not even close.  I get frustrated with my kids and I even yell at the little darlings...

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