Fear & Trembling

A Presbyterian pastor, looking for God at work among us, trying to figure out how to work out our salvation, and help build the Kingdom (ala. Philippians 2.13-14).

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that you might have peace (ala. John 16.29-33)

Nearing the end of an extended discourse, during which Jesus implied the question of whether or not the disciples truly believed in his identity with God the Father and in the efficacy of his pending sacrifice, the disciples seem to answer affirmatively. They say:

“Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that…

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on pony-tails, apple juice, & impartiality

on pony-tails, apple juice, & impartiality

                                                                              http://bible.com/37/rom.2.11.CEB

I write this as a young white male pastor, who’s never experienced what it is like to be discriminated against. In fact, I know that I have received certain privileges based exactly on how I look.

I’ve never been stopped and frisked. Followed around a store.

Even though I went through…

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Citizens of Heaven on Earth

Even though I have lived now in four states, I still identify myself with the one in which I was born.  I’ve lived in Illinois, Rhode Island, and now Indiana, but I still consider myself a Ohioian.  My favorite food is Skyline Chili.  My favorite pizza is LaRosa’s.  And my favorite teams are the Reds, Bengals, and Bluejackets.  I know, I should consider myself a Hoosier, and I love where we…

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With a Stirred Heart and Willing Spirit

With a Stirred Heart and Willing Spirit

This past weekend, I co-led orientation for our newest Great Banquet teams.  For those unfamiliar, the Great Banquet is a Cursillo-model, three-day weekend experience of faith renewal, led by teams mostly made up of lay people, with some clergy.  And so I gathered with about forty people this weekend to kick-off months-long planning for upcoming Spring women’s and men’s weekends.

What inspires me…

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Groundhog Caucus Scene from a proposed caucus on Groundhog Day: "Look, Phil, we just thought we could settle this by caucus this year."

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Love Without Hypocrisy

One critique of the Church today, as has been for some time, is that it is full of hypocrites.

“Full of …”?  I wouldn’t’ go so far as to say that, but hypocrisy is certainly present and possible, especially if we choose to be nominal Christians — i.e. those for whom faith is but a weekly check-in, who give it very little thought, just a ticket punched for heaven some day.

If we choose to be…

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Living the Moments

Ala. Ecclesiastes, chapter 3, God has instilled in us a yearning to know the workings of God’s greater plan. Yet God didn’t give us the capacity for such knowledge.

“Oh, the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!” Paul wrote centuries later. “How unsearchable are God’s judgments and incomprehensible, God’s ways”(Rom 11.33).

How we wish that weren’t so — provided with all the…

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Fools of an Insane Kingdom

Fools of an Insane Kingdom

It seemed foolish that Christ should choose his cross. In Rome, it was not only the most excruciating, but also the most embarassing form of execution. Such was reserved for political rebels, hung naked, fighting against strained muscles and for every last breath.

It seemed foolish, because they claimed that Jesus was divine. None other in the great pantheon of the Greek gods would have chosen…

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Grace: Slowing Down to Enjoy the Journey

Here’s what grace feels like: you’re on the interstate, not observing the speed limit; you pass a state tropper in the median; of COURSE you slow down, but in the rearview mirror you see aforementioned tropper has pulled into traffic; then his/her lights go on and he/she starts zooming your way; and then keeps zooming right by you.

Yep.  That’s what grace feels like.

At the time of Jesus’ birth,…

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The Great Exchange of Christmas

The week has finally arrived after months of careful consideration — cash spent, credit card perhaps maxed, gifts carefully wrapped and labeled, ready for the “great exchange” to occur on Christmas morn, as long as children will allow parents to sleep, then more later when gathering with extended family — hours spent in line or on-line, reduced to but a few moments of frenzy — torn paper,…

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The Priceless Covenant God Offers

Currently professional baseball has entered what they call the “Hot Stove League.”  As a Cincinnati fan, I have especially prepared myself for this year, because the team I follow is “rebuilding”, and thus need to drop payroll and add young talent.  This means that some players that I’ve enjoyed watching play over the years will be on some other team before Spring Training.

I am amazed, though,…

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The Season of Patience

http://bible.com/37/rom.8.25.CEB

In the midst of this busy season, with all its hustle and bustle — longer lines both in the stores and on the streets — we all find ourselves put to an inevitable test, which some fail at miserably — a test of our patience.

You’ve seen it — that one person, bordering on an absolute meltdown, murmuring increasingly harsh curses, face reddening, emitting occasional…

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But God does see

It is because of moments like we all followed last night through breaking news, either on Twitter feed or cable nework, watching with horror and heartbreak as to how horrible humanity can be, while wondering where God was on a night such as this.

The next morning as the pieces are being put together — grief quickly turned to outrage, needing someone to blame, doing so through broad…

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The forbidden fruit eating or cross bearing?

The forbidden fruit eating or cross bearing?

(ala 1 Corinthians15.49)

We are part dirt and part stardust.  We are the image of the world’s first sinner and greatest Savior.

According to Paul we are images of the man of dust and the man of heaven — Adam and Jesus, respectively.

We are part dirt and part stardust.  We possess within us the greatest capacity for both evil and good, slogging through life in the mud of our own choosing rather…

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Conscience, Honesty, & Falsehood

http://bible.com/37/psa.24.3-4.CEB

There is no better felling than having  a clear conscience — i.e. of being content and at peace knowing that, all-in-all, one has both tried and done their best, especially on behalf of others.

Scripture teaches that those who strive to live their lives in the presence of God will also strive to have such a conscience.

One thing I fear we have come to lack…

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One bread, one body

To a community divided by class, ethnicity, and religious practice, Paul writes to exhort the Corinthians to unity, reminding them of the powerful symbolism of the one loaf they share together as Sacrament — that tho they are “many”, they are ultimately one “body”; that is, the “Body of Christ”.

For a Church not unlike that of first century Corinth, Paul’s exhoration for unity is still as…

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The One Thing Most Difficult

One of the most improbable passages in all of Scripture — a man, who never murdered, cheated, stole, lied or dishonored, yet walked away from eternal life because he couldn’t give what he had to those in need. (Or else, wouldn’t.)

Impossible that it would require such commitment, such selflessness — impossible that it would, of the greatest of people, require a cross.

And yet, with God, the…

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