Ahh, what a tangled web we weave in trying to use imperfect words to reflect thoughts. In my last post, I was attempting to say one thing, but as the comment from Tony suggests I missed the mark. An attempt at levity in formulating a title and including a visual only contributes to that which … Continue reading The Powers and Limitations of Language →

My friend Tony Jones  just posted a reaction to the Andy Crouch article in Christianity Today on the Emerging Church. While I agree with much of Tony's post, I take exception with his comment on an unnamed blogger whose asterisks work out to be Maggi Dawn. Basically, Tony interprets a recent post by Maggi on … Continue reading US vs Brit Battle Royale →

After a long hiatus in writing, it seems only fair that I should get back to work. Of course, as we all attempt to do, it would be easy to justify myself as too busy to take on writing this blog. Yet that is really a cop out. I haven't been to busy to play … Continue reading Exclusion — After a long hiatus →

After a long hiatus in writing, it seems only fair that I should get back to work. Of course, as we all attempt to do, it would be easy to justify myself as too busy to take on writing this blog. Yet that is really a cop out. I haven't been to busy to play … Continue reading Exclusion — After a long hiatus →

My life doesn't allow me to get to the movies very much, so while many folks have posted about the movie "Saved" quite a while ago, I've had to wait for the DVD release. I put it on last night after a full day at the church with the intention of watching only half, and … Continue reading Saved →

While reading through Talkingpointsmemo today, I came upon the following quote from the New York Times Magazine by Ron Suskind:In the summer of 2002, after I had written an article in Esquire that the White House didn't like about Bush's former communications director, Karen Hughes, I had a meeting with a senior adviser to Bush. He … Continue reading Reality-Based Community →

Tony Jones offers a great post on the "racialization" of America, and begins to submit that the evangelical response (or non-response) is a theological issue. Check it out. Theoblogy: Divided by Faith

Recently Target made a decision to exclude the Salvation Army bell ringers from the front on their stores during the holiday season. This will effect the Army's ministry with the poor to the tune of several million dollars. A site has been setup to work toward influencing Target to change this decision. If you would … Continue reading Can We make a difference →

Author's note: Although there is a link from a church website to this blog, the opinions expressed here belong solely to the author. I am making no statement on behalf of the church, but simply reflecting my own thoughts on the political landscape. And after all, this is my personal space, so I can do … Continue reading Reflections on the Debate →

This next area of exclusion is perhaps the most difficult to deal with, since we start moving into questions of orthodoxy and political belief. Yet, congregations very often avoid embracing people on the basis of theology, political affiliation, or ethics. To set up this discussion, I want to share a recent e-mail from a good … Continue reading Theological – Political – Ethical Exclusion →

A quote via Bob Carlton: Jesus was no prophet of "inclusion", for whom the chief virtue was acceptance and the cardinal vice "intolerance". Instead, he was the bringer of "grace", who not only scandalously included "anyone" in the fellowship of "open commensality", but made the "intolerant" demand of repentance and the "condescending" offer of forgiveness. … Continue reading A Quote from Volf from Bob →

This is a continuation of this post McLaren and others have been writing recently on colonialism, which is perhaps the greatest barrier for embrace and inclusion in the church. By this, these authors describe the "us and them" mentality that so pervades Western Christianity, especially as regards the missionary impulse. Our models of proclaiming the … Continue reading Racial / Ethnic Exclusion Continued →

000_0001.JPG Originally uploaded by jvoorhe.Jordan recently posted about flickr and I had to try it out. At least I know that I have some skills to fall back on if pastoring doesn't work out...

The Church of Fools went offline this past Sunday night. Unfortunately, my DSL was out all weekend so I missed the closing services and saying good bye to the gang. I'm going to miss the regular chats with folks from all of the world, especially the Brits. Just a reminder that I have set up … Continue reading No More COF!!! →

Not too long ago, I seemed to have time to blog. But somewhere in the midst of the Fall, the ability to find time to write has gone. Fall is the busiest time in the life of the church. Although we may talk about a year round faith, the reality exists in most "traditional" churches … Continue reading I Remember Blogging…. →

Not too long ago, I seemed to have time to blog. But somewhere in the midst of the Fall, the ability to find time to write has gone. Fall is the busiest time in the life of the church. Although we may talk about a year round faith, the reality exists in most "traditional" churches … Continue reading I Remember Blogging…. →

It's been a while since I have written. As one reader aptly noted, the demands of family, parish, etc. keep getting in the way of my blogging lifestyle. Yet I want to continue thinking about this notion of exclusion and embrace (that is, how the church often excludes people from its embrace). In my last … Continue reading Racial / Ethnic Exclusion →

I recommend this post by Jennell. Her insight and willingness to confront easy answers is a great gift. Thanks Jenell. The Paris Project

Back in the late 1960's and most of the '70's there was the development of a movement within evangelical protestantism (or at least the Southern Baptist circles that I ran in) the was promised to be the future of church evangelistic efforts. This movement led to the rise of such luminaries as Jerry Falwell (the … Continue reading The Untouchables — Socioeconomic Exclusion →

Back in the late 1960's and most of the '70's there was the development of a movement within evangelical protestantism (or at least the Southern Baptist circles that I ran in) the was promised to be the future of church evangelistic efforts. This movement led to the rise of such luminaries as Jerry Falwell (the … Continue reading The Untouchables — Socioeconomic Exclusion →