only wonder understands

http://jayssermons.blogspot.com/2004/06/encountering-jesus-possessed-by-god.html

This morning, as I made my usual trip through my favorite blogs, I tripped into Maggi’s world. One of the good things about being 6 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time is that it allows our British friends to have their cup of tea and put together a good declarative sentence in time for my morning […]

I should be working on my sermon, but of course that is too logical, so I will write some unrelated words which will hopefully spark the creative juices. I’m in my office at the church, having just completed my third wedding in the past several months. As weddings go, this was a simple one. There […]

Sally and Jay Rogers are former parishioners, and now good friends. I was lucky to be their pastor during the adoption of their son Ian, and presided at an “Entrustment Ceremony” between the Rogers and the birth mom. Their adoption was facilitated by Miriam’s Promise, the adoption and family planning ministry of the TN Annual […]

I’m sitting in a hotel room in Murfreesboro, TN waiting for my turn in the shower. We’re here this week so that Kay and I can attend the gathering of the Tennessee Annual Conference of the UMC, the regional organization of our denomination to which our clergy membership belongs. Grace is with us, but in […]

Jen Lemen’s post for today is beautiful, and contains as much truth as any of the scriptures. Several months ago I posted on serving as a pastor to an aging congregation, and the meaning of funerals for me. Jen begins to get at the reality of that existence in her story. There is something sacred […]

It feels like a theme for the week is arrogant Christian certainty. It began with an email from a friend who had been beat up at the church she’s been attending. She is someone who is beginning to question some of the assumptions of the conservative, evangelical world that she had been brought up in, […]

Well I can’t claim the idea was original (thanks Kenny) and I can just hear Tony and DJ lamenting that I have started yet ANOTHER blog (I can’t keep up with the ones that I currently have), but I have begun to post my weekly sermons at http://jayssermons.blogspot.com/. I don’t claim to be the Bible […]

Dr. Maggi, who I appreciate more and more each day, posted this morning a reponse to Rob’s analysis of the differences in the UK and US church. Her response resonates with some things that have been going on in my ministry and my life. I especially like her last paragraph: There are, of course, people […]

ISFP – “Artist”. Interested in the fine arts. Expression primarily through action or art form. The senses are keener than in other types. 8.8% of total population. Take Free Myers-Briggs Personality Test personality tests by similarminds.com

There was an interesting segment today on NPR’s “Talk of the Nation” on the nature of the Christian Music Industry (CCM). I wasn’t able to listen to the whole segment, but I was able to catch most of an interview with Jay Howard, one of the co-authors of a book titled “Apostles of Rock: The […]

There was an interesting segment today on NPR’s “Talk of the Nation” on the nature of the Christian Music Industry (CCM). I wasn’t able to listen to the whole segment, but I was able to catch most of an interview with Jay Howard, one of the co-authors of a book titled “Apostles of Rock: The […]

I’m not a big fan of instant messaging, having only started chatting with folks online in the past six months or so. However Yahoo’s update of their Messenger software might make be a believer. The cool thing that I’m enjoying is built in access to their LaunchCast radio service, which I’m listening to right now […]

I started re-reading a book that I got back in 1984 by Steven Levy called “Hackers.” In this very readable book, Levy tells the story of the computer revolution in three movements. First Levy examines the first generation hackers at MIT in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. Then Levy considers the second generation of […]

Tonight, as I write, women are gathering in Georgia. These are women who have received a call, only to be told along the way that they must be mistaken. These are women who have heard God move deep in their souls, only to have others say that they must be wrong. These are women who […]

This Sunday, we’ll begin working through the Gospel of Luke in our worship service. Since this Sunday is “Peace With Justice” Sunday in the United Methodist Church, I am starting with Jesus’ inaugural sermon in Luke 4 (vs. 14ff). What are your thoughts about Jesus’ proclamation in this passage? How is Jesus’ teaching radical? Why […]

I’ve just added a link to the Spiritual Types Test at the MethodX site and encourage you to take it. I discovered that I am a Lover (take the test to find out what that means).

During the Emergent Convention, I shared with the bloggers at Jacks one night that Zondervan / Emergent YS was thinking about changing their marketing to include sending pre-release titles to Emergent bloggers for review. As I shared this with folks we agreed that we were willing to recieve the titles as long as Zondervan understands […]

My recent post on speaking the truth has led to some conversation with D J regarding the nature of blog communication. He comments on that post: at this point, my thinking (and preference) is that blogs are for the unedited thoughts of the writer, and implicit in the genre and form, is that thoughts and […]

Grace, my first born, is headed to camp tomorrow. This will be the first time she’s been away for so long — a week. It’s her first overnight camp. She’s excited, and a little scared. her mom and dad are a little nervous too. She’s growing up way too fast, halfway to being out of […]