All tagged gratitude

468 I'm a Believer Now, What's Next? Worship

468 I'm a Believer Now, What's Next? Worship

Uncensored Unprofessor

Down in the bone marrow of following Christ is worship. In this free style conversation Mark and I discuss the whys, whats, and what-abouts of worship. Is God a megalomaniac who created us to worship him because he has need? Is there some lack in God that worship fills for him? If not, what is the reason for worship? Along the same lines, how do we take and make our daily lives—our chores, our work, our relationships, and even our physical dwelling space—an act of worship to Christ Jesus? What is the difference between ritual and ritualism? Why do we need both spirit and truth, heart-felt sentiment and doctrinal accuracy? And then, when we are worshiping, does God's Spirit come and overpower us so that it's only him involved? Come think and laugh with me and Mark.

300 Anti-Sloganeering, Sisyphus You, Theological Amnesia

300 Anti-Sloganeering, Sisyphus You, Theological Amnesia

Uncensored Unprofessor
Christian Worldview, Bible, Jesus

Shotgun: prayer for sore throats (w/a gross story), 300th episode!, why I don't like slogans or live according to pet slogans, my regular and constant prayers, Facebook's "most relevant" listings, Australian heart attack numbers, who Trump blamed for the 2022 election slotch, Dr. Russ Spittler's death, and you carrying the weight of the world. The last half of the show is spent on examining Jesus vis-å-vis Jewish tradition. The gloss goes that Jesus hated religion, stood against Jewish tradition, and offered a free-floating spirituality. More carefully? Well, we take a look.

235 Suffering (4) My Pastoral Concerns

235 Suffering (4) My Pastoral Concerns

Uncensored Unprofessor
Suffering

Ya know me? I hate glib Christian expressions. But still, it is good and wise to give God our pain, to learn from our pain, to practice a holy fear of God in the midst of our pain. So I share some heartfelt pastoral concerns about suffering. I also describe eating daily oatmeal with my grandson and share a story about Squirrel Tom, one of my golf friends. Come laugh and think with me about things the Church is terrified to address.

157 Trinity (4) Incarnation and the Temple of God

157 Trinity (4) Incarnation and the Temple of God

Uncensored Unprofessor
Trinity

Temple is a biblical category much overlooked by Evangelicals and Charismatics. How does Temple play into the New Testament's portrayal of Jesus, or of Jesus as God's Son, or of what God's new and fresh covenant is about? Still more, what does Temple suggest about our own selves? Come, let us worshipfully turn our brains on for the glory of the living God!

147 Wait, What? (9) I'm Not Feelin It!

147 Wait, What? (9) I'm Not Feelin It!

Uncensored Unprofessor
Wait What?

Our emotional experiences are memorable, formative. So we naturally think they are foundational to our own story. On top of that? Culture prods us to embrace and emphasize emotions. What does all that do to our Christian walk? What are some practical steps for being bigger than, and less influenced by, our emotions? Join me for a bit of thinking, some laughter, and some ways out of being mere sock puppets!

026 Brief Reflections on Intense Pain - What the Hell?

026 Brief Reflections on Intense Pain - What the Hell?

Uncensored Unprofessor
top25, Suffering

Life is both beautiful and interspersed with pain. How should we process the latter? How might Christians process intense pain? Is God causing everything? Does prayer matter? What about mercy ministry to those enduring intense pain? How does gratitude help? What kinds of things should we say and not say to those with intense pain? I worked through these kinds of questions following major back surgery.

004 Faith vs. Reason (3) Is Science based on Pure Reason?

004 Faith vs. Reason (3) Is Science based on Pure Reason?

Uncensored Unprofessor
Faith vs Reason

Are Scientists only objective? Is religious faith unusual? Well, we are taught daily that science is based on pure reason. But in this episode, following Michael Polanyi as our guide, I will show that actually science involves great subjectivity. Moreover, the doing of science involves trust, that is faith, risk, and commitment; qualities that are normally relegated to the world of religious faith.