BRENT'S BLOG

Exodus 5: Called Out to Worship

2010-04-18T14:12:00.000-07:00

THEM THERE'S FIGHTING WORDS!

2010-03-18T15:29:00.000-07:00

A few years ago (okay, probably fifteen years ago, now), I read an article by Southern writer and comedian Lewis Grizzard that listed the most controversial things a person could say. I don't remember all of them - one of them was "crank up the Enola Gay" - along with some others that I won't repeat here.

Jesus used to say some things that seemed calculated to illicit a response in his hearers. (Matthew 3:9 and 5:20 are good examples, among others). You might say, Jesus used controversy to teach.

I'm curious. What do you think are the most theologically controversial but biblically valid statements a person can make in our day and time?

I'll start us off with two of my favorites: (1) Holiness, not love, is God's chief attribute, and (2) God's love is not unconditional. There are more where those came from, but I hope they will get the ball rolling.

Thanks ahead of time for being willing to share!

In Christ,

Pastor Brent

P. S. If you want to argue with my two statements, let's do that on another blog posting. Right now, I'm interested in your statements!

TRADITION!?

2010-02-19T16:39:00.000-08:00

tra·di·tion [truh-dish-uhn]

1. the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, esp. by word of mouth or by practice.

2. a long-established or inherited way of thinking or acting.

3. a continuing pattern of culture beliefs or practices.

4. a customary or characteristic method or manner.

In the New Testament, the word tradition or traditions appears 11 times. Each time it appears, it is placed in a neutral or negative context.

My questions about tradition are simple: what traditions do we have in the Church that are neutral? Which traditions do we have that are negative? Are any good or redeemable? Are any spiritually deadly?

LEARNING ABOUT PRAYER

2010-02-03T11:01:00.000-08:00

There is a quote on prayer from Quaker writer Richard J. Foster in his book "Celebration of Discipline," which says, simply:

"Real prayer is something that we learn."

He points out that the disciples - who ostensibly had been praying all their lives, came to Christ and asked the Master to school them in the art of prayer. He then recounts how he learned to pray at the feet of seasoned Christians, by reading the great prayers of the Scripture, and from delving into pages on prayer written by the great devotional writers of church history.

My question to you is, what do you know about prayer that you could share with me as I seek to learn a deeper prayer life?