Another Fact That Can Be Proved?

A faith proven is no longer faith, it is fact. By attempting to distinguish between Christianity and science by proving faith in a scientific way, all Ham has done is simply blurred the two. Now, Christian faith has been reduced to just another type of science, another fact that can be proved.

Everyday we are bombarded by a sea of facts. Have you watched CNBC lately? There are more scrolling bars than any normal human can handle. Apparently a business degree enables you to sit there in a trance and ingest the data without causing your head to explode. We in the West suffer from information overload to the point that we can no longer sift through what’s true and what’s not....

If faith can be proven, it can also be unproven. That little “fact” does not sit well with me.

Ultimately our faith has to transcend grudge matches of “my facts are more true than your facts”. Seekers of truth are not looking for facts, they are looking for a genuine and authentic faith which can be applied everyday. They have to wade through diverse sets of facts everyday, so what’s one more?

....People who are persuaded to be a Christian based on facts, rather than faith, will have a much harder time putting that faith into practice.

[via Moral Contradictions]

A memorial day op-ed worth reading

[via Streak's Blog]

Not Saints, Just Soldiers

Soldiers are just that — soldiers. They are spokes on a wheel. Many, many soldiers, save those at the very top of the pyramid, are pawns. They are button men for our civilian leadership. Is this an honorable profession? Certainly. But it is also, in the end, just that — a profession. Soldiers should be proud of their service, maybe prouder than men of any other profession, but let’s not get out of control with it.

These are not saints, they are soldiers. They are men of honor for the most part but their actions are very much at the mercy of those of their superiors. We cannot continue to lie to ourselves that the military is a some semi-religious institution that can never get too much money or do no wrong.

The military is our war machine and soldiers are the cogs in that machine. The stuff we say and repeat to ourselves about the military, it is the kind of stuff you tell schoolchildren, not words you repeat to fellow adults.

There are no more good soldiers than good people in this country and there are no less bad people in a position of dominion over these soldiers than in the civilian population.

Spouting the platitudes can be useful enough to build morale and boost recruiting but at some level we must the honest with ourselves at recognize what the military is and what it isn’t — myths and fairy tales aside.

[via VolunteerVoters.com, HT: THE HOMELESS GUY]

"God Send Us A Signal"- Hammock (Raising Your Voice...Trying To Stop An Echo)



[HT: HAMMOCKMUSIC.NET]

Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from malice.

[via this comment, HT: this post]

There's A Sermon There Somewhere...

From the can't make this up category, one of Falwell's students made a bunch of bombs to use on people protesting that late reverend. But I thought that schools like Liberty were superior because they teach the Bible. {the rest}

[via Streak's Blog]

Jerry Falwell and the Making of an Uncivil Religion

[via The Huffington Post, HT: The CommonMan Commentaries]

Falwell’s Passing: End of an Era?

[via Levellers]

Wounded Perspectives

The reactions to Falwell's passing are, I suppose, predictable. He was hated and he was loved....

But both are also unsettling because in their rush to vilify or sanctify Falwell, they don't bother to try to see him as a human being. This failure or refusal only encourages an "us" versus "them" divide between Falwell groupies and Falwell loathers and, more importantly, between the worldviews they represent.
Falwell's understanding of what it means to be a Christian strikes me as so obviously broken, so obviously defensive and exclusionary and judgmental, that I can only conclude it was embraced by a man who was suffering from wounds that cut deeply into his soul. A man who could condemn and thunder jeremiads as well as Falwell could is either a total charlatan or someone who's in a state of chronic anxiety, fear, anger, self-doubt, and envy--a man who exudes ill-being rather than well-being. I don't think Falwell was a fake. He was a victim whose personal suffering drove him to embrace a spirituality and value system that victimized others. He was a guy whose own wounds drove him into the arms of a god who demanded that he wound others. When I think of him in these terms, I realize that Falwell deserves our compassion more than our hatred or reverence. Nor do I mean this in a holier-than-thou, patronizing way. Because my guess is that many of the demons that haunted Falwell haunt us as well. We may not have the clout that Falwell did, and so our destructiveness may be on a less public scale. But it's real nonetheless. Admitting this doesn't whitewash Falwell's life. But it does begin the process of bridging the "us" and "them" divide.

[via Subversive Christianity]

Shadows of Success

Will history look back and see him as a politician or as a churchman? And then how will they judge him. The postmortems have become and one of the most incisive is provided by Alan Wolfe in Salon.

Wolfe suggests that Falwell's religious legacy is minimal -- he made little contribution to America's religious life. Instead, it is to politics that Falwell's contribution has been most pronounced, and even here his success has been mixed. The Moral Majority was his creation and it did draw conservative Christians out of the shadows of separatism to engaging the political world. Indeed, he broke barriers by drawing in conservative Catholics, Mormons, and Jews into his web of opposition to all things "immoral." But the Moral Majority would collapse, and it would be the Ralph Reeds and the Karl Roves who would most effectively brought conservative religion and conservative politics into the same orbit....

As for why Falwell gained such fame, Wolfe suggests that it was cable TV -- where Falwell's bombastic style fit well the Fox News need for the off the wall statement. In a previous generation he would have been easily ignored and forgotten and yet here we are discussing his legacy. Wolfe suggests, however, that there really is no legacy.

[via Ponderings on a Faith Journey]

Resembles and Rejects

While Falwell trumpeted an increasingly cracked political message (in 2004 he wrote a column for WorldNetDaily headlined "God is pro-war"), other Christians were reconsidering the virtues of the old approach, of shunning politics and withdrawing as much as possible from the sinful American mainstream. The same alternative media that allowed Christians to make their mark on politics (or, perhaps more accurately, to let politics leave its mark on them) also made it easier to build a parallel pop culture that somehow both resembles and rejects the mainstream.

Falwell fulminated til the end against homosexuality, feminism, and the other alleged evils of modernity. But it's hard to escape the impression that his cohort not only lost the culture war, but perhaps did more than anyone else to usher Hollywood's America into Christian homes. In the early days, Pat Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network refused to air reruns of Bewitched on the grounds that it promoted witchcraft. Today the outlet is owned by ABC, which calls it the ABC Family Channel and happily broadcasts not just The 700 Club but Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, not to mention the frequently ribald humor of Whose Line Is It Anyway? As intensely intolerant as Falwell could be, it's harder than ever to imagine America reembracing his views about gender relations or the sinfulness of homosexuality. The one cultural war he may have won, perhaps without even meaning to wage it, was the battle against Protestant hatred of the Roman Catholic Church. Despite his illiberal platform and rhetoric, Falwell's long-term legacy might be one of tolerance.

That could depend, of course, on whether the centralized, politicized fundamentalist community he helped create survives the next media revolution. Television tends to smooth over our differences; the Internet allows diversity to bloom.

[via Reason Magazine, HT: GetReligion in this post]

More Careful, Less Polarizing

Following the unexpected death of the Jerry Falwell, many are revisiting his legacy. Some remind people of his numerous controversial remarks, while others praise him for his political and social influence.

Critics and supporters alike wonder who will take his place--not so much as leader of Thomas Road Baptist Church or Liberty University--but as a public face and voice of American evangelicals.

The guessing game has been going on for some time. Google "the next Jerry Falwell," and various names are found: Jerry Johnston, Rod Parsley, Rick Warren. Expect many others to add to the speculation in coming days.

A more important question is not who might be the next Jerry Falwell, but how that person should act and talk. Do evangelicals in general or Baptists in particular really need another controversial and polarizing public figure?

....My hope and prayer now is that the next generation that arises to take his place will be more careful and less polarizing with their words. In short, I hope the next Jerry Falwell sounds a lot less like Jerry Falwell.

[via Ethics Daily, HT: For God's Sake, Shut Up!]

What's the biggest surprise awaiting the Rev. Falwell in the hereafter? [read on]

[via slacktivist]

"At Least, we dig each other..."

Thanks Endangered Species: Church for the link!



Incubus "Dig" (by kaamuz)

Mother’s Day Blues

[via Levellers]

Reproducing Life

If your life feels cramped and lonely and hopeless, try to believe that your dark dwelling is not just a prison cell, but also a womb {the full post}

[via Junia's Daughter]

Pleading, Persistence (and Prayer)

From there Jesus took a trip to Tyre and Sidon. They had hardly arrived when a Canaanite woman came down from the hills and pleaded, "Mercy, Master, Son of David! My daughter is cruelly afflicted by an evil spirit."

Jesus ignored her. The disciples came and complained, "Now she's bothering us. Would you please take care of her? She's driving us crazy."

Jesus refused, telling them, "I've got my hands full dealing with the lost sheep of Israel."

Then the woman came back to Jesus, went to her knees, and begged. "Master, help me."

He said, "It's not right to take bread out of children's mouths and throw it to dogs."

She was quick: "You're right, Master, but beggar dogs do get scraps from the master's table."

Jesus gave in. "Oh, woman, your faith is something else. What you want is what you get!" Right then her daughter became well.

{Matthew 15:21-28, The Message}

The Motherhood Manifesto

[via grrrl meets world]

Forever Vulnerable

"Do you think I should have a baby?" "It will change your life," I say, carefully, keeping my tone neutral. "I know," she says, "no more sleeping in on the weekend, no more spontaneous vacations..."

But that is not what I meant at all. I look at my friend, trying to decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never learn in child birth classes. I want to tell her that the physical wounds of child bearing heal, but that becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will be forever vulnerable.

I consider warning her that she will never read a newspaper again without asking "What if that had been MY Child?" That every plane crash, every fire will haunt her. That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die....

However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother. Looking at my attractive friend, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself. That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child. That she would give it up in a moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years -- not to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child accomplish theirs....

I wish my friend could sense the bond she'll feel with women throughout history who have tried desperately to stop war and prejudice and drunk driving. I hope she will understand why I can think rationally about most issues, but become temporarily insane when I discuss the threat of nuclear war to my children's future.
I want to describe to my friend the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to ride a bike. I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog or cat for the first time. I want her to taste the joy that is so real, it actually hurts.

My friend's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes. "You'll never regret it," I say finally.

[via Mission: Kim Possible!]

(Hours of) Labours of Love

But what is worse? The thought that "even if we don't have another baby, I have just given birth to another daughter, which means that 20+ years from now, I'm going to feel so bad for my two daughters who will have to push their own babies out, and I really don't want them to have to go through that pain." And I had visions of myself reading the Psalms and listening to Mozart for Mothers-To-Be (or maybe I'd get them to make a Grandmothers-To-Be cd) every night for the next 20 years, all because I was worried about the hours of labour my daughters may have to go through!

And now, I miss the labour and my time in the hospital.

[via Vandermeander, emphasis mine]

Abortion, Murder and Pacifism

[via Hopeful Daniel]

...and just to add an illustration...

The Denialists' Deck of Cards: An Illustrated Taxonomy of Rhetoric Used to Frustrate Consumer Protection Efforts

[via denialism blog]

Faith of our Mothers

[via Think Christian]

Mother's Day for Peace

[via Resonate Media Radar]

A Fragile Bond

Mama tried

[via GetReligion]

The Poor You Shall Have With You Always

Interviews: Ron Hall and Denver Moore, Jimmy Dorrell, Shaine Claiborne, and apparently Superman.

Also featuring Jesus Was A Homeless Bum, Solving America's Quaker Joke Shortage ..., The Next Big Evangelical Scandal, Men's Retreat Shocker!, Preacher's Kids Anonymous, Off-Message Church Marketing, and more. The Last Word: Indiscriminate Compassion.

Driscoll Video Provides Surprising Products

Uniform Message Creates Wide Distribution

Pastor Bill Hybels may believe women have spiritual gifts, but Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church spawns material ones primarily for men. A video which features Driscoll discussing church planting was played at the 2007 National New Church Conference, with the intention of being widely distributed later. However, this objective was not achieved, with Driscoll's blog suggesting that the organizers were "not wanting a bigger fuss" because of alleged controversial material. The pertinent video called "The Good Soldier" was then placed on YouTube.

As the blogosphere became abuzz with activity over this, many have tried to relate to Driscoll's message. Interest in Jesus action figures has doubled, especially those that include a weapon or have a soldier's uniform. A Jesus who appears in a dress, suggestive of a gay hippie are in development, says Randall Armstrong, CEO of Lame Christian Men. They will likely be modelled after Rob Bell and Joel Osteen, mainly aimed at the secure Christian male demographic, he said.

Driscoll dolls are also becoming popular, particularly among women. Retailers point out that they are definitely amused, possibly because of the comfort stemming from owning and playing with the toys. One option makes Driscoll utter memorable quotes, such as "men is the most important variable", which usually puts a foot into the doll's mouth. This does not seem to be a malfunction, the manufacturer notes, but it has not apparently happened enough to investigate further or consider it unsafe. (There is a warning on the package as a precaution, however.) The toys also have an open hand and a closed fist normally, but unfortunately nothing for scissors.

Some want to identify with the message through song. The punk band Reform Revolution will release their debut album "Prom Songs" in June to correspond with Graduation ceremonies. According to the lead singer, Jezebel Machoan, the band wants everyone to embrace the mission of Pastor Mark, empowering half of humanity for the benefit of all. The album includes the singles "In The Rear Until They Fear (The Lord)", "Miss Understood", "Win The Men, Win The War" and "Rockin' To The Spice Girls". They plan to tour this fall to wimpy cities across America.

Others need a more sensual experience to get into the mission of resonating with Driscoll. Victwares, a company specializing in "embodying potent ministry", has anything from herbal tea to pump you up to aromatherapy treatments that gently remove any sense of perspective. Their most popular product, Servitude, supposedly helps women to avoid nasty headaches and gain a servant's heart when their men need their regular requirement of intimacy. The instructions state that it is best used at least once daily, although some women dispute the effects.

The Acts 29 Network has cautiously supported these efforts, hoping they can compensate for any lost impact and mixed reviews of Pastor Mark Driscoll at this point. Many men and some women expect this to create common ground, considering the regular frustration and defensiveness associated with Driscoll's teaching. Not all are as optimistic and characterize this as a distraction from the real issues involved. However, it is evident that Driscoll's consistent branding has encouraged a broad range of responses that entertain while complicated.

Not Sexualized or Segregated

On the one hand, Mark Driscoll challenges cultural stereotypes. On the other hand, when it comes to gender, Driscoll's language and communal leadership advocates deeply entrenched gender stereotypes on sex, women, men, and relationships. This is more than just a disagreement about roles or how many times a week a husband and wife should have sex. It is how men and women ought to relate to each other in our contemporary world for the sake of kingdom immediacy and intimacy....

Perhaps our greatest challenge as Christians in our contemporary world is to hunger and thirst and pray for a kingdom immediacy that is not a sexualized kingdom nor a gender segregated kingdom.

There is indeed something deeply Christian, deeply eschatological, to pray with a man or woman who is a close, sacred companion but not your spouse: "I thank You Lord, for our unique history, for the depth of our shared intimacy, for our shared history of answered prayers, for our shared history of supporting each other in prayer through so many different circumstances and relationships."

[via Faith Dance]

Too Much Truth?

[via You saved my life from a colorless one]

Men Are Not Enough...

[from this comment at this post]

Mark Driscoll is correct. “Selection of ‘the man’[or men] is extremely important”. And this will be the downfall of the Church, not selecting the right men to be in leadership.

And we can see that the men in the Church have not been selecting the right men - look at all the fallen, shameful male pastors who have embarrassed Christ in front of the whole world. So, the right men have not been selected. Of course, if women are not included in the leadership process [as Timothy’s mother and grandmother were in teaching Timothy the Scriptures], then there will be no right men left in the Church: this includes Mark Driscoll....

And who will be left in the Church in 2050? - not the end of the Church as Driscoll predicts, but the steadfast women who worship Christ. The same ones that were at the cross when the men hid; the same ones that were first at the tomb when the men did not believe; the first to Evangelize; the ones that Christ Himself included in the Church when the ‘men’ tried to exclude them.

[via The CBE Scroll]

My (biological) father died 8am, May 5, 2006, due to complications regarding heart surgery and such. We were not particularly close.

For those who are grieving today, as well as those who are distant/conflicted about family, I offer:



Russ Taff- I'm Not Alone and



The Choir- Someone To Hold On To

Mark Misusing Metaphors?

[from a comment to this post at Progression of Faith]

For whatever it's worth, I thought Driscoll's video was quite good, with a couple qualifications:
- his language is somewhat violent (e.g. his use of the word 'retarded' and the denial that Jesus is a 'gay hippie')
- he doesn't qualify the military metaphors the way the apostle Paul does when he uses them

While military metaphors are part and parcel of the Bible's vocabulary, in the New Testament, they almost are always subverted by their context. For example, Paul talks about 'spiritual warfare' because our 'enemies' are emphatically NOT 'flesh and blood'. In Revelation, even the triumphant Jesus's 'sword' is identified as 'the word' (rather than an actual weapon of descruction).
Ultimately, all of the military warfare of Scripture needs to be interpreted Christologically: it is in his death that Jesus disarms the powers, and by his sacrifice that he 'storms the gates of Hades'.
Language issues aside, this is the one qualification I wish Marc would have made in the video (the military graveyard was a little over the top in my view).
He obviously has more conservative views than I do on women in leadership, but his zeal can be admired in spite of its rough edges.

Going gentle into that fair night? now links to me. Joins the list.

What Good Is Your Calling Then?

I have been involved in the replanting of one church and the new church plant of another. I've been active in both, taking on leadership wherever it was needed....

My problem with Mark Driscoll is not so much what he says but his attitude; he believes that he can say what he wants, and won't take much correction on it. I'm afraid for him that he's begun to believe his own hype.

Hype is the persona that some church planters will take on. They need to appeal to the culture that they are targeting....

There is a danger when you have a powerful voice that is listened to by many. If you have believed your own hype you may think that you are justified in saying or doing what you want. If you look around you there will be many who support what you say or do. They are easy to find. They're the ones standing right in your front of you. The groupies who say 'amen' and 'right on' to whatever you utter. But if you look further away you will see the faithful who are doing the work to make relationships with those you have drawn in. Who in your life do you let hold you accountable? Is it only the yes men? Are there any yes women?

You are human, you cannot possibly be right all the time. You will fail. You will say or do the wrong thing and you will do it in a very public way. It's humiliating, if you actually come to the place of seeing your error. If there is someone in your life that you listen to, who can and will correct you, then your ministry will continue to reach the many that it has. If you don't your ministry will fall, it is inevitable. That's not prophecy, it's common sense.

I don't say that because I have it out for Mark. The loss of someone who is as effective as Mark is a sad thing for the ministry but the reality is if you cannot be accountable then God will remove you, and that's nothing to rejoice over. What good is your calling then?

[via my father's house, emphasis mine]

Teaching Discipliine, Stifling Creativity

Maybe you’ve been following all the hoopla surrounding Mark Driscoll’s posting of the “banned” church planting video. Now, please, let’s not get into the whole Driscoll vs. Hybel debate here. That’s been done enough elsewhere. I just wanted to give some thoughts on Driscoll’s comments about twenty something guys who have their priorities all backwards, especially when he talks about guys who are “trying to figure out how to get a larger subwoofer into their retarded car”. Why did I find that interesting? Because I am that guy…or at least I could be perceived that way. I’ve got a ten inch sub in my trunk (not just any sub mind you, a MOMO sub). It’s not huge, but it’s pretty big, and can be pretty loud when I want it to be, which this time of year with the windows down and some rockin’ tunes on is pretty often.

So the big question: Being that guy, how did I feel about that statement?

....Now here’s what a lot of people miss, and why a lot of twenty-somethings are staying away from Church, just because we’re teaching discipline doesn’t mean we should stifle creativity. Car enthusiasts are more than just unmotivated jerks with retarded cars and loud subwoofers. Actually, they are extremely motivated and creative individuals whose cars are their artform.

[via one mo blog]

Embattled and Thriving

I am convinced after watching the “controversy” unfold this week that he thrives off this conflict. I mean we’ve all met people like that right? Most of them are dysfunctional in some way, some are overcomers and overachievers. I think Driscoll is the later. He overachieves through thriving off how polarizing he is. I mean taking on Bill Hybels, one of the most liked guys in Christendom is pretty hardcore. As the facts fall out it seems Driscoll and Acts 29 are overstating their side of the story!

I’m pretty sure they don’t strategically do this. That is, I don’t think they sit in a room and think, “this will be really good for our BRAND!” I just think Driscoll is fiery enough to pull it off and when he does this crap, it repels a majority of the world, but to his fans, it makes them bigger fans. It’s like Apple/Mac or Nike or any other Brand that depends on its fans to promote their product. Yeah, they have great commercials, but the rubber hits the road when the product is used, liked, and self-promoted.

I mean, I watched Driscoll’s video and just laughed. If some didn’t know what he was about, they would think it was a parody. Especially considering Virgina Tech.

[via Jason Smith]

Christus Victor, The Sense of Challenge

Mark Driscoll, pastor at Mars Hill Church in Seattle, has hit the emerging church blogosphere this week, with a video clip he provided for the National New Church Conference Church Planting conference in Miami last week. Mark wasn’t able to get to the conference and so sent a videotape of him speaking.

Mark focuses on 2 Timothy 2, the passage in which church planter Timothy is encouraged to be focused, hardworking and able to endure hardship.

“You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.”

Mark delivers his rant from a military cemetery, with a video closeup to the firm-wristed gun-toting soldier statue. He paints the church planting scene in terms of battleground and body count. He believes that selecting the ‘right man’ is critical to the success of a church plant. He suggests that the core mission is to find men to serve, put them through boot camp, instruct them, and through God’s grace force them to be people who will live as God’s people....

Clearly the soldier image does it for some men. And some women. However the writer of 2 Timothy goes on to use the image of athlete and farmer as well. The early church would have had a healthy percentage of pacifists for whom the military connotations would have been repugnant.

I don’t agree with Mark’s commitment to use only men in church leadership roles. But I can sympathise with his efforts to develop a concept of church that will equip and inspire people with the Y chromosome. So are there models and metaphors that provide the sense of challenge and focus needed by men today?

Denny Weaver, in his book, Nonviolent Atonement, works with the Christus Victor concept in a way that clearly portrays Jesus as an alternative to the stereotypes of ‘macho marine’ and ‘gay hippie’.

[via Pacific Highlander]

So Many Women, So Much Overcompensating

How effective is someone as a model for church planting when he alienates so many women in our culture?

[via Faith Dance]

Two Ms Are Missing?

Misogynist Pastors

[via aaron ghiloni]

Lonely Leaders?

Mark Driscoll is a Seattle mega church leader in the US who started in 1996, now his church has around 2 thousand members and 40 thousand square feet of church space. He has gotten some attention for rudeness in an online debate at the Christianity Today Leadership blog (he apologized) then scurrilous remarks about women and ministers wife’s when the Ted Haggard scandal came to light. He said he didn’t mean what people heard....

His seminars pack in pastors willing to pay a lot of money to learn how to succeed with their church growth. Driscoll has written a couple of books, says he is a charismatic Calvinist, and along with his myriad responsibilities is attempting a masters degree. He is not ordained. Mars Hill in none denominational.

While there is a sprinkling of biblical truth in his speech..., and while I personally have no emotional attachment to where he chooses to tape it, I don’t see his video symbolism making sense to the speech subject.
The video is called Good Soldiers.

His ideas on church planting are like a CEO expounding a US business/ expansion/culture war model, but thousands of pastors and seminary students fans would disagree and correct me....

What is foreign to you as a minster, church attendee or follower of Jesus Christ in this video?
What are you hearing overtly or covertly?
What do you agree and disagree with?
Is Driscoll correct that this how/what church planters and pastors are called to be?

[via connexions]

Open Hand, Closed Fist

I realize that for Mars Hill Church in Seattle, women in elder/pastoral ministry (or more precisely, not being in elder/pastoral ministry) is in the "closed hand" of issues/doctrines not up for questioning or reconsidering, as opposed to the "open hand" of things over which Mars Hill people can disagree without disengaging. I get that.

I also get that the last time we were together, I heard Mark say specifically that when it comes to relationships/fellowship outside of Mars Hill, women in ministry is an "open hand issue."

What I don't get is Mark's tone-deafness when speaking to a huge group of people that he knows are all over the map on this issue, including a number of women pastors and church planters. I realize he has his opinions. Boy, does he.
I also know he's smart... and I really don't want to believe that Mark would intentionally poke a stick into a bee hive every few months just to draw some attention. I really don't.

So we're going to go with option 2- He forgets that in terms of relationship with other churches and the Body of Christ as a whole, he's trying to see this issue as an open hand thing about which good Christian people can disagree. And in forgetting, he speaks with perhaps less grace, less care than he should to people who he knows feel very strongly and very differently than him about the issue. In fact, the more he talks about this issue, the more he pushes and pounds it, the more that open hand feels like a closed fist.

[via bob.blog]

Daily Sex With Pastor Mark

[via internetmonk.com]

Trading One Caricature for Another

[via The Thinklings]

Thoughts on Mark Driscoll and Tony Soprano

[via Philosophy Over Coffee]

If this is a good soldier count me out of the war

[via The Heresy]

Starting tomorrow, must reduce blood pressure. Uncharted territory for me. New meds, daily BP readings, more exercise and stress reduction. May be good; may be bad; may be both.

Blogging may or may not be consistent. If you pray, go ahead. If you know me, check in. This month may be awkward or antsy for me.

[Plus, this month I normally prepare to assist or support my friend Warren Romancia (and Kathy Stickel) with his annual get-together/networking celebration. This year it's on Saturday, June 9, 2pm-midnight, come-and-go, Fuddruckers. Reminder on sidebar. There usually are door prizes and specials throughout the day.]

Deep breath. Again. Again...