DRIVING THEOLOGY

Some thoughts on this new phase of life we are entering into, as our youngest is off to high school (boarding school), and her sister is off, too. Why do we hold on so tightly? What are we afraid of losing? How can we learn to let go better?

When is the last time you considered the life of Nicodemus? Really? Well that's too long!

The doctrine of Hell, especially ECT, or eternal conscious torment, has been taking a hit lately, especially on social media. Is it warranted? Do we have good reasons to doubt what we've been taught? What do you think happens to the wicked when they die? Tortured forever? Annihilated? Rehabilitated? Reconciled? What you believe affects the way you live your life and how you treat people. It is imp...

A meandering stream-of-consciousness monologues on various topics, not my best work, but here it is, none the less.

This one will stretch you. It has stretched me! How ready are you to open your mind to extra Biblical writings, extra Christian writings, in order to see evidence that God might have been involving himself in places you never dreamed of? Hold on to your seats!

How willing are you to consider the ideas and opinions of others, especially when they are contrary to your beliefs? Are you willing to hold your own conclusions more lightly in order to understand someone else's point of view?

When you feel more disconnected than usual, when Jesus seems distant, when you are in a spiritual funk, what remedy does John prescribe for us? *I actually say that this scripture here is not from John, but it is. 1 John2:15-17.

What do you do when someone you've vilified does something good? Is Trump capable of doing something good? And how perceptive are you? Are you a good judge of character? How would you know?

Applying a little symmetrical logic to a theological concept, good friend of mine, David Mills, asks me if I might brainstorm this idea. Well, the ball's in your court, David! How about a follow up response or at least some comments?

What drives many churches? Common theology? Common mission? A superstar pastor/preacher? Would you be surprised to find that the same thing that drives professional sports drives most churches? Should we be happy about that?

What are the marks of Jesus on your life or in the church? Of the many possibilities, have you noticed that you or the Jesus followers you surround yourself with have the uncanny ability to be reconciled back to each other after disagreements arise? If not, what does that mean?

What does Paul refer to when he refers to "...sin living in you", when he talks about us doing things that we don't want to do, things that we know we shouldn't do? Here is my take on it.

What happens when your message doesn't match your life? Is it even worth saying anything if you can't live it? I discuss this and more in this episode.

What comes to mind when you hear the word "worship"? Can you define it? I consider this podcast to be one of my best, most to-the-point, recordings in a while. While I am still exploring the meanings of this complex word, I, nevertheless, have a distinct suspicion that most of us are not grasping the depth and beauty of this very important word and concept.

If theology of hell interests you, you'll get some of that here. If Kingdom theology interests you, we got that, too. Here, I vamp on these subjects and more, winding my way through hell, salvation, and the Kingdom, all sparked by conversations that I had last week.

What comes out of you when you think you have nothing to say? In this recording, I struggle to find something of meaning to offer, but I just keep talking. It might be painful to listen to, but are there any hidden treasures here? Not sure?! Fair warning!

How much of an effort do you make to "walk a mile" in someone's shoes, to get to know their background and environment, before judging the way their behavior affects you? Using coffee as a metaphor, I explore this process, or at least, one possible process to understanding people better.

So, starting from where I am in a new business venture, I make a connection from principles of good business with spiritual parallels. And maybe not so well. Who know?

In this day and age, the word worship has come to mean many things to many people. But what is the heart of worship? What did in mean to the people of the OT? Explore this with me here!

Have you ever noticed how hard you can be on other people while you nearly always have a good excuse for why you behave the way you do? How can we judge people's motives accurately when we haven't the slightest clue where they are coming from or what their primary motives are? And, if this is the case, what is to be done?

Does the Bible really say to "fear not" 365 times, once for every day of the year? I don't know. Haven't checked. But that is what I've heard! And I know it does say it a lot! So, it must be important!

A rare musical podcast with songs by Daisuke Yokoyama, music missionary, and his wife, Kazuko. Enjoy!

What do you think God is like? How does your opinions of God reflect the way you live? How important is it to have an accurate depiction of who God is? I might be able to help with that!

Influences in my life, and how certain people at just the right time, spoke life into me, and how we can speak life into the lives of others.

What is going on in the unseen realm? Does the book of Job offer any insight?