Guitars and Theology Podcast

In this talk I propose four shifts at Gateway, the little church I serve.

Our culture is shifting...here are some off the cuff thoughts about how to be faithful in the current climate...

1234 Treasure Principle (Luke 12:34) . Heart follows actions Ben Franklin’s insight. It wasn’t me being nice to him that made him stop hating me. It was him doing me a kindness. Dostoevsky’s insight . A character said something like, “He’s never done me any wrong. I did him a bad turn, and I’ve hated him ever since.” Catharsis is a lie . In the 70’s psychologists thought expressing the rage would...

Dishonor to Authority Normalized Death of the Expert Opinions and Feelings over Facts Identity Politics as the Metanarrative

What a curious expression Paul uses to refer to himself at the end of Colossians 1:23. A servant or slave of the gospel. How can a person be servant to a particular message? And does this have any applications for us? Maybe. Let's talk about it.

Successes, not just trials, expose what's in our hearts.

"if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard" (Colossians 1:23 ESV) All of us construct a story about our lives from which we derive meaning. We think of that story as "truth" but in actuality it is a script thrown together the best we can. The gospel is a different script that God has authored for us which, to be bel...

He has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault... Colossians 1:22

Our goal is to have the right proportion of these two.

The parable of the talents is really a parable about taking risks.

Jesus in daily life, not just the afterlife. Colossians 1:19-20

And how is the church called to be different?

Also had a bit on the reality that our citizenship is in heaven and some implications for our engagement of politics and power and that our culture becoming post-Christian might be a positive thing for the church because the church's holiness and power has usually proportionally gone down right along with the cost of true allegiance to Jesus.

1700 years ago a pastor named Augustine saw something I bet you and I also experience: people can disappoint us to the point of wanting to throw away our faith.

Layer 1 - The Lie Layer 2 - The Wound Layer 3 - Where Was God? Layer 4 - The Exchange Layer 5 - Repentance & Forgiveness Layer 6 - The Truth

It isn't excusing. It isn't sweeping under the rug. And God doesn't expect us to do it without experiencing his love and comfort.

I had this encounter a few years back and it changed my life! I made all new friends, got to know local churches, pastors, people I didn't know before!

A story about Dr. Bob Tuttle

The gospel has all the resources we need to form a new humanity around Jesus, with racial harmony and unity. The baptism of the Spirit is about LOVE!

A wild guitar post appears.

Jesus said we would know the truth and the truth would make us free.

More on the theme of truth I've been thinking about the last several days.

Truth is a WHO, not a WHAT.

That's the wrong question.

Including mine.