Inappropriate Conversations

So-called "mountaintop experiences" are often called "beyond description" by those who are careful about sharing religious experiences. I know. I am one of those people, with podcast episodes like this one being an exception. With a connection to the team building concepts in the previous show on spiritual development, let's go behind the scenes -- metaphorically around the campfire -- at a spirit...

Community building relies more heavily on understanding the stages of spiritual growth than we often realize. Team building does not hinge upon every member being at the same level of maturity and experience. It is crucial, though, to understand the progression and manage those differences with unity as the common purpose. Sadly, this does not describe very many groups in our society today, includ...

Storytelling has always been a part of Inappropriate Conversations. Sometimes that involves telling the stories of others to make a point. Other times it truly is personal storytelling in the realm of nostalgia. I learned an important lesson this month about the power of personal storytelling, as if answers to questions I was raising might be coming from the grave. Different Drummer: Frank Capra

Whether we can call a church a home if children "must know their place" within its walls?

My position on gambling tends toward indifference. I'm less likely to make obvious observations about criminal activity or other societal implications than I am to reject ideas that state-sponsored gambling lowers taxes or drives tourism. In narrow (and largely long past) circumstances, that may have made some sense. Now, it is clearly less sustainable than the average "reality TV" show. Different...

Whether "old" church (pre-Reformation) manages ritual better than church today in more modern or contemporary settings?

It's not funny, it's hypocritical, how the same words can sound hateful or not based solely on whether they are heard rather than spoken. Sometimes we only understand the worst aspects of how we communicate when we hear ourselves through the angry words of others. The principle is very simple: if words you hear directed toward you are wounding rather than healing, then those same words directed to...

Whether there is any one correct style of a ritual, including communion and baptism?

From "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" to "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" Rankin/Bass Productions seemingly could do no wrong. Output from there was far less consistent, including

Once misinformation becomes "tradition" it is extremely difficult to correct. This is true of a pope 1,500 years ago who willfully merged the identity of several women into one misleading "Mary" to deliver a sermon series on sinful women. More broadly, it is true of those who ignore the way Jesus interacted with women during his earthly ministry. Walk The Earth podcast (6) looked at how these mist...

Whether gender plays a role in the experience of worship?

I've been known to sarcastically say "life has dealt you a rotten set of cards" to people who lose track of the blessings they have received in the midst of temporary, and often small, setbacks. For example, I could complain that I've never had the talent to see a musical note on a page and fight the correct tone with my voice. As a music-by-ear singer, I tend to follow others rather than truly jo...

Whether Sunday School hour is the best type of small group?

The animals we've brought into our home have always been more than pets. Truly, they've been family. I wonder if I would have been a different type of father -- less daddy and more disciplinarian -- if I hadn't first forged a relationship and taken responsibility for the growth of a puppy and kitten. Those animals have made their own contributions to the lives of our children, beyond just influenc...

Taking the Bible seriously. Different Drummer: Rob Bell Rob Bell answering questions

Whether the message itself differs inside versus outside of the sanctuary?

 "I love to tell the story" is a true statement whether the phrase ends "of Jesus and his love" like the hymn or with a disturbing denouement. Through parables or pure mythology, or even by the legends of the locker room, telling stories is crucial part of how we communicate. The best-selling book of all time is full of stories that we've historically taken for granted. What will become of our cul...

Time to respond to feedback, formally, for the third time. The P's and Q's are your points and questions: excellent ideas for me to consider ... hopefully with adequate answers. Thanks! Different Drummer: Richard Matheson

Whether a sermon is fundamentally the sharing of Word and Witness?

Pride 48 is the weekend of September 6th this year in Las Vegas. I would love to be there, but I can't. Even as recently as a year ago, I'd never considered attending an GLBT pride event before. Why would I, I could have said, not being gay? That, and questioning if there are better ways to defend people from discrimination than going to a meet-up. On the other hand, the absolute best way to tell...

Whether the church is a building and the traditions built there?

Elie Wiesel once said: "I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." I believe I've received similar direction in answered prayer. Too often, though, Christians are silent in the face of bullying and marginalization...

Whether membership at a local church is as eternal as being part of the body of Christ?

Treating some in our midst as expendable is, sadly, a very human condition. Taking it as a challenge, though, I've realized that it's nearly impossible to find "pro-life" advocates who are capable of reducing our society's reliance upon abortion. Most seem more devoted to creating unwanted pregnancy than curtailing it. Worse, the focus is less about making a difference in the lives of women and th...

Next up on Inappropriate Conversations: human sacrifice. Take Him With You #208 has valuable background material.