I know the acronym for Presbyterian Church USA is not PUKE but that’s how I have always thought and heard it. A visit to St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Austin, Texas confirmed that this wasn’t a mondegreen on my part. Continue reading
Message by Humanism; Music by Disney – Visit to a PCUSA
Posted in Contemporary Worship, Families
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The Sharpest Knife in the Drawer – Visit to a Non-Denominational Church
If you’re a pastor who thinks what the world needs is another non-denominational church or your winning personality, give-up. Send them to Shoreline, Austin, Texas. They have a better sound system than any Dolby movie theater, as comfortable seating as any Continue reading
Posted in Contemporary Worship
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“Family Guy” Sees what Seminaries Don’t
In a “Family Guy” episode from 2005 Peter lists 29 shows that had been canceled by Fox after short runs (“North by North”). Check out the video clip. It’s impressive how many shows a network runs through. In their attempt to catch lightening in a bottle, they break lots of bottles. Continue reading
Posted in Missouri Megatrends
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The Lutheran Study Bible More Aptly Named Self-Study Bible
You’ll recall that the 1986 Bible published by Concordia Publishing House was titled Concordia Self-Study Bible. The knock on it was that it was a Lutheranized version of Zondervan’s NIV Study Bible. However, even given the inherent Calvinistic, Reformed, Millennialism bias of the 1984 NIV Bible translation as well as the weakness of some of the notes they didn’t remove, it still was a study Bible that aided in studying the Bible by one’s self. This is as opposed to the 2009 The Lutheran Study Bible which is study of the self. Continue reading
Posted in Missouri Megatrends
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Bet You Can’t Do This
My father would say, “I bet you can’t rub your head with one hand and pat your stomach with the other.” Try it; it’s hard, but is it possible. He would also say, “I bet you can’t grab yourself by the neck and pick yourself up.” This you can’t to. You have to be outside of yourself to do that. This is the problem with those who have faith in faith, by the way. Their faith is from within not without and it waxes and wanes with how they feel. But I digress, but not too far. Continue reading
Posted in Families
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Sola Structura
This may be an apocryphal story, but I was told my someone that the sainted Herman Sasse and Kurt Maquart were attending the vaunted Vatican II Council. As things were going on and on and on about this or that bureaucratic point St. Herman leaned over to St. Kurt and whispered, “Sola Structura.” Well, that ain’t us, is it? Continue reading
On Exploded Ordinance
If you drive about a major military installation, you will find signs warning you to be aware of live ordinance. An EOD, Explosive Ordinance Disposal, officer told me in 1993 that every year around Fort Hood someone is injured or dies because a passed-down ‘heirloom’ explodes. In a biography of the famous and furious Israeli warrior, Ariel Sharon, the story is related how his 11-year-old son took down an antique rifle that hung on the wall of the family home telling his father he would be out in front playing with it. He gave his father a playful salute and went out. Continue reading
Is This Confessional Lutheranism? A Critique of Confessing the Gospel, Volume I
The following is based on a presentation to my Bible Class on April 22, 2018. It was suggested that I put it in a blog. I would like to think I have refined it and not watered it down, but when self-editing it’s hard to know. In any event I publish this because I thought surely Confessional Lutherans would be on this like white on rice. Continue reading
Posted in For Pastors Only, Missouri Megatrends
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The Eww Factor Isn’t it
Joe Dallas, former homosexual activist, now married, father, and family advocate calls it the “Ick Factor” (Speaking of Homosexuality, 32). “Eww” is what comes to my mine. Choose whatever exclamation you will, Christians need to recognize that when it comes to homosexuality the Christian Continue reading
Posted in Families, For Anyone who dares
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Look to the Rock from which You were Hewn – Visit to a Baptist Church
“Look to the rock from which you were hewn,” is a call from Isaiah 51:1. Israel was to look to Abraham and Sara from which the Promised Seed came and therefore their righteousness did. In popular parlance it means to look back to where you came from. Contemporary worship of every stripe, every denomination, and yes even the oxymoronic non-denominational, Continue reading