tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-303347069624452402012-02-16T20:42:46.675-08:00My hope is that this blog contributes to important discussions on life, ministry, theology, and politics. I also hope people find it fun!Curtis and Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06615111323624972545noreply@blogger.comBlogger1231100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-14443622330901135602012-01-18T06:27:00.000-08:002012-01-18T06:27:17.285-08:00

As I work with students who are preparing to share the "good news" (gospel) at  youth group the next couple weeks, I have find myself drawn to what seems to be the closest attempt at defining the "good news" in the entire New Testament. Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. It is this

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-5018946032815402982012-01-14T21:07:00.000-08:002012-01-14T21:07:28.249-08:00

I love to like things. Publicly liking things can be tricky. I like things for lots of reasons: if it sparks my interest, if it causes me to stop and think, if it makes me instantly lol, if it represents one of my beliefs well, if it a friend posted it and it is obviously meaningful to them, and so forth. If you publicly like something, are you approving, condoning, encouraging, or advertising

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-57104122654558345132012-01-09T09:32:00.001-08:002012-01-09T13:36:27.436-08:00

"May the odds be ever in your favor." I love this phrase in "The Hunger Games." It reminds me of the gauntlet of quaint platitudes and meaninglessness we run through every day. I love that a book for teenagers has (at least so far) dug surprisingly deep into the complexities of poverty. The characters from District 12 are slaves to an unbreakable system of poverty. Many have adapted so as

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-5209922495877782262012-01-08T18:35:00.001-08:002012-01-09T13:37:42.307-08:00

Today was a good day. But this good day ended in spectacular fashion. Doug Hardy, one of my professors and a leader of the church I serve, led us in the famed Wesley Covenant Service tonight. The service follows a written liturgy and we were directed appropriately toward the end of our worship, where we would pray these words: I am no longer my own, but yours. Put me to what you will,

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-43900423117790333102012-01-08T18:23:00.001-08:002012-01-09T13:39:24.447-08:00

I can't guarantee how many times I will post about "The Hunger Games," but I'm officially intrigued. I finished the third chapter this afternoon, and I have concluded that if this book continues on its present trajectory it will become one of my favorite novels ever. Quick shift that I promise has to do with "The Hunger Games." You know how some people will sort their food into little,

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-61834256865957820002012-01-07T17:06:00.001-08:002012-01-07T17:07:14.852-08:00

I've been listening to people (my wife included) talk for months now about "The Hunger Games" and heard little to nothing about its political elements. It may just be that I'm a super nerdy political science major, but when I started listening to the first book today, I was immediately intrigued by some of the political elements that leaped to my attention. Now I'm hardly more than a chapter in,

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-21685144899907146012012-01-04T19:53:00.000-08:002012-01-04T19:53:13.593-08:00

Comments were not a hot feature of the blog, so I disabled them. Having now received a request to make space for them, I now expect them to be filled. Hint, hint: Meagan Law

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-5008722568116661322012-01-04T19:38:00.001-08:002012-01-04T20:31:31.677-08:00

Rescue marriage from romantic love! This is my new battle cry. Maybe... #OccupyMarriage. I could go with that. I often wonder if a version of arranged marriage that recognizes both persons' humanity and mutuality could be adopted in the church? Sound weird? Here's where I'm honest: I'm weary of people getting married because they are in love. Nobody cares how in love you are today. What

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-64255458626681329142012-01-04T09:25:00.000-08:002012-01-04T20:31:51.196-08:00

When getting fired isn't the same thing as quitting: "Last night, the people of Iowa spoke with a very clear voice, and so I have decided to stand aside." Ah, the things we tell ourselves and others to make us feel better about rejection. If I'm going out, I'm going out on my own terms. I will decide when. I will decide why. Because if I decide, then you didn't decide. Michelle Bachmann wants

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-28717619486394873822012-01-04T07:50:00.000-08:002012-01-04T07:50:04.364-08:00

What are we required to say about Jesus? Many never say anything because they don't think they "know" enough. These words from Frederick Buechner are a good reminder this morning that we've been called to speak what we've seen and what we've experienced. "A Christian is one who points at Christ and says, 'I can't prove a thing, but there's something about his eyes and his voice. There's

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-12540017665596917202012-01-03T17:03:00.000-08:002012-01-03T17:04:10.106-08:00

One week during our mid-week youth gathering I suggested that there may be jobs, professions, or other things a Christian could technically do, that maybe because of their faith, they should not do. I asked for suggestions of these things that might be in tension with a Christ-calling to follow him. I wasn't sure what I expected, but students responded with "assassin" and various forms of

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-31907913273449587372012-01-03T11:51:00.000-08:002012-01-03T16:20:43.316-08:00

As the Raider's disappointing season came to an ugly end, I have thought about the 20 real and not-so-real ways that being a Raider fan makes me a better Christian. Matt Tennyson has lent some assistance to this list. You may read in each both a reference to my beloved team and a reference to some aspect of the Christian life. (FYI: This is for fun!) Practicing hope: I am used to hoping endlessly

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-62861615945887359332012-01-02T14:54:00.000-08:002012-01-02T14:54:13.273-08:00

Here is an excerpt I found interesting from a book I just finished. On reading the Bible: Some of my friends are for and some are against women in leadership ministries. Both kinds of friends gravitate to these texts (1 Corinthians 14:34-35 and 1 Timothy 2:11-12). For me, it's like asking about marriage in the Bible and gravitating toward the divorce texts. -Scot McKnight in "The Blue Parakeet:

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-47155243484998709812012-01-02T06:40:00.000-08:002012-01-02T06:42:30.987-08:00

A car full of gasoline is a mound of metal if the car lacks the ability to transform the gas into usable energy. The same food, entering the same mouth, can either expand our thighs or fuel their fine formation. The difference between fat and fuel is motion. Consumed, these sources of fuel are excess weight until they start being transformed into energy. A prophet before his time, Neil

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-14154287080358829952011-12-31T06:18:00.000-08:002011-12-31T06:18:39.529-08:00

Since Christmas I have held some jealousy toward a friend who received a full biblical commentary set that I have long hoped to get. To lessen my jealousy, I required he give me access to the commentary set. Since we live 2,000 miles apart, I made it clear that when I need access to his commentaries he will be required to read them to me over Skype. Problem solved! Except... I have found an even

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-18305363013357906692011-12-30T08:35:00.000-08:002011-12-30T08:39:50.129-08:00

On the 6th Day of Christmas my true love said to me... Name and Destroy your Idols! Wow... again, this week with the violent imagery. While there doesn't seem to be anything in the Christmas story calling us to reduce our idols to rubbish, my preparation for a senior sermon submission has me reflecting on the subtler side of idolatry. The sermon that I am working on attempts to flesh out the

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-68241731143307045262011-12-29T09:17:00.000-08:002011-12-29T09:17:05.179-08:00

As a youth pastor I struggle to navigate the tensions that exist amidst the competing needs and realities of ministry. Adolescents today grow up with less adult contact than any generation in human history... Parents...spend 40 percent less time with their children than a generation ago. I just read this in "The Theological Turn in Youth Ministry." I have instinctually known this is true though

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-20895373874476536692011-12-29T07:31:00.000-08:002011-12-29T07:53:57.099-08:00

Jane and I have been experimenting with some technological margins for our lives. The immediate results: sleep! For three nights in a row, I have been in bed before 9pm. Last night, I slept from 8:30 to 5:30. While I have consistently woken up between 5:30 and 6:30 throughout the fall and winter, I am usually exhausted come mid-afternoon. The last few days, I have felt rested and alert until 7:

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-9652292483756048392011-12-28T08:44:00.000-08:002011-12-28T08:45:15.312-08:00

Every kingdom establishes days of remembrance that point its people toward that kingdom's story and values. Citizens in the kingdom of God are no different. We organize our lives around the patterns of Jesus' birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension. In the Church's history, this day was set apart to remember the young lives that were massacred because Jesus was found to threaten the

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-23847508451599634642011-12-28T07:34:00.000-08:002011-12-28T07:40:41.383-08:00

What's the deal with Christmas gifts? Is it strange to anyone else that we are convinced every year to spend money on each other in such an obligatory fashion that a significant number of these gifts are returned, many gifts come in the form of cash or gift cards, and somehow, each of us ends up scoring huge in the end? The "somehow" to the last idea isn't much of a mystery. While we are

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-45437054146916238092011-12-27T17:03:00.000-08:002011-12-28T06:55:54.028-08:00

Do you consistently long for more from your holiday observances, but find over and over the results to turn out the same? Most of us live in a PONG match where our 8-bit lives are bounced back and forth between the paddles of experience and action. We have experiences and we act/re-act according to those experiences. Then, as a result of our actions and reactions, we find ourselves in the middle

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-58474230574188164232011-12-26T05:27:00.000-08:002011-12-26T05:27:49.574-08:00

Since today is the traditional 2nd day of Christmas, I will expand on yesterday's Christmas post a bit. Most of us are likely tired of Christmas. We can't even imagine spending another 12 days talking about, reflecting on, and being transformed by the meaning of Christmas. This is because we're exhausted. We're tired from a month of observing some version of some semi-pagan event we like to call

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-82626721305926306182011-12-25T17:12:00.000-08:002011-12-25T17:12:11.822-08:00

If you went to church this morning, you likely heard Luke's version of the Jesus-birth story. I say "version" not as if Luke is a high school student blaming his 'F' on the teacher's inability to teach while forgetting his own refusal to do the homework... Luke isn't purposefully concealing important parts of the story. Yet, his emphasis on particular elements of Jesus' birth over other elements

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-71964154489448766922011-12-23T07:23:00.001-08:002011-12-23T07:23:50.221-08:00

What if we've misread the Bible's metaphors about growth, the way we have so many other things? What if we read the Bible through the lenses of our culture and thus assume that our understanding of what we're reading must be correct since it correlates with our cultural experience? In my mind this morning, this all has to do with images of growth. We live I'm a culture driven by growth. Bigger

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-53770748526610418662011-12-21T06:36:00.000-08:002011-12-21T06:36:52.666-08:00

Have you ever heard someone exclaim, "I'm no theologian!"? Have you ever heard someone say this apologetically after saying some interesting things about God or to God? The truth is that we are all theologians. When we pray, even if just a "Please God, help me!" we are outwardly expressing certain theological ideas about who or what God is or might be. None of us is free from the "thinking

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-25964131175922728132011-12-20T17:57:00.000-08:002011-12-20T17:57:28.656-08:00

I've been debating posting this genius image all day. Several times I've come close to posting it on Twitter and to Facebook, but then just to Twitter. Now I'm just going to do it, but in a context where I can explain why. I love how real this cartoon is. I've wanted to share it with everyone, but I am confident that to drop a cuss word would cause instant walls to go up for people who know and

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-79375430825902209322011-12-19T16:24:00.001-08:002011-12-19T16:24:31.025-08:00

Early in my transition from politics to pastoral ministry, I meditated on the life that I was abandoning. I had come to see the political arena (on a micro-scale, just those I knew personally) as a realm of living and working where integrity was an impossibility.Almost 10 years later, I am not sure my mind has been changed. Haunting me these days is the question as to whether or not it is

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-30993554351181139812011-12-17T17:33:00.000-08:002011-12-17T17:33:47.508-08:00

Let me start out this way, I don't have a single problem with Tim Tebow. Watch this video and tell me there is anything about the young man that is inauthentic, lacking, or otherwise to criticize? But why do we believe Tim Tebow is any more deserving of God's favor and honor than any other man, woman, child, or teenager actively following Jesus, giving glory to Him, and loving in His name? Or

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-7975864477436287902011-12-17T13:27:00.000-08:002011-12-17T13:27:45.368-08:00

I can still remember the afternoon. I had gotten off the phone with a pastor who wanted me to consider serving as the youth pastor of the church he was leading. Jane and I sat in her white Honda Civic, parked in front of my tiny apartment on a hangar at the Enumclaw airport. She was in tears and we were unsure what our future would look like. We had now had several conversations with the senior

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-67677580228817824972011-12-14T11:35:00.000-08:002011-12-14T11:35:04.662-08:00

Do you want to lead others with greater spiritual integrity? Yearn and pray with "The Peacock" Lord, Let a day come a heavenly day when my inner and outer selves will be reconciled in perfect harmony. - The Leadership Ellipse: Shaping How We Lead By Who We Are, p. 15

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-81336626663439812852011-12-14T10:59:00.000-08:002011-12-14T11:03:05.448-08:00

Once upon a time on Tralfamadore there were creatures who weren't anything like machines. They weren't dependable. They weren't efficient. They weren't predictable. They weren't durable. And these poor creatures were obsessed by the idea that everything that existed had to have a purpose, and that some purposes were higher than others.  These creatures spent most of their time trying to find

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-22492482336813690362011-12-10T14:26:00.000-08:002011-12-10T14:26:30.978-08:00

Last year at this time I was preparing for my class on the book of Isaiah. As part of the way I read through the Bible, I'm back in Isaiah. These last days have been in the early chapters 1-6. These are striking words for the people of God in America. What would it look like for us to hear these words with fresh ears? If you have a chance, go to and listen to the six chapters in one sitting.

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-42785562121018016122011-12-10T14:16:00.001-08:002011-12-10T14:19:39.885-08:00

First blog in a few weeks. I saw this video today from Funny or Die, offering a critique of Governor Rick Perry's recent "Strong" ad: http://funnyordie.com/m/6coz It made me go back and watch Perry's actual ad which I saw a couple days ago: Rick Perry - Strong I've had lots of thoughts on this today. Here are a couple questions that I've been trying to work through: - When was the last

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-29607700653169972472011-11-21T07:49:00.001-08:002011-11-21T07:49:17.713-08:00

Yesterday my pastor described one of Paul's imprisonments during his sermon. The story is this: Paul is in prison when an earthquake opens the door for Paul to escape. But, Paul stays put. This one story should cause us to pause every time we want to justify our behavior or action based on God's having opened a door. Did he? And even if God did open it, does faithfulness mean walking through

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-92043982878708935122011-11-15T04:06:00.001-08:002011-11-15T04:08:06.978-08:00

Death-row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal has asked, "Isn't it odd that Christendom-that huge body of humankind that claims spiritual descent from the Jewish carpenter of Nazareth-claims to pray to and adore a being who was a prisoner of Roman power, an inmate of the empire's death row? That the one it considers the personification of the Creator of the Universe was tortured, humiliated, beaten, ad

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-8210884263501393952011-11-14T13:09:00.000-08:002011-11-14T13:09:46.733-08:00

Is the "word of God" and the "will of God" the same thing? If so what is the "Word of God?" And what is the relationship between these three: word, will, and Word of God? These questions stem from a series of recent conversations with a friend. These questions seem to me important for a couple reasons: they wrestle with the nature and authority of Scripture, they attempt to wrestle with the

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-80422955988759154682011-11-14T08:31:00.001-08:002011-11-14T08:31:09.508-08:00

Can I be so bold as to say with supreme confidence that Revelation's "mark of the beast" is NOT some sort of futuristic (or present-day) micro chip that will be implanted into people's hands or foreheads?It's probably not a tattoo either. Revelation is a mysterious and foreign book to most. As distant as its true content is from most people (because it is read about as often as the minor prophets

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-34292390519424135962011-11-09T20:33:00.000-08:002011-11-09T20:33:30.271-08:00

Tonight I had a significant experience with my youth ministry team. I'm not sure they know how significant it was for me. I struggled to prepare my message for youth group tonight and to have it ready yesterday (as usual) so that I could send out small group questions to our leaders in advance. I had to use our pre-group team meeting and prayer time to get everyone up to speed so they could lead

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-41561171254746542392011-11-09T19:54:00.001-08:002011-11-09T19:54:53.658-08:00

I couldn't have said this any better myself. In fact, when I read it I mistakenly thought I was on my own blog, reading my own post. ;)Even the day, Thursday, is the same as my own practice of Sabbath. As I prepare to rest tomorrow I hope you hear a bit of my heart through someone who said it first! "Why I Don't Blog on Thursdays"- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-42106459470751453812011-11-08T19:57:00.000-08:002011-11-08T19:57:09.598-08:00

This will be a quick post (at least that's my plan). This is Part V in my series of reflections on the Book of Revelation. I am convinced that if you take what I've suggested so far and begin to work your way through Revelation, you will find your reading of it radically transformed. The great news is that most of this isn't from receiving the keys to some code to be deciphered, but from

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-48920812869926274652011-11-08T18:36:00.000-08:002011-11-08T19:25:03.566-08:00

I hope it is clear that my #occupyxmasmusic Twitter and Facebook activities are done tongue-in-cheek. Some have noticed this as they have suggested I bite my tongue. Rude. If you've seen the new ABC show Suburgatory, you will know where I got my inspiration for this. The local suburban high school is so disconnected from the rest of the world that they start a "movement" to help get face

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-69158601163762609942011-11-08T17:03:00.000-08:002011-11-08T17:03:54.191-08:00

You have to check out this blog post entitled "The Truth About Kids." "The Truth About Kids: Part 1" I knew I was going to like this post with the first line, "Ahh, children. They're...weird." We have this amazing ability to romanticize a lot of things. Christians, with our hopeful and optimistic outlook on the world and even sin, can be abundantly guilty when it comes to denying what is in

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-71970296135438286272011-11-08T05:21:00.001-08:002011-11-08T05:21:28.364-08:00

Continuing my series of blogs on what the Book of Revelation is NOT! This is the fourth installment. To this point I have described the Book of Revelation as being NOT about "the Anti-Christ," as being NOT a chronological narrative, and as being mostly NOT literal. Today, and maybe this seems obvious, but Revelation is NOT entertainment. The Book of Revelation is not the movie Independence Day,

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-12620186701979707392011-11-07T12:45:00.001-08:002011-11-07T12:45:13.747-08:00

One of the unexpected benefits from taking Greek this semester is the bonus remedial English lessons I have been getting along the way. I only remember one of my high school English teachers making any sort of deal about grammar and can't remember a single college professor who fussed over it. I enjoy writing. And I am aware that my grammar isn't the best. I've thought about taking a writing

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-36861187181655745742011-11-05T13:15:00.000-07:002011-11-05T13:16:19.210-07:00

I just had a conversation with my friend Gigi. She's helping put on a Spaghetti fundraiser tomorrow afternoon. Another youth worker, Zach, and I will be the event's auctioneers. Together, Gigi and I began to brainstorm some "silly" and/or "crazy" things that Zach and/or I might do to raise a bit of extra money. It took me only a few minutes of brainstorming before I realized I am kind of a weird

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-50192783130360244942011-11-05T09:10:00.001-07:002011-11-05T09:10:23.115-07:00

In many ways marriage has become like the church in the eyes of our culture: a hypocrisy of epic proportions. The church confesses itself as holy, because it believes God has said as much about it. But then... the way it lives... the things it participates in... the hate... the violence... the gossip... the evil... all coming from this supposedly sacred and holy community. How in the world can we

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-10079242293770686342011-11-05T07:28:00.001-07:002011-11-05T07:28:43.592-07:00

For many the pious prayer life involves personal quiet times that involve prayers for ourselves, our friends, or those who've requested we lift up particular needs. If we trust the men and women who have walked with God before us, we need to recognize this kind of prayer life is incomplete and by itself inadequate to the task of forming us as citizens of God's holy city.In "Where Your Treasure Is

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-40412561492511396742011-11-04T15:50:00.001-07:002011-11-04T15:50:47.501-07:00

While some might be tempted to use the word "obsession" to describe this relationship, I tend to prefer deep respect.Like a 12-year-old girl devouring the Twilight series, I have been ravaging my way through the writings of Eugene Peterson like a bush-whacker foraging a jungle since my first introduction to him five years ago.Some authors can consistently evoke laughter and pleasant feelings in

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-49154843782445398182011-11-02T06:32:00.001-07:002011-11-02T06:32:17.039-07:00

While paradox, tension, and irony are sources of great joy and laughter when employed for purposes of humor, these relationships can cause us to cry when they result in injustice.An article from NPR describes the new effort by Alabamans? Alabamites? Alaberms? to "redefine a human." You can find that article hereHow are we still in this place? Really, we need to define what constitutes a human

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-52952008905235989832011-11-01T10:55:00.001-07:002011-11-01T10:55:37.226-07:00

I'm not sure how I have gotten away with watching so much of The Office, without adopting Michael Scott's principles for life. The birthday card my sister sent me reminded me how brilliant Michael is. My 28th year of life will be marked by living as Scott-like as I can. This new effort will begin with being frustrated toward everyone who wished me a happy birthday.For as Michael proclaims, "You

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-90624412208360773082011-11-01T04:26:00.001-07:002011-11-01T04:26:33.291-07:00

"Since its earliest centuries, the church has set aside a day to remember the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us in the faith, stretching across the centuries and around the globe. However hard it might seem to follow the way of Jesus in our own time and place, this is a day to remember that we may be crazy, but we are not alone." - Common Prayer 504Probably one of the more

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-46742273899991785192011-10-31T18:02:00.001-07:002011-10-31T18:02:25.445-07:00

General observations of the church's whoredom in our consumer culture: How God and his people have become a product to be marketed and sold in the malls of America. When did the church become our common whore? The church is pimped out by dressing her up and sending her out to satisfy the spiritual lusts of people who can use her dry and then walk away. Because her pimps just want her to have

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-56342032745111269782011-10-31T14:53:00.001-07:002011-10-31T14:53:59.108-07:00

Do we live based on fear?I know that I would like to believe that my answer to this question is always a resounding, "No!" However, I know that my actions often suggest otherwise. I think our political actions, beliefs, and behaviors can often reveal how fear-driven each of us really is. I know mine do.Election after election, Christians lament the fact that had only two choices: Evil A and Evil

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-21519051825350234222011-10-31T13:16:00.001-07:002011-10-31T13:16:50.886-07:00

Who reads Revelation literally?No one does!Don't believe me? I dare you to find someone, anyone, who reads the beast of Revelation 13 with ten horns and seven heads as an actual beastly figure who will rise from the sea and will possess ten actual horns and seven physical heads. Even the people who are the strongest advocates for a "literal" reading of Revelation, abandon such reading the moment

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-85340076140356371512011-10-31T07:55:00.001-07:002011-10-31T08:03:59.947-07:00

Many who have worshiped or served with me over the years know of my great affinity for questioning holidays and our various celebratory practices. I often wonder aloud what it means to observe a day as "holy" (holy-days=holidays), or as set apart and different from all other days. Holidays have a rich and deep place in our Jewish-Christian tradition. They help us mark our lives out according to

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-50700037484557048752011-10-29T19:18:00.001-07:002011-10-29T19:18:08.213-07:00

On the way home from "Trunk or Treat" tonight Jane mentioned Pentecost, the church's birthday. Bek immediately asked, "What is Pentecost?"Jane quickly said, "Pentecost is when we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit."Rebekah, the three-year-old well-spring of questions, followed, "What is the Holy Spirit?"Jane, attempting to explain as clearly as possible that "the Holy Spirit is Jesus' way of

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-56442095711077029812011-10-28T10:07:00.001-07:002011-10-28T10:07:48.223-07:00

I'm reading Revelation 3:7-13 this morning. I often pray that God will use passages that I will preach on, in me first. I pray that any message I bring, would be born out of my willingness to be transformed by the words.So this morning I read and wondered what it means to talk about Jesus as John does: "what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open."Then, as if by Divine

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-41757327333512688692011-10-28T07:32:00.001-07:002011-10-28T07:32:10.413-07:00

If someone were to record their observations of the way Christians live today, what would they say? What would they write?In an ancient letter, these observations of the early church are found:"The Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor by language, nor by the customs that they observe; for they neither inhabit cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar form of speech

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-21047139859709086592011-10-26T20:59:00.000-07:002011-10-26T20:59:58.263-07:00

And on the seventh day he rested. I try to practice Sabbath. The reasons are too numerous to tell right now, but tomorrow is Sabbath. (Not for most people, but for me since Sundays tend to be a day committed to my routine work) Sabbath observance creates space in my life to be refreshed and renewed by God. It also gives me the chance to intentionally break patterns and rhythms (if even for a

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-84283424088357116482011-10-26T11:51:00.000-07:002011-10-26T11:58:53.837-07:00

Justin Taylor, from the Gospel Coalition, posted an incredible excerpt from a book called, What Can Miserable Christians Sing? Do Our Worship Songs Have Room for Lament? Here are a couple of the lines that Taylor posted: A diet of unremittingly jolly choruses and hymns inevitably creates an unrealistic horizon of expectation which sees the normative Christian life as one long triumphalist

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-71822728806021532552011-10-26T10:00:00.000-07:002011-10-26T10:00:22.074-07:00

Have you ever accomplished something and then started to feel really lame when you looked around and saw what others were able to accomplish? You run a marathon, then you discover a 100-yr-old guy and 39-week-pregnant woman have both done the same. You run a single marathon, and are barely able to walk at the end of the day, and along comes a guy who is going to run 100 marathons in 60 days.

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-83024664124636932422011-10-26T09:45:00.000-07:002011-10-26T09:45:49.423-07:00

I heard interesting news yesterday. If you elect Rick Perry, the candidate who has rightfully heard God call him to the Presidency, you will be in store for a promised flat tax. A flat tax means simply, everyone pays the same percentage in taxes as everyone else. Perry's proposal, 20%. Seems fair right? Is it? The question, and I think its an important one since Perry has deemed himself God's

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-42924440574756624842011-10-26T07:22:00.001-07:002011-10-26T07:37:53.460-07:00

I've occasionally been asked what it my Facebook profile means when I list Ecclesial as my "Political Views." Ecclesial is in reference to the Greek word typically translated "church." I believe our political responsibilities in this world have everything to do with the work that God has entrusted to his People, the church. This has many implications, which will hopefully become more clear in

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-83646595393579004502011-10-25T16:31:00.000-07:002011-10-25T16:33:11.349-07:00

Evening Prayer to the Holy Spirit (Augustine of Hippo, AD 354-430) O Holy Spirit, most merciful Comforter:You proceed from the Fatherin a manner beyond our understanding.Come, I beseech You,and take up your abode in my heart.Purify and cleanse me from all sin,and sanctify my soul.Cleanse it from every impurity,water its dryness,melt its coldness,and save it from its sinful ways.Make me truly

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-87056796705775964572011-10-25T12:39:00.000-07:002011-10-25T12:39:09.361-07:00

The elections in Tunisia are over. But a few days ago, many were anticipating the elections with great interest and concern. These were the first of the "Arab Spring" revolutions to enact free elections. Other than being a landmark moment in the Middle East and Tunisia, a comment made on a radio program struck me. As the country of Tunisia anticipated its new leadership, many were wondering who

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-59238099462192532882011-10-25T12:00:00.000-07:002011-10-25T12:24:28.248-07:00

My first post of the Book of Revelation was intentionally chosen because of the craziness that commonly surrounds figuring out exactly who the "Anti-Christ" might be. As Revelation is the most frequently cited source for such "identification," I thought it a good and helpful starting place. If Revelation isn't about the Anti-Christ, then it must be about something else... I want to suggest

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-8193703481910354042011-10-24T17:33:00.000-07:002011-10-24T17:33:55.190-07:00

In a brief conversation yesterday I remembered just one more thing that Jesus saved me from:  bad weeks caused by Oakland Raider losses There was a day when my Mondays would be tragically affected by the outcome of Raider games on Sundays.  Those were days when I understood so little about what made life great, that I become completely emotionally dependent on the well-being of a football team.

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-37516645535078118752011-10-24T14:31:00.000-07:002011-10-24T14:31:50.348-07:00

I have been wanting to blog about politics for some time now. However, I have a hard time actually doing it. I love and care about people who view political issues differently than I do. In a culture that is becoming more and more religiously tolerant, there is no such toleration for political differences. Political differences are seen as personal attacks. And so... I hesitate to blog anything

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-56533001475940141952011-10-22T15:25:00.000-07:002011-10-22T15:33:16.365-07:00

There are tons of people who are quite convinced about what Revelation IS. The problem I see with many of the ways Revelation is read (or not read) in the Church, is that these readings often seem to be influenced more by popular culture, societal fears, and futuristic fantasia than it is by any responsible reading of the book. In order to address to some of the popular ways Revelation is read

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-7771062522501813432011-10-22T08:59:00.001-07:002011-10-22T08:59:11.869-07:00

It's probably best that I lay out the sources for my potential bias straight away: I am working toward ordination in a denomination, I interned for a year in a mainline denomination, I grew up in one of the most long-standing of all denominations, I have never served in a non-denominational church though I have partnered extensively with inter-denominational para-church organizations.That said, I

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-68462800801755379812011-10-21T18:33:00.001-07:002011-10-21T19:06:33.382-07:00

I suppose that along the lines of my earlier questions about blogging, this cartoon is especially relevant for me. Technology is weird. How do we keep social media from being about our egos and our self-promotion? How do we allow the incredible technology that blogs and Facebook and Twitter are to engage people in meaningful ways? I want to blog a revolution. I am mostly sure I don't have

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-71814178764907929322011-10-21T12:56:00.001-07:002011-10-21T14:22:26.641-07:00

Classic movie reference, anyone? A prize for someone who knows where the title of this post comes from... Saturday I ran my first marathon! Many have been asking me over the last weeks and months, "why?" Here's the short and sweet version: I want to know Jesus and the power of his resurrection; I want to share with Christ in his suffering and become like him in his death. (Phil 3:10-11) But

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-38538020122579254592011-10-21T11:42:00.001-07:002011-10-21T11:42:57.118-07:00

Blogging is weird.By this I mean, there is plenty of information (too much?) available on the Internet. Is it worth the effort to simply add more to a saturated market?I mean, do I really have anything novel or interesting enough to "add" to what is already out there? We all know that guy from class who always has something to "add," even though what he is adding has already been added 13 times

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-55466383016277046742011-10-21T08:18:00.001-07:002011-10-21T08:18:46.350-07:00

Today's the day that I start blogging again. I've missed it with my marathon training.- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Curtis and Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06615111323624972545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-83886091896764190012011-05-04T12:25:00.000-07:002011-05-04T12:27:03.098-07:00

I always tend to get a bit nervous when the voice coming out of the Church sounds like the voices around us. Our responses tend to be honest to what we see. But what we see varies according to our filters. When we attempt to make sense of the world around us, what lenses are we gazing through? If we see America as God's bringer of justice, we're likely to look past the unjust genocide America

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-2514546764928712162011-05-03T14:28:00.000-07:002011-05-03T14:28:11.716-07:00

William Barclay has this to say in his commentary on Ephesians: "In this world there is nothing but discord, disharmony, and disunity. Nation is divided against nation, and man against man; class is divided against class, and in man himself there goes on an inner and an unceasing battle between the higher and the lower part of his nature." It is into this context that Paul declares Christ

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-63798742677726648762011-05-03T12:50:00.000-07:002011-05-03T12:50:23.226-07:00

We are aliens. We have no home to call our own. We are the ones who have been called out. More are being called. We have been mysteriously joined together with a small, humble, insignificant people that God has named as His own. We are held together by Jesus, the chains of our peace. Jew, Gentile, Black, White, Mexican, Arab, Male, Female, Slave, Free. We are Church. The body of Christ. We

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-70620380237959846752011-05-02T09:34:00.000-07:002011-05-02T09:34:07.199-07:00

Our hands are stained red. Many consider the Crusades one of the worst demonstrations of Christian unChristliness in the last 2,000 years. Crusaders engaged in Holy War to reclaim what they believed was theirs. They fought hard against those deemed to be enemies of the cross of Christ. Their hands were blood-soaked. They returned home soiled. Theologically speaking, that is. A Crusader was

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-79172588927620056492011-04-06T09:03:00.000-07:002011-04-06T09:04:07.615-07:00

I'm not quite sure yet just how political I want this blog to be. But since I've started in the on fun, how about another exercise in political, media, theological discernment? This video raises some interesting questions about God, prayer, and our role in the world. Watch the video and then feel free to address any of the questions below. How does the music contribute to the video's message?

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-36985807146336601652011-04-06T08:38:00.000-07:002011-04-06T08:38:26.836-07:00

My last post had half as many views in 7 hours as my most popular post ever had in the 4 months since it was posted. From one Facebook comment, its clear to me that the post's title may have insinuated that I am an Obama supporter. I guess I should make clear that my hope for any political reflection on this blog is that they would transcend the bankrupt and inept categories of Republican and

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-69957711185972898502011-04-05T22:54:00.000-07:002011-04-05T22:54:35.559-07:00

So nobody bit. I left an Obama video on my blog knowing that I have friends on both sides of the American political aisle. I wondered if anyone would jump in. But no takers... I thought I would follow that post with some answers to my questions. I hope you discover quickly that neither my first post nor this one have anything to do with evaluating President Obama. My interest in his video was

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-91365421859217522892011-04-05T22:22:00.000-07:002011-04-05T22:22:40.680-07:00

Here's a little pre-Passover fun! If you're unfamiliar with the story, you'll find it in the opening chapters of the book of Exodus.  Random note: I'm looking forward to a special seder meal being prepared at our church on the Wednesday before Easter. I know some people aren't convinced of this, but I've become much more in recent years: The Bible is a Jewish text (Even the New Testament) that

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-54423310864479172232011-04-04T09:29:00.000-07:002011-04-04T09:29:54.127-07:00

So it appears we have our first candidate for 2012. With the launch of this video, Barak Obama has declared "I'm all in" for the 2012 election. Watch the video and share with me what you think... Some questions after watching this "Campaign Launch" video: Who is conspicuously absent from the video? Why? Does this absence add/subtract anything to/from the video's message? Can you remember the

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-43063472112022126042011-04-04T07:37:00.000-07:002011-04-04T07:37:14.224-07:00

This is an excerpt from an interview with Mark Noll, a leading scholar in the history of evangelicalism.I thought it was relevant to some of my ongoing Colossians Remixed reflections.As a contributing author to The Search for Christian America, what concerns raised in that book remain to the present and what developments in the past 25 to 30 years reveal a healthier understanding of American

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-68700796597389265122011-04-03T18:43:00.000-07:002011-04-03T18:43:49.296-07:00

Just got this text: This is tornado weather. Just to let you know how it feels. And then the follow up: There was one reported up north. I think it's gone now.  I am suddenly trying to remember why Kansas City was a good idea? Seriously, have you seen the movie Twister? I have. And I've seen what one of those things can do to a cow. Okay, seriously though...I'm not sure how I feel about

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-43404291197946807352011-04-03T17:59:00.000-07:002011-04-03T17:59:42.539-07:00

To contribute to my Colossians Remixed reflections, here is my second submitted assignment. My first post was to name the book's thesis. This one is to "Provide an analysis of the argument of Walsh/Keesmaat." FYI: Epistemology in short is the study of knowledge. Its a philosophical stream that attempts to understand how we can know things. Anyone who has read the book, I'd be interested in your

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-53794876781994506062011-04-02T16:11:00.000-07:002011-04-02T16:11:07.555-07:00

He is the image   of the invisible God the firstborn of all creation   for in him were created all things   in heaven and earth   things visible and invisible   whether thrones or dominions   whether rulers or powers   all things have been created through him and for him And he is before all things   and in him all things hold together And he is the head   of the body, the church He is the

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-67801054164420595432011-04-02T10:19:00.000-07:002011-04-02T10:19:18.997-07:00

I asked Jane this question at dinner last night: "Do you think we have the depth of character that if we faced a major crisis or disaster, we would have joy in our suffering?" If all of the comforts of life were stripped away, if I didn't know where my next meal was going to come from, if I couldn't simply avoid suffering, would I embrace it as an opportunity to participate with Christ in his

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-49380161083088732162011-04-01T11:43:00.000-07:002011-04-01T11:43:43.332-07:00

It all began in Mexico. I attempted to go the whole week without going. Mission Accomplished. But there was a problem: once the system shut down, I couldn't get it going again. When I got home, I began a 24+ hour stretch of consistently throwing up any drop or morsel that I attempted to consume. I was backed up. Full to capacity. The only way out, was the way in. Good news though, doctors

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-34323962865187932232011-03-30T20:39:00.000-07:002011-03-30T20:39:37.629-07:00

I know that blogs aren't supposed to be filled with a person's written work from other sources. Blogs are supposedly to be less formal than academic writing, etc. Whatev... Since I have been posting my reflections on Colossians Remixed, I think it is appropriate to post an assignment I submitted for class. Here is my 250 word summary of the "Thesis of the Book." "Subverting the Empire" It seems

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-51956604246731942732011-03-28T13:37:00.000-07:002011-03-28T13:37:38.674-07:00

"The claim that Rome and its emperor are the beneficent provider and guarantor of all fruitfulness, then can a claim that the 'gospel' is bearing fruit 'in the whole world' be heard as anything less than a challenge to this imperial fruitfulness?" (74) If Rome posts everywhere that it is the bringer of fruitfulness and all that is good, what happens when Paul starts walking into Roman cities

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-42798251317512532352011-03-28T12:10:00.000-07:002011-03-28T12:11:10.839-07:00

What is a modern day "empire?" To name America an empire, what are we trying to say? Or how does one call an economy a global empire? These are some of the questions I have had through the first couple chapters of Colossians Remixed. When I hear the word "empire" there are usually one of two things that come to mind: first, the Galactic Empire ruled by emperor Palpatine and second, the Roman

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-36716113080898161422011-03-28T08:16:00.000-07:002011-03-28T08:16:10.696-07:00

This is often the question I get when I where one of my Gungor T-Shirts. Or "Who is Gungor?" is the question that follows some inclusion of them into normal discussion. Most Christians wouldn't know that Gungor was nominated for two Grammys in 2011 for Best Christian Song and Best Rock/Rap Christian Album. They are never played on the radio. And yet, their music continues to stir deeply in my

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-84002786543424086282011-03-26T13:18:00.000-07:002011-03-26T13:27:31.228-07:00

I think it is. How about the version that we offer people? Are there times when these aren't the same thing? Based on an integration of thoughts from different sources over the last weeks, I've been thinking about the Jesus that we invite people to know. Colossians Remixed opens Chapter 3 with an historical fiction type narrative of Nympha mentioned as a host for the Colossian church. Please

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-31511185288774862122011-03-26T12:20:00.000-07:002011-03-26T12:20:18.883-07:00

When you write academically day in and day out, it can be a challenge to shift back into everyday writing for everyday conversation. That's where Jane's honesty is such a blessing. After reading one of my blogs she said, "I don't like reading your blog. It makes me feel dumb." Of course I asked her what didn't make sense. She showed me. We read it out loud. She looked at me and said, "What are

Curtis and Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06615111323624972545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-55835811338255748402011-03-26T11:52:00.000-07:002011-03-26T11:52:12.644-07:00

This is PART DEUX of my journey through Colossians Remixed. Accordingly, these thoughts will be based on Chapter 2 of the book. Is it possible that when you read, you are reading something other than what the author intended for you to hear? I find that people really struggle with the idea that what they read is always effected to some degree by their prior experience. I don't know if this is

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-10786435499470141582011-03-24T10:41:00.000-07:002011-03-26T12:14:50.782-07:00

I'm not sure yet, but I'm going to find out. I've been waiting all semester to get to Colossians Remixed. I heard Brian Walsh and Sylvia Keesmaat speak at Wheaton College for the conference held there to engage the work of N.T. Wright. I was struck by their non-standard readings of some familiar passages. By non-standard I don't mean to say wrong or unorthodox, but really just "non-standard,"

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-83471169516575360242011-03-21T14:36:00.000-07:002011-03-21T14:43:42.009-07:00

I saw this quote from James McGrath's blog today: "Why are we Protestants, who exist because of people willing to question the status quo, so hostile to those who in turn question us?" -- Mason, "In which I'm tired of the witch hunts" at New Ways ForwardThis reminds me of the harsh penalties our Constitution provides for treason. It takes treason to know treason. Since we Americans were a

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-61469221868499940082011-03-11T06:57:00.000-08:002011-03-11T06:57:30.002-08:00

How big is your view of God's grace? Is grace something in limited supply, therefore God gives each of us just what we need? Is grace something akin to my days up in Washington, where the skies may occasionally burst forth with torrential down-pours, but more sprinkles in sporadic mists? Are we capable of seeing the outrageous abundance of God's grace that lavishes on His people? I ask these

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30334706962445240.post-50353465680623864902011-03-10T15:27:00.000-08:002011-03-10T20:54:06.829-08:00

As I look up at the subject for this post, it makes me laugh. I clearly do not hate those who volunteer to serve. What I have come to cringe at, specifically within the church, is the language of volunteerism. I choose to join. I will sign up for this or that. I am the determiner of my own destiny. So often it is about what I do. This came to mind as I was preparing for our youth staff meeting

Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13365761799189748596noreply@blogger.com3