Can I Recommend a Book

During the 1990s one of my favorite contemporary Christian artists was Rich Mullins. Mullins was radical in many ways. He did not simply produce Christian "pop" music. There was serious grist in most of his material, a dangerous undertow. Through his music Mullins challenged conservative Christians to grasp the reality that Christian faith was more than wearing a wrist band (WWJD) or even listening to popular Christian artists. Christianity had to...

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Snow in the Desert ... at least on the MountainsWhile the rest of the country has been getting pummeled with ice and snow ... old man winter has hit the desert with a vengeance, ;-) Well you would think so ... we have had rain. Very unusual here in the desert. But we did get some snow. That is way up on the mountains. I have posted a few photos which hardly do justice to the beautify of it all.Just in case you wonder about those kinds of things,...

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Marcionism & Churches of Christ: What Value, REALLY, is the "Old Testament?" #2 :How Did We Get Here?

Marcion & Churches of Christ: What Value, Really, Is the OT? #2 -- How Did We Get Here? The Ghost of Marcion Marcion had a major impact on the church of the second century and his influence yet resides in Christianity both positively and negatively. Born in Sinope in North East Asia Minor, Marcion was a successful ship owner. He confronted the church with heresy on one hand while the Gnostics did on the other. Marcion moved to Rome...

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Marcionism & Churches of Christ Or What Use REALLY is the "Old Testament?"

Sometimes, I must confess, I feel like putting some disciples in Churches of Christ on the witness stand and have them place their hand on the “book” and say “I promise to believe the book, the whole book, and nothing but the book.”We in Churches of Christ claim to hold firmly to the Bible as not only inspired but also authoritative. We demand (on most issues anyway) ‘book, chapter and verse.’ A problem frequently arises, however, when either the...

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New Wineskins & A Gathered PeopleNew Wineskins magazine has graciously called attention to A Gathered People: Revisioning the Assembly as Transforming Encounter (Leafwood 2007) by John Mark Hicks, Johnny Melton and Bobby Valentine. Greg Taylor, New Wineskins editor, has excerpted large sections of chapter one and published them in the current issue. For those who would like to have a "taste" of the flavor of the book then follow this linkA Gathered People in New WineskinsI am grateful and humbled by Greg and the editors of New Wineskins for...

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Seeking True Unity #6: What Do We Do Now? Mike Baker Approaches the Jury

Opening Distant Voices“Those with good sense are slow to anger, and it is their glory to overlook an offense” (Pr 19.11, NRSV)“Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves” (James 4.1, The Message)“I propose to finish my course without ever, even for one moment, engaging in partisan strife...

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Questions for the Prophets

I have begun a "mini" series at Palo Verde called "Questions for the Prophets. I intend to ask some questions of Amos, Hosea, and a few others. This past Sunday I shared my "long" sermon called What Ticks God Off? The lesson is from the prophet Amos who is as tough as nails. The text was 2.6-16.If you want to hear a sermon by Stoned Campbell on John 3.16 called simply "For God So Loved ..." it is even shorter.At any rate I am asked from time to...

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Kingdom Come Exposed: Unknown Tongue of Theobabble

Today is Halloween. And as is fitting for the spirit of the day my good friend Lee Freeman has sent me a treat (or was it a trick?). He gets a little paper in the mail called Christianity Then & Now that is published here in Arizona. I have never seen the paper before but I was able to find it online. The editor of the paper is John Waddey who I believe was at one time associated with East Tennessee School of Preaching (but I am not sure about...

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Arizona Moon Rise ...

Arizona Moon Rise ...I took these pictures from our backyard last friday as the Sun was setting in the west and the moon was rising in the east. The mountains are the Rincon's. As fall approaches here in the desert it has been getting terribly cold, :-) For example yesterday it was 95 degrees and for Halloween they are predicting it will be 86 ... But seriously in the wee hours it has been getting into the upper 60 and in the mountains probably...

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Seeking True Unity #5 : Same Song, Different Century: An Interaction with Jeff A. Jenkins

Preliminary Distant Voices“I regard the Sunday School as an innovation. I can’t see it in any other light.” - N. L. Clark, “Editorial Notes,” FF 23 {29 Jan 1907}, 4“Where, oh where is the Bible authority for Sunday School?”- N. L. Clark, “Debate with Whiteside,” FF 22 {13 Nov 1906}, 4 A Summary of the Prosecution’s Case It has been pointed out in prior installments that I have been using a courtroom metaphor that derives its existence from the book...

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Reflections on the Moser Ministry Conference

I just returned from Lubbock Christian University in Lubbock, Texas. Prior to this I had never been to Lubbock but I had learned it is a nice town.I arrived in Lubbock on Saturday night. My good friend John Mark Hicks and I stayed up late reviewing significant developments in the life and theological thought of K. C. Moser. On Sunday we gathered with the family at the Monterey Church. Later that evening we decided to support the family at Southside...

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Seeking True Unity #4: Counselor Mike Greene Presents “How Did We Get Where We Are? A Brief History of Unity and Division …”

Preliminary Distant Voice on Unity - Barton W. Stone“In those days there were but a few terms of communion among Christians. All were admitted to fellowship who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and obeyed him; and their obedience was considered the best evidence of their faith … If opinions of truth were to be made terms of fellowship, it is much questioned whether any two men on earth could so perfectly agree in all points, as ever to unite; there...

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