On this New Year’s day I only have one thing on my mind. I admit it’s kind of random for the first post of the year–legalism. I have been kicking this idea around in my head so I decided to write on it. If your looking for definitions on legalism you can find it here, here, and here, so I won’t offer a definition beyond these. I became very familiar with legalism when I attended a Read More …
My brother and I were doing some last minute shopping around mission/fashion valley and we noticed on several street corners these Christians with yellow signs. The signs said, “Jesus died for you” “Jesus loves you” “Jesus bore your sin.” On the same street corners were people begging for money. I felt like there was something wrong with this situation. So, what’s wrong with this picture? -jpserrano
For the last couple of days, I have been reading repeatedly an account and commentary by Rev. Rich Lane on being pepper sprayed during an Occupy Wall Street (OWS) demonstration in Seattle. I have come back to it many times because I find it to be both thought-provoking and troubling. I suggest you read the whole article here before you read my response. Rev. Lane recounts from his perspective the confrontation that initiated the whole incident. He writes, Read More …
Here is my top 15 things a church can do to keep their youth worker. Pay well. A first year youth worker in a church should earn the starting salary of a first year teacher in the area. Give vacations. At least 3 weeks a year and 4 Sundays. Give “comp time.” If they worked 50 hours one week, let them take 10 hours off the next week. Do not expect the spouse to work Read More …
At PLTS, a popular phrase quoted is two words from Martin Luther. Students will triumphantly announce something like, “Well, Luther tells us to SIN BOLDLY.” It seems it is more often than not used as an excuse to allow sins (not Sin) to continue in the life of the believer. It has become a license to allow breaking the commandments–behaviors that transgress the way God would have us live as members of the Kingdom of God Read More …
I had the opportunity this last month to participate in a two day anti-racism training at my seminary. I really appreciated the effort of the seminary to bring the problem of racism to the forefront of the thoughts of the whole campus, alongside those whom deal with it on a regular basis. Those who call themselves Christian should be committed to anti-racism. I understand that not everyone had my experience (as there were two groups). Read More …
I am of the firm belief that we should take the position of Youth Director in the ELCA hit it with a shovel in the back of the head and bury it. It no longer does the Church any good to look for a “youth director” in order to provide the inadequate forms youth ministry we have come to love. Instead, I think we should be looking for Youth Ministers (that are missionally focused). What’s Read More …
I often hear in Lutheran circles (ELCA) a division between laity and clergy that is completely unhelpful. What I find particularly troubling is the degree to which some exalt clergy to such a point that the Pastor’s vary nature changed–somehow by the laying on of hands the person is now elevated and special in ordination. I had an experience a while back where someone told me that the Job of a Youth Minister and that Read More …