Day One Hundred Thirty-Six of 365 – Confessions of a Recovering Bapticostal: Step Back!
When I was a child, I recall how strains of a particular song spurred hearts and souls to action! “Onward Christian Soldiers” was the song. It begins with the words, “Onward Christian Soldiers, marching as to war . . .” The stirring anthem generated passion and energy in ways no other song did. Very often, […]
Day One Hundred Thirty-Five of 365 – Confessions of a Recovering Bapticostal: The Strength of the Willow
The storms of life! We’ve all faced a few in our time. If you have yet to face one, stick around! Your time is coming! None of us are immune. No “storms of life” vaccine exists. Growing up, I was keenly aware that there was a preferred way to face life difficulties. At least in the […]
Day One Hundred Thirty-Four of 365 – Confessions of a Recovering Bapticostal: Solutions to Problems!
Solutions to Problems! That’s what modern day Christian Faith promises! We all have ’em (problems that is) and, believe it or not, we have solutions to those problems as well. Many proponents of modern Christianity tout the Faith as some sort of magic show. Some sort of mystical pathway to problem-free living. When a person […]
Day One Hundred Thirty-Three of 365 – Confessions of a Recovering Bapticostal: When Righteousness is Just a Jacket!
Joseph (of Old Testament fame) possessed a “technicolor dream coat” which he wore as a Robe of Righteousness. Elijah (also of Old Testament fame) possessed a mantle that somehow embodied a representation of Righteousness. Garments of various types have been associated with Righteousness in multiple religious groups around the world. The thing about coats and mantles […]
Day One Hundred Thirty-Two of 365 – Confessions of a Recovering Bapticostal: What is “Spiritual” Anyway?
Spiritual! Now there’s a word for you! Spiritual! I’m betting that there are almost as many definitions for that word as there are people who contemplate it; seek it; live it; share it; believe in it! I’m also betting that we could have some pretty heated discussions about which definitions are in fact the most […]
Day One Hundred Thirty-One of 365 – Confessions of a Recovering Bapticostal: The Devil Made Me Do It!
Back in the 1970’s, an almost iconic comedian by the name of Flip Wilson took television by storm. He was hilarious in the ways he characterized human beliefs, behaviors and idiosyncrasies! He did some of his best work by creating characters through which he poked fun at us human beings. The character with whom I […]
Day One Hundred Thirty of 365 – Confessions of a Recovering Bapticostal: Pre; Post; A . . . Or?
I’m in the middle of sharing a mini-series within a larger series of writing and I’m really enjoying myself! I have committed to publishing a brief article, blog post or thought once a day for an entire year! What a challenge! In the midst of this journey, I’ve discovered that writing a series of posts with a common […]
Day One Hundred Twenty-Nine of 365 – Confessions of a Recovering Bapticostal: When We All Get to Heaven!
A few posts ago I addressed the varying beliefs and ideologies associated with the concept of “saved” – especially as it relates to Christianity. The differences in perspective can be dizzying. A concept of debate that follows closely on the coattails of being “saved” is what happens after we die. Every major religion has some […]
Day One Hundred Twenty-Eight of 365 – Confessions of a Recovering Bapticostal: Fake it Til You . . .
I’ve been sharing about my experiences growing up in an ultra-conservative Christian family and church. I would be dishonest if I said that everything I learned and absorbed in the process was toxic. It wasn’t. I learned many things about God and faith and service that have helped move me through tough times in life […]
Day One Hundred Twenty-Seven – Confessions of a Recovering Bapticostal: From Out of the Night, Part 2!
Standing under the stars that pleasant, predawn summer morning after being awakened by my youngest grandson, I was reminded of two phenomena that disturb my soul greatly. The first had to do with the desire for control and how the need to control runs counter to the expression of true spirituality. Spirituality seeks the practical. […]