Day One Hundred Forty-Five – Confessions of a Recovering Bapticostal: Hitting the Pause Button
For quite some time now I’ve been posting daily about what it means to call myself a Recovering Bapticostal. I have no idea how many have read posts from this series and I’m not really concerned about that. Oh, when I’m honest with myself, I desire that thousands each day would read and be challenged […]
Day One Hundred Forty-Four of 365 – Confessions of a Recovering Bapticostal: First Loves
So many voices proclaim to know the way. Most of these voices – whether they be political, ideological, sociological or educational – have some religious underpinnings at their base. It seems that the more extreme in either direction (right or left) adherents move, the more they find some religious justification for their position. Further, it […]
Day One Hundred Forty-Three of 365 – Confessions of a Recovering Bapticostal: What’s Inside
In Western Christianity, we tend to downplay our part in finding solutions to life’s problems. We tend to say that “God is everything and I am nothing.” I’ve heard that proclaimed in many ways all of which require me to put myself down. I’ve always had a problem with that. As a youngster, I never […]
Day One Hundred Forty-Two of 365 – Confessions of a Recovering Bapticostal: Thoughts About Creation!
I am fascinated by the various Creation myths from around the world. Woven into the fabric of every civilization are stories about how the world and life began. Most of the ones with which I am familiar tend to treat Creation as a static event – a point that defines the beginning of everything. I […]
Day One Hundred Forty-One of 365 – Confessions of a Recovering Bapticostal: Be Still and Know!
It seems that frenetic activity becomes embedded in the practice of religion. Notice I said religion and not spirituality. I know that was the case for me growing up. So much energy was spent creating an illusion of importance surrounding the practice of faith as I knew it. Church services at least three time a […]
Day One Hundred Forty of 365 – Confessions of a Recovering Bapticostal: The Value of Wisdom
The Value of Wisdom! Growing up in the somewhat convoluted combination of Pentecostalism and whatever “ism” to which Southern Baptists belong, I realized that I heard very little wisdom from the mouths of those whose job it was to dispense it. I heard countless sermons, speeches and lessons purporting wisdom. On the surface, these presentations […]
Day One Hundred Thirty-Nine of 365 – Confessions of a Recovering Bapticostal: The One Who Reconciles
I never really knew the true meaning or gravity of the word reconcile until I went to college. In fact, the word never really grabbed my attention until that time of my life. I’m not really sure why, it just had not. I’m guessing that up until that time, I had no real reason to […]
Day One Hundred Thirty-Seven of 365 – Confessions of a Recovering Bapticostal: Avoiding Hell
Hell! Is it a real place? Will those who fail to believe make Hell their eternal residence? Is earth the Hell for people from another planet? Is Hell a place of our making? Where and what exactly is Hell? This would make a great Google search if you are interested. I remember the take on […]
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 […]