Unquestioning

I usually say what I mean. I usually assume everyone else does, too. For one, it’s just easier: “I would like the red one, please.” is a pretty simple statement. The one you want is red, you don’t want the green or blue one. But for those who say things they don’t mean, “I would […]

Faith Comes By Hearing

Public speaking is infamous for being the least favorite subject of a great many students. For most of us, it’s a course we take only once in school but never quite use outside of it. We’re not often called upon to deliver a rousing speech unless an important occasion such as a wedding arises. Even […]

Sermon Decoding, Some Final Thoughts

I wanted to take a moment to consider that this whole message is a separation – not only of that of men and women, but of the culture of the Bible and our own culture, the principle from the command, the meaning from the context. Consider how a bit of the passage was reviewed, talked […]

Sermon Decoding – Part 8

So a couple of questions to ask yourself as you try to think so what does this look like for me? Have we bought into the idea that if the roles aren’t equivalent that it means that people aren’t equal? Are we believing in some way the culture story or the Biblical story that’s shaping […]

Sermon Decoding – Part 6

Which is to say that it’s not a cookie cutter. There’s no kind of one size fit’s all, it must look like this – it’s gonna depend, it’s gonna depend on culture and time but also on particular people and their relationship. (Anecdote from the speaker’s marriage.) But that looks different for other couples, not […]

Sermon Decoding – Part 1

When one is in the market for a new church, using a church’s website is a valuable tool in which you can learn everything you need to know. Some churches are kind enough to link you directly to the denomination to which they belong, or give you massive PDF files telling you their creeds, statement […]