Each Friday, I’ll add a post on the blog that tries to highlight theological words from my Christian heritage. I’ll do this by taking out my copy of the Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, edited by Walter A. Elwell. I will open the book to a random page, close my eyes, and then point to a word. IContinue reading “Theological Dictionary Roulette: Perfectionism”
Category Archives: Thoughts
The Spooky Jesus
This past week, I was invited to teach a Sunday School class that has been making their way through Luke’s gospel. I was asked to cover the “Rejection of Nazareth” narrative in Luke 4. Although I was familiar with the passage, I wanted to take extra time to observe something about the text that IContinue reading “The Spooky Jesus”
Something More from the Sermon, 11/2 – Feeding of the 5000
I’m adding a Monday special to the blog where I take 500 words and add something from the sermon from the previous day. A point or two that I didn’t have time or space to develop further during the message. Yesterday we gave the opportunity to our people to pledge a financial commitment for ourContinue reading “Something More from the Sermon, 11/2 – Feeding of the 5000”
Vigorously Resisting Grace
Flannery O’Conner once wrote, “All human nature vigorously resists grace because grace changes us and the change is painful.”
Anesthetize or Healing
Rod Dreher discerned the difference between some of the priests he has met in his life. Some have the potential to heal while others seem to be content to anesthetize their flocks. Interesting image, one that is challenging to me as a ministry professional.
Curiosity and Standing-Still
I’m spending some time in Washington D.C. as a mission trip speaker for the week. It’s been a great time; great work has been done through a group of 100 High School students and their sponsors. During one of my talks, I walked through Luke 15, the great trilogy of “missing items and wild parties”Continue reading “Curiosity and Standing-Still”
TimeHop and Christian Formation
As a dad, I’ve enjoyed the TimeHop app because it pulls pictures and status updates from my different social media profiles, reminding me of what happened on the current date for the past few years. For instance, 2 years ago today, I posted a short video of Avery and Ezra riding a longboard skateboard downContinue reading “TimeHop and Christian Formation”
No Secondhand Stoke
Recently, 60 people gathered in Huntington Beach to attempt a world record by catching the same wave on the same board. It looks like they had a good time, right? It’s pretty impressive when people take on something together and pull it off. I’m sure you’ve been a part of some sort of team at workContinue reading “No Secondhand Stoke”
Ash Wednesday
I love Ash Wednesday! Avery (our 5 year old) loves Ash Wednesday, too. I miss not being in Kansas in order to go to a service with Avery and then enjoying brownies from Starbucks afterwards. Ash Wednesday is a radical act, a jarring experience for the worshipper. We are reminded of our frailty in the midstContinue reading “Ash Wednesday”
Skillen Family News
Our family has some news that we’d like to share with you. We’ve shared this with some friends and family, maybe not everyone that we would have liked to before a general Facebook/Blog/Twitter announcement was dispatched. Sorry if it didn’t get to you in the way that you would have expected from us. I guessContinue reading “Skillen Family News”
Joe Skillen 