Category: Practical Theology
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Tour Guides
Read more: Tour GuidesThe whole thing began with an announcement slide in church. “Children’s Ministry needs workers: 3’s room,” it read. “I love preschoolers!” I innocently thought and proceeded to volunteer myself to fill that vacancy at once. Now, three weeks into my commitment to shepherd the three year olds at church I have realized that I know…
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Making the Most of Every Opportunity
Read more: Making the Most of Every OpportunityThis past weekend, I was out spending time with a friend for her birthday, when a group of ten guys who were part of a bachelor party came and surrounded us. They were actually really nice, respectful guys, and since the night was still young, they were still mostly lucid (with the exception of the…
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Why Write a Memoir?
Read more: Why Write a Memoir?Every once and a while a strange but wonderful happenstance takes place in my office here at the University of Aberdeen. All three of us (myself and two officemates) spontaneously look up from our systematic theology books, economic charts of the Irish economy, and ancient Greek manuscripts to take part in a momentary reprieve from…
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Embracing the Emerged Frontier of Missions
Read more: Embracing the Emerged Frontier of MissionsIn the next five years, we are going to witness this century’s greatest single mutation in the structure of missions. As a result, missions will no longer be viewed as something we simply do overseas, but something we do within groups of unreached peoples, whether those groups are located in Singapore or Los Angeles-Ralph Winter,…
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How to stay sane when doing your PhD
Read more: How to stay sane when doing your PhDLately I have found myself deeply immersed in some pretty heavy research associated with my PhD thesis. I don’t know about you but I am the kind of person that can and will get lost in something that interests me. I can effectively shut out the entire world when I am “in the zone” (that…
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Down Syndrome Christianity
Read more: Down Syndrome ChristianityMichael Gungor, the lead singer for the Christian band Gungor posted a blog two days ago about the birth of their daughter, Lucette, who they discovered was born with Down Syndrome. It is painfully beautiful. Having a brother born with Down Syndrome, I resonated with much of what he wrote. Michael writes of the shock…
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Give War a Chance: Reflections
Read more: Give War a Chance: ReflectionsAs indicated in my previous post, here, two weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend a day conference entitled Give War a Chance, which focused on a new defence of Just War theory written by Nigel Biggar. Having not read the book, I found the summary he gave quite helpful. The book begins with…
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Sandy Toes and Solid Ground
Read more: Sandy Toes and Solid GroundAs my son dipped his tiny toes into the water and set foot on the coarse, wet sand, a sly grin came over his face. “Oh yes, I like this, “ his expression implied. As a novice toddler, he is still unable to walk without a hand to hold. Yet that didn’t stop him from…
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Reflections on Biola’s Center for Christian Thought Conference on Psychology and Spiritual Formation
Read more: Reflections on Biola’s Center for Christian Thought Conference on Psychology and Spiritual FormationThis past weekend was Biola’s Center for Christian Thought’s Conference on Psychology and Spiritual Formation. While I didn’t get to attend the whole conference, I did get a chance to hear from some amazing and brilliant people like James Houston and Bruce Hindmarsh from Regent College, Robert Emmons from UC Davis, Ellen Charry from Princeton…
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May the Lord…
Read more: May the Lord…Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. “So shall…