Primal Temptations
God has cheated you out of what is rightfully yours! And, God’s way is unnecessarily hard! These are the primal temptations that targeted the first humans and the FINAL HUMAN. They continue to...
View ArticleEarnest Followers of Jesus
Friends, here is what we are about. We are earnest followers of Jesus. We start, continue, and finish with Jesus. We do not so much have Jesus in our hearts as Jesus has us in his heart. We delight...
View ArticleOn Avoiding Default, Fighting Terror and Following Jesus
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life … “ (John 14:6). Christ followers claim to believe it, or him. In the current climate of tolerance and political correctness followers of Jesus will...
View ArticleJESUS AND DECONSTRUCTION
Either Jesus will deconstruct us or we will deconstruct Jesus. We must seek the former and flee the latter. We must flee the possibility of deconstructing Jesus like the plague and long for Jesus to...
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On Security and Mission
I am writing from inside a secure compound in Eket where the Rev. P. S. lives when she is in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria, which is located in the south central region of Nigeria and is a city central...
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MLK and the FMC
One of the most shocking and shameful parts of our history as a church, in my view, is our non-participation (at best) in and our resistance (at worst) to the American Civil Rights Movement, embodied...
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Fifty Shades … Really?
I haven’t seen the movie nor read the book. I have talked with several who have and have read reviews of the movie–so I have a general idea. Still, I googled, “What is the meaning of the title “Fifty...
View ArticleJESUS CAME TO LIVE, BUT …
Some would say that Jesus “came to die.” Yes, it is quite common to assert that he was born actually to die. Most of us who say this know what we mean, at least in general. But I suspect others...
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A RESURRECTION—SO WHAT?
The Jesus story declares that the human story does not end with a death! To be sure, death looms largely within the story. Along the way we read of people dying, and as the story moves forward Jesus...
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WHEN ISIS KILLS
Last evening we were moved to read of the plight of followers of Jesus who suffer and die at the hands of ISIS. This particular report came from a church official in country who plead for Christians...
View ArticleA Prayer for Charleston and Beyond
Oh God, who has identified with us all as Immanuel–God with us, who was dead but is alive forever more, who is with us as we pass through the death-shadows, who is with us the same now as ever, whose...
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Missional Mal-Practice
Hardly anyone gets kicked out of the church because they did nothing. Even among the clergy, who are employed, we seldom relieve them for “doing nothing.” Can you imagine members of the church being...
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This is our Story, our Song
I’ve been thinking about that classic gospel song, Fannie Crosby, Blessed Assurance, especially its chorus, which I would adjust slightly, as follows: this is our story, this is our song, praising our...
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When Exiles Sing Zion’s Song
The ancient people of God experienced Exile as world-crushing and hope-ending. All God’s promises seemed dashed by their own persistent rebellion and disobedience. They had been warned and now they...
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To My Gay Friend
My Dear Friend, Recently you wrote several leaders in the FMC one of the most moving letters I have ever received. It chronicled the pain with which you live as a person struggling with same sex...
View ArticleTo the Church of my Gay Friend
My dear brothers and sisters, A couple weeks ago I wrote a letter to one of your members who is gay and in deep pain. (You can read it at: http://fmcusa.org/davidkendall/2015/11/18/to-my-gay-friend/...
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TERROR, REFUGEES, AND THE MESSIAH WE WELCOME 👣
In December of 2012, Lavone and I were in Bethlehem on what is called Manger Square as the town prepared for its annual lighting of the Christmas tree that marks the official beginning of the Christmas...
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Jesus Comes for Us and for All
The Lord our God loves, chooses, and works with/through a people to right the wrong of their lives and world, whatever, however, whenever But, the Lord does so, not just for them, but for all, as many...
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FOLLOWING DR. KING
The Martin Luther King Jr. School of Social and Spiritual Justice and Advocacy. If there were such a school that offered it, I would enroll for a two week intensive course on identifying, advocating...
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PRAYING FOR PEACE
On this fourth Sunday after Epiphany Christ followers have traditionally prayed that the God of peace would grant “peace in our time.” How timely and wonderful would Heaven-granted peace be in our...
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