I was riding in a car with Eugene Peterson. He was driving. I told him, “A Long Obedience in the Same Direction changed my life. I read it 25 years ago.  It has been shaping me since.” (You’ve made that kind of comment to someone about a book or a blog post or a sermon.) […]

Mark is simple in his story-telling: John the Baptist was “preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” It was a message that got a response. People walked for miles. People stood on the bank of the Jordan river and said that they had screwed up. That they had sinned. That they had broken God’s laws. […]

Because you know that there will be a commercial (see yesterday’s post for context), right? Church always has a commercial. There will always be an offering, always be a request for money for some program, some building, some candy. But if you think that John the Baptist is about branding, it’s going to be for some […]

You have to start a story somewhere. TV shows give us a glimpse of action that leave the stars unconscious  After the commercial break, the subtitle says, “Four days earlier.” The previews for “The Office” finale this week indicate that we will start “Six months later.” Mark starts his Gospel with two indications of time. First, […]

(First published January 23, 2013) chip chip chip chip chip chip chip chip chip chip chip chip chip chip chip chip chip chip chip chip chip chip chip chip chip chip statue yes no no yes no no no no yes yes no no no no no yes no yes focus hear obey hear obey hear obey hear […]