All Posts for January, 2009

Blogging Toward Sunday

Sensing Jesus' authority

Deuteronomy 18:15-20; Mark 1:21-28; I Corinthians 8:1-13

Jan 26, 2009 by Thomas R. Steagald

We preach these stories so often that sometimes it's the unexpected that keeps us going. It's especially apt when some new nuance blazes up into our awareness during the season of Epiphany.

In the World

Separation of prophet and president

Jan 22, 2009 by Steve Thorngate

I attended worship this past Sunday at a racially diverse DC church with a rich history of civil rights activism. Two days before Barack Obama's inauguration, I wasn't surprised to find the service dominated by joyful anticipation.

Blogging Toward Sunday

The greatest of these is being right

Jonah 3:1-5,10; Mark 1:14-20; I Corinthians 7:29-31

Jan 20, 2009 by Thomas R. Steagald

When it comes to fierce theological debate—excommunicating, eternity-in-the-balance doctrinal warfare—neither the ecumenical councils nor those unpleasant doings in Geneva have anything on my local Hardee's.

In the World

Link bonanza: Inauguration edition

Jan 16, 2009 by Steve Thorngate

So I'm headed to DC this weekend, where I used to live and my fiancee still does. We're excited to be in town for the inauguration—which isn't to say that we managed to score swearing-in tickets from one of our members of Congress.

Blogging Toward Sunday

The piece of Christ

I Samuel 3:1-10; John 1:43-51; I Corinthians 6:12-20

Jan 12, 2009 by Thomas R. Steagald

The prevailing topic of conversation at my mother's retirement home is the food: the menu, the cooks and—not least—the order in which people are served. While I tire of of hearing about the daily drama, I know that what is true at "the home" is true for many of the rest of us.

Blogging Toward Sunday

Let's back up

Genesis 1:1-5; Mark 1:4-11; Acts 19:1-7

Jan 05, 2009 by Thomas R. Steagald

"Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you were baptized?" Paul asks the believers in Ephesus.

"Uh, what's the Holy Spirit?" they reply.

If you are Paul, what do you ask now?

"So tell me, into what, exactly, were you baptized?"

"Well, water. Yes, that's right, we were baptized in water."

"That's not exactly what I meant," Paul says.