Come to North Boulevard Church tonight

I look forward to speaking tonight at North Boulevard Church of Christ. We’ll be surveying the story of the Nashville Churches of Christ in the 19th century…Philip S. Fall…Church Street Christian Church…Tolbert Fanning…David Lipscomb and the mission to the emerging post-Reconstruction-era suburbs.  Ultimately, we’ll talk about how our history can inform our mission.  Join us [...]

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The trouble is unnecessary

Yesterday I quoted some from E. L. Jorgenson’s comments in the January 1934 Word and Work.  Today I quote, without comment, from his “Publisher’s Page” in the December 1934 issue of that paper: In the midst of bitter provocation and great temptation we have again sought to keep the paper clean of personalities and fit to [...]

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When others so speak

It is not at all easy to hear unkind words from your critics, or to hear unkind things said of those you know or love.  What should you do in such situations?  I hesitate to offer any easy, pat answer.  I have no such advice, and confess my suspicion of those who advise in such a way. [...]

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Quote Without Comment: The Intellectual or the Devoted?

The Intellectual or the Devoted? Perhaps the major reason why the intellectual life is viewed with suspicion and distrust is because it is regarded by many as being an alternative to devotion.  The prevalence of this view that devotedness and the intellectual life are mutually exclusive shows that we do not really understand the nature [...]

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Christian Scholars’ Conference 2009

With its organizing theme as The Power of Narrative, this year’s conference drew to Lipscomb University about 400 conferees to hear over 230 presenters in 70 sessions. Topics ranged from studies in specific biblical texts to theology to poetry to literature to history to ethics to science to ministry to teaching (and beyond). Presenters represented [...]

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Checking in from the hill

Just a moment to check in and give an update from the Stone-Campbell Journal Conference, now underway in sunny Cincinnati at Cincinnati Christian University. CCU is a city on a hill…literally.  I’ll post a picture tomorrow.  It is also a city on a hill figuratively and spiritually.  though portions of the neighborhood have declined (not [...]

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Little Sisters of the Poor

“Something for the poor, please, in God’s name,”[1] begged the Little Sisters of the Poor as they sought, door-to-door, relief for the sick, the poor and the aged. Canvassing the neighborhoods and business districts, they served Catholics and non-Catholics alike in what was likely the first religious home for the aged poor in Nashville.   [...]

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Looking Back: Of Disclaimers and Critical Thinking

Installment 3 (see the two prior posts below) is from the 21 June 2005 edition of Occasional Espistles of Grace and Peace and is entitled Of Disclaimers and Critical Thinking. Given my profession I regularly surf church, parachurch, biblical studies and other like ministry websites. Invariably I run across disclaimers, usually on the links pages, that [...]

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Looking Back: Follow the Truth

Installment 2 of my trio (read yesterday’s post below for the set-up) is also from the 20 June 2005 edition of Occasional Episltes of Grace and Peace.  The title is Follow the Truth: …wherever it may lead” read the sign on the Music City Assembly of God…not bad for a marquee one-liner. I snapped a [...]

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Fan On

Keeping the churches aflame to the great commission is like fanning a fire of soggy wood.  So long as the fanning is vigorously kept up, it burns fairly well; but as soon as it ceases, down goes the fire again into a sleepy simmer, or it goes out altogether.  What shall we do?  Fan on, [...]

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