Unholy wars

I have a minister friend from Memphis, Tennessee, where there are more Baptist than people. He told me the story of a Baptist Church of some reputation there.  It seems that someone called the police to this Baptist Church because of a ruckus going on there. When the police arrived, they found a microphone cord noose around the pastor’s neck, and the deacons trying to hang the pastor.

The Five Second Church

What is the longest sermon that you have ever heard?  I hope you don’t say this one because all mine are pretty much under 20 minutes.  They may seem long, but trust me, they are not.  It is not that I can’t preach a long one like those other Baptist, it is just I figured out a long time ago that one 45 minute sermon is the same work as three 15 minutes sermons.  And besides, I am always afraid that I am just one week away from running out of soap.

Boys Don’t Cry

Well, I am very thankful to be a part of a very progressive congregation and for lots of reasons. Because the truth is, whatever our limitations are as a very small church are insignificant compared to our upside, which is basically we always put people before rules, we have absolute positive regard for all God’s children, and we think our spirituality is way more important than the institutional church.

The Son of Sam and The Son of Man

 Let’s begin today with a bit of trivia, so let’s see how you do – what do George Bush, Jimmy Carter John Ashcroft, Dan Quayle have in common? They are all politicians. How about the next list: Supermodel Kim Alexis, Stephen Baldwin, Jane Fonda, Tom Hanks, Richard Kiel and Gary Busey? They are all actors, or in the entertainment business. Now that you know how this game works, you will guess the next list:

The Drawer

OK, let’s get this out of the way, a number of people are telling me that they have seen the ad in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette of my upcoming speech on humor and health for the Active Living program at Baptist Health.  It has run in the paper under the title “Chuckle Therapy,” and that is bothersome to me on several levels.  

For the Glory of God

Well, I read a fascinating story this week in USA Today sports, maybe you heard or read the story:

A hole-in-one is rare on the golf course, but what are the odds of a blind golfer sinking one? Leo Fiyalko couldn’t see it, but his golf buddies did — a hole-in-one on the fifth hole at the Cove Cay Country Club.

Supersize Me

            We have had a flurry of new restaurants in that have opened up lately in Maumelle, particularly of the fast food variety.  I really like one of the new places, called Taco Bueno, which is a chain out of Texas.  It is really nothing more than a supped up Taco Bell, but it is better than Taco Bell and better than some of the Senior Tequila knock-offs that occupy strip malls everywhere in Maumelle.  I went by the other night to take an order home after working late, and in doing so I bumped up against one of my personal limitations. 

All About Eve

People at the hospital are always asking my opinion about things such as current events, and fortunately for them I almost always have an opinion to offer.  Though I have learned the fine art of diplomacy along with fine tuning my ability to read people like a book, I am sometimes guarded in my answers.  They say of course you shouldn’t speak of politics or religion in mixed company, but since religion is my business I try to make it everyone else’s business as well. 

The Case of the Honest Politician

I am excited to have two chaplain residents joining my department from Slovakia this August, Dasa and Klara, both graduating from seminary in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia very soon. I know little about Slovakia, but in my correspondence with them and in my time talking with them I have been impressed on several levels.  I am impressed with their sense of calling, their willingness to pack up and come to the United States for a year so that they can help find their place in ministry and take back new opportunities to the peoples of Slovakia. 

Good Shepherd, Good Gate . . . Good Gosh, O mighty

by Mary Jane Cole

 

Are any of you from places where there are sheep, sheepherders or shepherds? We didn’t have many of these in eastern Arkansas where I grew up.  It was mostly cotton, rice and soybean farming.  I might be able to tell you a little bit about riding on tractors and combines, but not much about sheepherding.