tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73413607542408494532011-11-27T18:48:48.128-06:00For I know in part, and I blog in part ...reflections from a muddy mirror, by Scott ShirleyScott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.comBlogger721100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-38329307187142843112011-03-05T11:21:00.004-06:002011-03-06T22:41:37.073-06:00

The internet’s social universe has been buzzing for a week over the upcoming release of Rob Bell’s new book, “Love Wins.”  Bell will apparently endorse the concept of Universalism (the idea that everyone will ultimately be saved and hell is not a real place) and, as expected, many of the bloggers and writers who find this idea heretical to the Christian faith have voiced their disapproval.  As a

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-47878447950098173762011-02-19T09:59:00.006-06:002011-02-20T18:21:46.738-06:00

This morning I ran across a blog article by Richard Beck, a professor from Abilene Christian University, discussing the issue of Universalism.  It was a great article.  As good as it was, however, I was continually distracted by the picture Richard had embedded within the article.  It is a haunting image of a young child so thoroughly emaciated by the ravages of starvation that he looks like

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-64868040174301920622011-01-23T14:43:00.000-06:002011-01-23T14:43:36.236-06:00

One night a preacher had a dream and was visited by 3 people. The first of the visitors was the Apostle Paul. The preacher introduced himself and Paul did likewise. The preacher immediately began telling Paul how he had been teaching his congregation about Paul’s wisdom for many years. Paul asked him, if he didn’t mind, to give a brief summary of what he had been telling his congregation. Of

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-54597626171668749772011-01-22T22:12:00.005-06:002011-01-23T12:23:58.592-06:00

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" - Psalms 133:1 Should everybody be allowed to read the Bible? (Spoiler alert: I think the answer is yes, but don’t stop reading yet.) In the later part of the 14th century, John Wycliffe became the first person to translate the Bible into English. His aim was to get the Bible into the everyday language of the

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-39597760859326058822011-01-15T17:33:00.010-06:002011-01-16T09:30:34.928-06:00

See if you can match the following quotes to the person who made them from the list at the bottom.  You may find the results interesting. 1. Jesus has a very special love for you. As for me, the silence and the emptiness are so great that I look and do not see, listen and do not hear. 2. “My whole life I have suffered from poverty and have faced many disappointments and pain, like a

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-11161790731295118982011-01-14T19:33:00.003-06:002011-01-14T19:47:52.857-06:00

In anticipation of Monday's holiday I was scrolling through Youtube watching MLKjr videos.  I had never heard this speech and, given that he was assassinated the next day, it is eerily prophetic.  See if you can watch it without getting goose bumps. If you would like to hear the whole speech (it is close to 20 minutes) you can follow the link below... I Have Been To The Mountaintop, By Martin

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-81625772609859415072011-01-13T08:19:00.001-06:002011-01-13T08:21:38.822-06:00

My day was going great.  It was this past Thursday and I had the day off.  I was home alone with little to do but relax and rest.  But I decided to run into town to pick up light bulbs at Lowes.  I grabbed a package of 4 bulbs and headed to the checkout line.  And then somebody made me furious. Tell me this wouldn't make you mad... Two people were in front of me but I was in no rush.  I was

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-60468084004006523882011-01-06T08:43:00.014-06:002011-01-06T17:21:21.512-06:00

Ted Williams, a man who 3 days ago was destitute and homeless, gives an inspiring and endearing interview on the Today Show, all the while thanking God for his good fortune.  For all of us who have habitually passed by a person on the streets without offering help, this clip should should suffice to riddle us with guilt for at least an hour or two. Hmmm, maybe they don't all spend it on drugs and

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-36020167213420337262010-12-29T16:39:00.009-06:002010-12-30T09:07:24.012-06:00

Please don’t kill the messenger. I am merely reporting history. For most of my life, one particular argument against the use of instrumental worship held a very strong sway over me. The historical assertion that for the first 500 years (or 300, 600, 800, or 1200, depends on which scholar is talking) of the early Church’s existence, it was vehemently against the use of instrumental music. As far

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-30531209178850871642010-12-24T16:37:00.005-06:002010-12-26T08:46:26.836-06:00

A go-kart and a trampoline.  That's what I remember.  When I think about Christmas, especially past Christmases (not sure if that is a word), I usually think about a go-kart and a trampoline.  It was my favorite Christmas year.  My brother and I were probably around 9 and 11 and, like most kids that age, had trouble sleeping the night before.  After finally convincing our parents to get up and

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-25482573542652340482010-12-12T08:15:00.004-06:002010-12-12T21:19:26.925-06:00

Contained within the same 10 verses of the Gospel of Matthew lies a story that, for me, has been one of the most troubling in all the Bible and, a few verses later, another that is the most comforting.  In this article I will look at the part that has troubled me.  I will tell you about the two most common ways I have heard people try to resolve this issue and why I am not convinced.  Then I will

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-84025671384684741932010-11-12T14:24:00.003-06:002010-11-12T15:05:55.496-06:00

With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, I have been thinking quite a bit about all that God has blessed me with.  And while I am thankful for the obvious things like family and friends, health and happiness, lately I have been particularly thankful for something that might seem strange to some... especially to those who occasionally find my articles to be a negative reflection on all that is great

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-30255341339254944642010-10-30T17:37:00.007-05:002010-10-30T22:24:17.091-05:00

In 1613, on All Soul's Day (a Christian holiday sometimes known as The Day of The Dead that immediately follows All Hallows Day, from which we get our Halloween) a Dominican friar and professor of ecclesiastical history in Florence, Italy, named Father Lorini delivered a sermon to his congregation meant to emphasize the widely held orthodox beliefs about the cosmology of the period. Lorini's

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-58057754631538544332010-10-18T11:10:00.005-05:002010-10-18T11:32:09.427-05:00

The following is an example of the type of lunacy that so often takes over my mind. While driving to Church yesterday my wife suggested we say a prayer about some mildly troubling things going on in our lives.  Sounded like a good idea.  She asked if I wanted her to say the prayer.  Since I was driving, and more importantly, since I can't do but one thing at a time, I said yes.  Throughout her

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-23350532268079402052010-10-16T14:17:00.000-05:002010-10-16T14:17:42.327-05:00

If you have never seen these guys do the Adam and Eve skit you owe it to yourself to watch this.  These guys are funny!

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-45258904456213728452010-10-14T13:43:00.001-05:002010-10-14T13:45:06.317-05:00

Part of me wants to be mad, part of me wants to laugh, but mostly this just makes me nauseous.  I try to be open minded about things but this is just too much.

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-22029611271891986102010-10-12T16:04:00.003-05:002010-10-19T10:46:20.126-05:00

I was recently reading a leadership article from Christianity Today about the need for many congregations to streamline some of their ministries.  Too often a congregation will spread it's volunteers too thin and the article gave what I thought were some clever ideas to help alleviate this problem.   However, a statement at the end of the article got stuck in my head and I've been thinking about

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-41176161588606993132010-10-06T19:26:00.004-05:002010-10-19T10:55:37.534-05:00

Growing up in the Church of Christ I have often heard people use a phrase like, “better safe than sorry” when defending certain doctrines or beliefs. For instance, when asked about worshipping without the accompaniment of musical instruments, many people would respond by saying that “obviously” singing without instruments is okay because we see instances of acapella worship in the New Testament.

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-4449124789896178472010-09-16T19:19:00.008-05:002010-09-17T08:37:43.367-05:00

This post is my contribution to the Eighth Letter project.  Participants are asked to compose a pressing message to the North American church much like the seven letters in Revelation.  It is part of the synchroblog hosted by Rachel Held Evans, author of "Surviving In Monkey Town." To the Church of North America,  First I want to say thank you for being my soul’s lifelong anchor in a world

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-5475581173530917382010-09-13T11:30:00.017-05:002010-09-15T14:36:29.676-05:00

Is it possible God could ever be jealous of Nick Saban? I woke up this past Saturday morning full of excitement.  There was a phenomenal college football schedule on tap and many were calling it Monster Saturday.  While it was only week 2, there were an unusually large number of matchups between top ranked teams.   I had every intention of camping out on my couch and watching them all.  But the

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-2550129401887858182010-09-10T07:17:00.000-05:002010-09-10T07:17:30.621-05:00

The following is from Mark Love's blog:  All That To Say... Today I found the shortest line at the grocery store, like I always do, like everyone does. George Clooney's character in Up in the Air knows which security line at the airport to choose by profiling the passengers. There is no virtue in getting stuck in the slowest line. I had four items: cherry tomatoes, two kinds of lunch meat, and

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-69220463305314795312010-09-07T01:13:00.000-05:002010-09-07T01:13:49.002-05:00

On July 30, 2009, Caster Semenya, a South African middle distance runner, won the Aftrican Junior Championship 800 meters posting a time of 1:56:72, the fastest 800-meter run of the year. On August 19, she posted an even faster time of 1:55:45 in her first senior championship, beating the reigning world champion by a 2 full seconds.  But there was a problem.  Her competition, and many others in

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-15329280344826160262010-09-05T17:01:00.001-05:002010-09-06T12:49:02.852-05:00

My friends have a new dog. His name is Chowder. Chowder is a black and white globe of fuzz and fun with one ear that points due north and another that falls like a floppy patch over his right eye. Full-grown but not even knee high, I don’t know how this charming little mutt could be any cuter. You just want to scoop him up in your arms, throw a tennis ball for him to chase, or scratch behind

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-44727653199602711462010-09-02T22:36:00.009-05:002010-09-06T23:37:31.489-05:00

I love to read. I really love to read about Christianity. Several months ago, I ran into a friend at the book store and he saw me carrying around the newest addition to my theological library. He shook his head, and somewhat condescendingly declared, “just read the Bible, that’s all you need.” Often people assume that they read the Bible clearly and without any outside influences. It seemed mere

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-56920023638203924822010-09-01T08:48:00.000-05:002010-09-01T08:48:28.897-05:00

The following is a chapter from the book One Church: A Bicentennial Celebration of Thomas Campbell’s Declaration and Address. The chapter is by Douglas A. Foster and is titled, “A Contemporary Restating of the 13 Propositions.” One Church is a celebration of the two-hundredth anniversary of Thomas Campbell's Declaration and Address (1809). But it is much more. In the spirit of that stirring plea

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-4799883933279161902010-08-28T16:34:00.002-05:002010-08-28T16:38:00.796-05:00

This article was taken from the Living section off CNN's website... (CNN) -- If you're the parent of a Christian teenager, Kenda Creasy Dean has this warning: Your child is following a "mutant" form of Christianity, and you may be responsible. Dean says more American teenagers are embracing what she calls "moralistic therapeutic deism." Translation: It's a watered-down faith that portrays

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-53928516237268391472010-08-27T10:59:00.002-05:002010-08-27T17:40:02.927-05:00

This article of from the Blog of Patrick Mead called, Tentpegs.  He writes this article in response to the following question... Did Jesus turn water into alcoholic wine? If he did why do people have such a problem with the idea of this? The story of Jesus turning water to wine has troubled a lot of church people over the years. I have seen people put Greek words through gymnastics in an

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-60115093064740985832010-08-25T15:10:00.001-05:002010-08-27T10:59:51.344-05:00

Just a little humor for today....Could you use this toilet?  My wife says "no way."  I, on the other hand would find it oddly liberating. View from the outside... View from the inside...

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-91104421055284443792010-08-24T19:50:00.000-05:002010-08-24T19:50:31.665-05:00

This article was written by Richard Beck, professor and experimental psychologist at Abilene Christian University.  You can read all of Richard's articles on his blog, Experimental Theology. To start, a story. A few years ago a female student wanted to visit with me about some difficulties she was having, mainly with her family life. As is my practice, we walked around campus as we talked.

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-15008996735052269822010-08-23T19:48:00.002-05:002010-08-23T21:44:17.277-05:00

As I type these words I am sitting at a table at Starbucks sipping on an iced double shot hazelnut latte. I'm here with a few books and my manuscript for my K. C. Moser book. Let me share some thoughts ... unrefined as they are: I grew up singing lyrics penned by John Fawcett, "How precious is the Book divine, By inspiration given! Bright as a lamp its precepts shine, To guide my soul to heaven.

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-75817504108038964302010-08-17T14:20:00.001-05:002010-08-17T14:29:25.214-05:00

Read this article by Dan Kimball and watch the short 1 minute video.. it will definitely make an impression! I am in the last stages of going through my next Zondervan book (tentatively titled "Adventures in Churchland") - which is quite late (Sorry Paul and Ryan!). But finally getting it done. It is my first non-church leaders book, so quite excited and nervous about it. I am directly

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-2051744400150906882010-08-12T22:10:00.004-05:002011-01-24T16:39:36.064-06:00

In the first installment of The Divine Interpreter, I pointed out a few of the things that any Christian would have to know with certainty in order to be certain their doctrinal interpretations were correct. The point was not to discourage anyone in their journey of faith. It was intended to be a first step in demonstrating the difficulty in assuming that true faith can only be the result of

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-87935408318007090462010-08-02T19:29:00.011-05:002011-01-24T16:37:54.837-06:00

The following is the first in a series of articles about “knowing” the truth of God’s word.  It is my contention that the primary problem preventing Church unity today, particularly in the Church of Christ, is a phenomenon I call The Divine Interpreter. Here is my definition of a Divine Interpreter: A person who genuinely believes that their interpretation of a particular Biblical doctrine has

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-17120756840273643312010-08-01T08:57:00.000-05:002010-08-01T08:57:58.573-05:00

A parable about you and your potential future... In a world where following Christ is decreed to be a subversive and illegal activity, you have been accused of being a believer, arrested, and dragged before a court. You have been under clandestine surveillance for some time now, and the prosecution has been able to build up quite a case against you.  They begin the trial by offering the judge

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-1197261442501655002010-07-31T06:41:00.000-05:002010-07-31T06:41:50.410-05:00

The following is taken from Rubel Shelly's website... RubelShelly.com The bulk of the finest people I have ever known are devoutly religious. But some of the meanest people I’ve ever known are also among the most religious people I’ve ever encountered. I struggled for a long time to figure it out. For example, one lady I grew to fear and avoid could quote more Scripture than just about anybody

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-1636379892179082422010-07-30T11:13:00.001-05:002010-07-30T14:06:42.964-05:00

The following is from ChristianityToday.com.  As the father of four teenage girls I can always relate to stories about young Christian women. Once there was a good Christian girl who dreamed of growing up, getting married, and having children. She read all the right books and did all the right things. She read about how she was a princess in God's sight and how he wanted the very best for her.

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-43198577736797498792010-07-28T18:12:00.002-05:002010-07-28T23:24:42.022-05:00

 I had a dream the other night... I am standing in my closet on Sunday morning wondering what to wear. A suit was the obvious choice, but which one. I decided my best suit would be the right choice... give your best to God, right? Unfortunately I remembered wearing my best suit last Sunday and I didn’t want people to see me wear the same suit two weeks in a row. I contemplated wearing my second

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-11577526188389135682010-07-26T13:39:00.000-05:002010-07-26T13:39:12.522-05:00

The following was taken from BioLogos.com was written by John Walton. John Walton is a professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College in Illinois and an editor and writer of Old Testament comparative studies and commentaries. Throughout his research, Walton has focused his attention on comparing the culture and literature of the Bible and the ancient Near East. He has published dozens of books,

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-89616277392462446382010-07-24T21:11:00.000-05:002010-07-24T21:11:12.908-05:00

The following is a portion of an article written by Joel Stephen Williams about a little known piece of Christian literature that gives a wonderful picture of the impact of the early Church. The Epistle to Diognetus has been called "the noblest of early Christian writings" by J. B. Lightfoot. Johannes Quasten said it "deserves to rank among the most brilliant and beautiful works of Christian

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-50013240413370304422010-07-22T11:36:00.000-05:002010-07-22T11:36:04.265-05:00

If the Bible were nothing more than a book written by uninspired men, would you still try and follow it? If there were no God would you continue to try and live by Christian principles? If you answered no to either or both of the preceding questions then I would suggest you don’t really believe in the Bible or Christianity anyway. Let me explain.  Have you ever entertained thoughts that if it

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-19458185332652049252010-07-20T10:31:00.001-05:002010-07-20T10:35:10.271-05:00

The following was originally written by Bobby Valentine on his blog, A Stoned-Cambell Disciple. It was reposted and borrowed from the World Convention Blog.   What follows is a different sort of blog from me. It is a collection of quotations from early Stone-Campbell leaders on the importance of Christian unity. My friend Bobby Valentine collated these and I have briefly edited them. Since unity

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-20020537609464408792010-07-18T22:44:00.002-05:002010-10-19T10:43:10.859-05:00

In the 17th century, in response to his support for Copernicanism, the Church condemned Galileo and his heliocentric ideas. Good Christians opposed the idea that the sun was at the center of the solar system. Why? Because the Bible seemed to indicate that the earth was stationary, and everything revolved around it, including the sun.  For instance: "The world is firmly established; it cannot be

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-16099977115944166622010-07-16T23:06:00.000-05:002010-07-16T23:06:02.842-05:00

The car was packed. Slammed. The back had suitcases stacked and baby gear carefully stowed away. Josie sat behind us high in her car seat. As we backed out of our short driveway Kristy asked me if we could pray for our drive, a seven-hour journey from Atlanta to Orlando. She asked if we could pray for safe travels. A normal husband would’ve said yes and prayed. A normal minister would’ve been

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-75661308694445376432010-07-16T08:18:00.000-05:002010-07-16T08:18:47.410-05:00

The following article is taken from the blog of Wade Hodges at WadeHodges.com.I found this article funny and enlightening.. but I am a little weird. The ancient Hebrew language didn’t have a world for “spirituality.” Apparently that category didn’t exist in ancient Hebrew thought because they believed that all of life had the potential to be “spiritual.” This is very different from our dualistic

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-33517874931952774432010-07-14T13:32:00.008-05:002010-11-01T16:35:29.145-05:00

Yesterday I posted a video of my wife on Facebook. Today I am in the doghouse. It was all worth it. Before I tell you why it was worth it, I think it would help if you watched the video... it is only 55 seconds long. Here is the deal. When Rachel gets the hiccups they are rather powerful. They are also comical because she generally throws the funniest little-girl fits. She hates the hiccups, as

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-84686717702228468872010-07-13T21:07:00.000-05:002010-07-13T21:07:23.501-05:00

The following is an article taken from BioLogos.org. Many people assume that Darwin’s theory must have shaken the foundation of the Christian faith because of the stark difference between evolution and the idea of six-day creation. In truth, the literalist six-day interpretation of Genesis 1-2 was not the only perspective espoused by Christian thinkers prior to the publication of The Origin of

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-6309715084265909112010-07-12T19:48:00.000-05:002010-07-12T19:48:56.915-05:00

I follow a blog called The Friendly Atheist... forgive me but I like to keep up with the other side. A recent post asked readers what they would say to a Christian if the Christian would listen. The responses are not all “friendly” but they do give an honest look at what non-Christians think about us. After reading through the list take some time to answer the question at the end of this article.

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-44969074572817603092010-07-11T13:36:00.001-05:002010-07-11T13:38:29.749-05:00

The following is part of an article suggesting a different way to view the authority of the Bible.  It is taken from a much longer article by eminent New Testament scholar N.T. Wright entitled, "How Can The Bible Be Authoritative?"  If after reading this section you would like to read the whole article you can click on the link at the bottom to be taken to the N.T. Wright website. The Authority

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-19504063238909828722010-07-08T10:30:00.004-05:002011-01-24T16:43:20.899-06:00

I have always been the type of person who hates to be wrong. There is a deep desire inside me to be right about things... answers, insights, doctrines, etc. Once I believe I “have it” I will defend “it” like a mother lion defending her cub. Usually I think I end up defending my lion’s pride more than my beliefs. Several years ago I began to shift my Christian views to the left and, of course, I

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-33254824007869920162010-07-05T16:26:00.007-05:002010-08-01T12:08:18.762-05:00

A friend of mine, Todd Newsom, pointed out the following article (posted below) from the blog of Tim Schraeder at TimSchraeder.com. A couple of months ago I interviewed Nathan Albert from the Marin Foundation about Mercy, Justice, and the GLBT Community. It generated some interesting dialogue around a tough issue… how does the Church communicate God’s love to the gay community?This past

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-9602630945710356802010-07-02T18:30:00.000-05:002010-07-02T18:30:47.361-05:00

The following is a portion of a sermon delivered by Marcus Borg at Calvary Episcopal Church in Memphis, TN (1999) The Hebrew word for faith in the Old Testament is emoonah. What makes that word interesting is that it’s the sound that a baby donkey makes when it is calling for its mother. To appreciate that, you have to say emoonah so it sounds like that.…I sometimes think to myself, if you say it

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-89006509509473625692010-06-30T12:46:00.001-05:002010-06-30T14:57:46.090-05:00

If God has a sense of humor, and I believe he does, then I am sure my most recent adventure in stupidity would have given him reason to chuckle and, maybe, teach me a lesson. I was recently in Denver for some job training. Since I had never been in Colorado I was intent on doing some sight seeing. I had only one day of free time and I decided to visit Castlewood Canyon. I read some good reviews

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-14600832677393449442010-06-28T22:00:00.013-05:002010-06-28T22:08:59.743-05:00

This following was taken from a publication called "Mission Messenger" in 1969.  It was written by W. Carl Ketcherside but it's relevance for today can hardly be understated.  This article is rather long but is an absolute must read. (a link to the original source is provided at the bottom)I have a deep sense of compassion for those of my brethren who are the constituency of the Churches of

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-20427763479217948802010-06-26T14:10:00.002-05:002010-07-11T11:01:24.042-05:00

The following, written by Edward Fudge, are 18 questions about the restoration movement with answers that may surprise you. See how well you do: 1.  Thomas and Alexander Campbell were originally:      a.  Presbyterian ministers from the British Isles;      b.  Methodist circuit riders;      c.  Pentecostal tent revivalists. 2.  In Thomas Campbell's "Declaration and Address," he:      a.

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-54192432929999439012010-06-23T15:58:00.009-05:002010-06-23T16:20:11.745-05:00

The following is an article by Joe Beam, taken from GraceCentered.com.  It is a little long but well worth the read.  The descriptions of the typical type of church-goer is the meat of the article and comes toward the end. ___________________________________________________________ Another preacher asked me if I could explain what is happening within our fellowship.  Like many others, he's

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-90377237601182295452010-06-21T23:30:00.000-05:002010-06-21T23:30:17.517-05:00

The vision of Jesus is not spread through organizational structures, but through touch, breath, shared life. It is spread through people who have discovered love. Not long ago, I sat and talked with some very wealthy Christians about what it means to be the church and to follow Jesus. One businessman confided, "I, too, have been thinking about following Christ and what that means … so I had this

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-22476577914077312652010-06-07T12:16:00.004-05:002010-07-11T11:06:26.771-05:00

The following is an article from Christianity Today about The Church Under The Bridge. Very Interesting. Sinners of all stripes find a church home under the I-35. By Deann Alford, ChrisianityToday.com Lugging backpacks and Hefty bags on Sunday at sunrise, they trickle in to the expanse of dirt and gravel under Interstate 35. Littering this city block between 4th and 5th streets in Waco,

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-77461718682923848902010-06-03T08:01:00.003-05:002010-06-05T07:39:02.423-05:00

Have you ever had someone talk to you about their sick friend or family member and at the end of the conversation you promised to pray for that sick person?  I am sure you have, we all have.  Let me make a confession.. I don’t always do it!  That’s right, more often than I care to admit, I forget or just don’t really care enough to remember to follow through on my promise.  Why would I do this? 

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-72546178152157362082010-05-30T07:54:00.001-05:002010-05-31T00:46:17.522-05:00

Most of us have become familiar with our society's way of referring to certain of life's most destructive behaviors. Drunkenness, habitual lying, compulsive gambling, unrestrained spending -- these and other actions are termed addictive behaviors in popular literature and by most mental health experts. Contrary to the early fears of some, the term is not an attempt to help people avoid taking

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-38717517324089339432010-05-28T18:09:00.003-05:002010-05-29T11:04:37.160-05:00

Legend has it that sometime during the Fourth Century, in the reigns of the Emperors Galarius and Theodosius I, the devil convened an emergency meeting of his minions to discuss ways to stop the gospel's spread. "Kill the Christians!" cried one demon. "Wipe them off the face of the earth!" The devil shook his head. "When Nero killed Peter and Paul," he replied, "converts multiplied. More recently

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-79911930511822262042010-05-27T08:32:00.005-05:002010-05-27T17:29:31.658-05:00

Here is a clever video from beyondrelevance.com.  It highlights some of the well-intentioned mistakes we make trying to impress visitors.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7_dZTrjw9I&feature=related

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-41759665474566287412010-05-25T15:05:00.004-05:002010-08-19T23:34:44.033-05:00

I don't want to go to hell. But I am not excited about going to Heaven. Since I must choose, I will choose Heaven. But I have to admit, I am not as in love with the idea as a good Christian should be. I will try to explain myself shortly but let me start by admitting the obvious self-centerdness inherent in the following admission: I am scared to go to Heaven because I like things the way they

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-27981039786171975602010-05-24T08:53:00.000-05:002010-05-24T08:53:16.049-05:00

Someone asked the question in a bible class recently that made for a lot of interesting discussion. The question was, “What if Jesus showed up for our church services tonight … what would he do or say?”  Here were a few things people answered…. “He’d lead us in powerful worship.” “He would preach.” “He’d tell the children to quit running in the auditorium after church.” “He’d straighten a lot of

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-47764929328308635732010-05-22T23:10:00.002-05:002010-05-22T23:26:57.170-05:00

We humans have a natural tendency to overreact to emotionally traumatic events. We tend toward avoidance behaviors, that is, if one dog bites us, we stay 100 feet away from the next dog we see.And this affects our theology. We like to think that we’re rational, scientific, unbiased, scholarly people — and sometimes we are — but we are also often deeply emotional and influenced far more by our

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-19689267516546987812010-05-20T21:32:00.001-05:002010-05-20T21:32:34.427-05:00

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25)This verse made my top ten proof text list... it’s often misquoted, with people talking about “forsaking the assembly.” It becomes about being in the building “at each appointed time,” rather than an exhortation for

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-11237887769508109252010-05-15T20:08:00.002-05:002010-05-15T20:09:23.066-05:00

I know that is probably irreverent.  I certainly don’t want to demean the piety and meaning that centuries of Christians have found in the simple bread and wine at the Lord’s table.  At the same time, “snack” is the language I have heard from children and post-Christian “unchurched” guests. I would suggest, as I do in my Come to the Table, that the meal is a significant and meaningful context

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-54437667612401099122010-05-13T18:23:00.009-05:002010-05-20T21:24:49.005-05:00

God, forgive me, a sinner...I realize I could get off this couch and easily find a person in this world who needs help but:I have worked all day and am tired.We are about to meet some friends for dinner.Saturday is the only day I get to relax.What can I really hope to accomplish all by myself?I have to mow today.Bama is playing football today.What would I do with my kids?I don't have any extra

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-30529216951286205722010-05-08T21:19:00.001-05:002010-05-08T21:20:49.847-05:00

The following is part 3 in a 7 part series from Wade Hodges (wadehodges.com).  In this article, Wade is discussing what he calls Church of Christ Pride... Our rigorous “back to the Bible” efforts turned Christianity into more of a head-trip than a journey with Jesus. Christianity as head-trip focuses on reading the Bible in such a way as to get everything just right: the who, what, when, where

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-13814351649714999782010-05-06T00:01:00.004-05:002010-05-06T12:01:24.489-05:00

All I can remember from English class in high school is the phrase, "dangling participle".  I hated grammar, writing, and literature, but I loved the "dangling participle."  You can probably imagine the illicit lure of this phrase to an immature teenage boy.  It just sounded like something I shouldn't say.  And even though I will never forget the phrase,  I had no idea what it meant... still

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-13442238373067486482010-05-01T23:18:00.013-05:002010-08-20T01:17:11.326-05:00

Christianity hasn't always been important to me. Let me explain... I have alway gone to Church. My mother took my brother and I every week when we were younger and I have kept the habit up ever since. For the better part of my 37 years I had been a faithful attendee but... well, that was all. I didn't take Church very seriously, I just showed up. Even though hindsight makes it easy for me to

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-81988402861209610112010-05-01T01:55:00.006-05:002010-08-19T23:33:02.179-05:00

We know very little about the eunuch whom Phillip taught the gospel . We know what he was reading when approached by Phillip. We know where he was from and where he was going. We even know where he had been. The big question is, “Do we know enough about the eunuch to extend fellowship?” In order for us to make a faithful decision about our ability to fellowship the eunuch we need to ask some

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341360754240849453.post-88356815580933754662010-05-01T01:54:00.005-05:002010-08-19T23:30:08.055-05:00

In Lexington, where I live is a congregation that advertizes on their church sign, “Church: The way it used to be!” What they mean by that is all of the preaching comes from the King James bible and all of the hymns are the ones recorded at least 100 years ago or more. Their theme or call to scripture is……..”Give me that old time religion.” However, that old time religion for them takes them back

Scott Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17948153013332354906noreply@blogger.com1