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Four Signs of a Formulaic Christianity
Christianity, like any other religion, has its formulas. I am not talking about the basic foundation of the church on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That is not a formula. That is a fact. I am talking about the ways in which Christians strive for right answers or formulas to apply, myself included. Religion is a seductive siren. She promises all sorts of answers to the unanswerable. Religion offers a way out of wrestling with God. And wrestling with God will happen if you are trying to follow Him carefully. I am going to tackle the four formulas most often promoted. And my issue with these is not…
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Prayer as a Competitive Sport
Sometimes it is possible to read too many books on one subject. One’s head gets filled with all theory and no practice. I found myself in this position a number of years ago when I had read as many books on prayer as I could get my hands on. I became very sensitive to the various approaches to prayer and observed carefully the people around me as they prayed. Some seemed to be in earnest, actually too earnest, as if trying to prove their sincerity. Others shouted at the devil, and still others read long and eloquent prayers out loud. The cool pastors were all very casual as if talking…
Healing Through Art & Words
