Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Pilgrim's Road Trip

Home
Evangelical

2014-08-21T18:28:06-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

“Failure Is A Beautiful Gift Wrapped In An Ugly Package”

Last updated on: August 21, 2014 at 6:28 pm By Michelle Van Loon

I remember seeing an announcement a few years ago for the first Epic Fail pastors gathering, and wondering if the idea was an Onion-inspired joke. No pastors I knew – and I knew a lot of them from my time working at Trinity International University and then serving a Chicago-area church networking ministry – wanted to apply the word “fail” to themselves or their efforts. The leaders gatherings and pastors conferences I’ve attended over the years were all about ministry... Read more

Books

Uncategorized

2014-12-27T16:05:14-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

In The Cross-Hairs Of Middle Eastern Current Events

Last updated on: December 27, 2014 at 4:05 pm By Michelle Van Loon

“All’s fair in love and war” the old saying goes, but true love is focused on the good of the other and filters itself accordingly. During the past few hundred years, Western civilizations fought their wars in the name of a king or on behalf of a country, with conventions (at least in principle) that were supposed to guide their warfare. Those old boundaries, the kind found on maps, don’t matter quite so much anymore. Al Queda and their assorted... Read more

Faith

Uncategorized

2014-08-14T14:14:34-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

My Regret: “…But I Never Said Anything.”

Last updated on: August 14, 2014 at 2:14 pm By Michelle Van Loon

I would not typically consider sharing a post someone left on my Facebook wall, but the words below from an old friend are timely in light of the mean-spirited words about suicide that have been written by a few bombastic internet trolls in the wake of the death of Robin Williams earlier this week. I shared a bit of Don and Kathy Groesser’s story here and here a while ago. With Don’s permission, I am sharing his brave, honest confession... Read more

Regret

2014-12-27T16:06:13-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Heading To College With A Bit Less Baggage

Last updated on: December 27, 2014 at 4:06 pm By Michelle Van Loon

As I shopped for school supplies for my soon-to-be sixth grade grandson at Target last week, I passed by a mom and her daughter doing what looked to be the “stocking the dorm room” shopping trip. The young woman was eagerly scanning the aisles for just the right towels. The mom was pushing the overflowing cart behind her, watching every move her daughter made as she readied for her big launch. There are lots of nostalgic articles and reflections at... Read more

Everyday Christian life

Regret

Uncategorized

2014-08-05T09:25:34-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Saddest Day Of The Year

Last updated on: August 5, 2014 at 9:25 am By Michelle Van Loon

On this date in 587 B.C., the temple built by Solomon was destroyed by the Babylonians. On this very same date in 70 A.D., the temple rebuilt on that site was destroyed by the Romans. On our first visit to Israel in 2009, my husband and I dropped our bags at our Jerusalem hotel. We were exhausted from a long day of travel, but knew we needed to stay awake for a few more hours in order to combat jet... Read more

Calendar

Spiritual Formation

2014-08-04T14:43:52-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

If Only We Could Have A Discussion About Our If Only’s

Last updated on: August 4, 2014 at 2:43 pm By Michelle Van Loon

Happy August, friend! As miserable as last winter was for those of us living in the area of the country caught in the clutches of the Polar Vortex, this summer’s mild temperatures and abundant sunshine have almost erased the memory of mountains of snow andFrozen-like temperatures. (Well, almost.) Though we’re in the second half of summer, many of us are shopping for school supplies and looking ahead to autumn’s schedules. For those of you involved in planning upcoming Bible studies,... Read more

Regret

2014-12-27T16:07:23-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Pop Goes The Blessing Bubble

Last updated on: December 27, 2014 at 4:07 pm By Michelle Van Loon

I’ve known a small handful of people who’ve had lives remarkably free from trial, reversal or loss. One woman I used to know had her entire life mapped out using the blueprint of the American Dream, Conservative Christian Version, from a very young age. Her life has gone pretty much the way she’d planned it: marriage, two kids, a dog, lovely suburban home, stable career, a bit of travel, a cozy group of friends. It was pretty amazing to witness... Read more

Everyday Christian life

Regret

Uncategorized

2014-07-29T14:03:32-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Church Deserves Better Than Ugly Decorations

Last updated on: July 29, 2014 at 2:03 pm By Michelle Van Loon

1987 called. It wants its tissue box cover back. You know the one, made by hand in colonial blue and dusty rose calico. Author David Murrow appears to have found the final resting place of this artifact in the churches he’s visited. He excerpted a section from his book, How Women Help Men Find God, in a blog post entitled “Does Your Church Look Like A Beauty Parlor?”, describing the country-folksy décor in some small and mid-sized church buildings: As I speak in... Read more

Church and Ministry

2014-07-29T10:01:25-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

…On Earth As It Is In Heaven: A Prayer

Last updated on: July 29, 2014 at 10:01 am By Michelle Van Loon

Like many of you, I am glued to the news coming out of the Middle East. An ocean of virtual ink has been spilled this summer in debate over the Israel-Gaza war, the Israel-West Bank conflict, and the hard shift caliphate-building ISIS has brought as its taken hold across war-ravaged Syria and Iraq. And the reality is that heart-breaking recent events in Somalia, South Sudan and Ukraine are not disconnected from what is happening in the Middle East. I am writing from... Read more

Church and Ministry

Uncategorized

2014-07-25T16:35:16-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Interview: Immigration (The Skeptic’s Guide Series)

Last updated on: July 25, 2014 at 4:35 pm By Michelle Van Loon

Each Thursday, the mailman delivers a weekly shopper newspaper to us that includes a few local stories and a feature entitled “Sound Off”. This space is devoted to printing the rants of commenters emboldened by the possibility of complete anonymity. (The paper instructs them to call their pearls of wisdom in to a phone number I suspect is connected to an answering machine in a broom closet.) As the numbers of unaccompanied minors from Central America who have made their... Read more

Books

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which church did Martin Luther post his famous 95 Theses on?

Select your answer to see how you score.

St. Peter's Wittenberg Castle Church Notre Dame Canterbury Cathedral

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Baggage Books Calendar Church and Ministry CVID Ecclesiology Everyday Christian life Faith Falling Upward From The Margins Housing Jesus Movement's Unintended Consequences Midlife Midlife Survey #1 Midlife Survey #2 Moments and Days Out To The Margins Pilgrim's Road Trip Regret Seminary Spiritual Formation Uncategorized What's A Nice Jewish Grandmother Like You Doing In Seminary? When The Heart Waits Writing

Select a Month June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007

TRENDING AT PATHEOS Evangelical