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2021-01-08T17:42:56-05:00

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.

A Call to Reject Sensual Worship and Return to Liturgy

Last updated on: January 8, 2021 at 5:42 pm By Jonathan Aigner

Worship: A Prelude to What? Though I’m not reaching for shock value, the comparison between modern worship and sexual intimacy might be shocking. Good. It should be shocking. Because what is passing for worship in many of Christianity’s largest churches is nothing more than a pseudo-sexual experience. The comparison is nothing new. Even when I was growing up in an evangelical, ultra-cool megachurch youth group, contemporary worship detractors had begun using epithets like “Jesus-Is-My-Girlfriend” music. Their reasoning was not unfounded,... Read more

2018-04-18T22:38:12-05:00

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.

Your Mercy Is Like Worthless Bits of Paper: Dumb Words Churches Sing

Last updated on: April 18, 2018 at 10:38 pm By Jonathan Aigner

If there’s one thing commercial Christian “worship” music does well, it’s mixing metaphor. There’s one “artist” who does it in nearly every song he writes. I’d tell you his name, but it always makes people mad and gets me lots of hate comments. So let’s just call him Thris Comlin. My all-time favorite: “And like a flood, his mercy reigns…” Um…wait…what? Shockingly, contemporary worshipers are often so quick to gloss over this sort of laziness, as if it contains some... Read more

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2018-04-08T10:35:35-05:00

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.

No More We Doubt Thee: Why It’s Okay to Be a Thomas

Last updated on: April 8, 2018 at 10:35 am By Jonathan Aigner

I’ve always loved the story of Jesus appearing to Thomas. Maybe it’s because of the skeptic in me. Growing up in the megachurch movement, I watched thousands of people around me every Sunday, swallowing a self-help gospel hook, line, and sinker. It wasn’t the Joel Osteen style, “you were born to win” sort of self-help gospel. I think that’s what it was so easy to digest to the usual churchy, Christian crowd. (By the way, despite what the megachurch movement... Read more

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2020-11-17T19:31:51-05:00

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.

Jesus Chose a Woman to Preach the First Easter, So Let’s Do the Same.

Last updated on: November 17, 2020 at 7:31 pm By Jonathan Aigner

This Sunday was my 34th time to hear an Easter sermon. Photo: wikipedia Read more

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2018-03-31T13:40:52-05:00

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.

13 More Things You Don’t Want To Hear the Pastor Say on Easter Sunday

Last updated on: March 31, 2018 at 1:40 pm By Jonathan Aigner

13. I tell you what, our jesusy cover band is making Easter great again! 12. How about that, folks? Risen savior, $1.98 piano. 11. You officially suck as a human being. 10. We’ve misplaced our offering plates, so we’ll be passing KFC buckets. 9. Does this alb make my chasuble look fat? 8. Because we want to be seeker-sensitive for all of you who don’t regularly join us, I will now do a dramatic reading of the classic children’s book,... Read more

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2018-04-18T14:04:23-05:00

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.

Top Ten Things You Don’t Want to Hear the Pastor Say on Easter Sunday

Last updated on: April 18, 2018 at 2:04 pm By Jonathan Aigner

10. Please rise for our first hymn, “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today” by Chris Tomlin. 9. Pardon the scratching, but I’ve got this terrible, oozing skin condition. 8. Instead of a traditional Easter message, I’m continuing our topical sermon series, “Prostitutes of the Old Testament.” 7. Due to allergies in the choir we’ve replaced the Easter lilies with Easter Portuguese Water Dogs. 6. This resurrection is brought to you by HelloFresh. 5. Please give a warm welcome to... Read more

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2018-03-20T18:48:47-05:00

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.

A Plea to Baptists Everywhere: Don’t Forget Your Hymns and Gospel Songs

Last updated on: March 20, 2018 at 6:48 pm By Jonathan Aigner

As I rocked my infant daughter late last night, I started humming a gospel song I remember from childhood. It’s funny to me that as far as I wander from my Southern Baptist upbringing, these are often the songs my heart recalls in life’s tender moments. As much work as I’ve put in over the years to perfect my generic hymn vernacular, these hymns are my mother tongue, a language I’ll surely never lose. Sadly, most of the Baptist churches... Read more

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2018-03-15T19:44:48-05:00

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.

64 Terrible Church Bulletin Mistakes

Last updated on: March 15, 2018 at 7:44 pm By Jonathan Aigner

And this is why you always – ALWAYS – proofread the bulletin. Answers were provided by family, friends, colleagues, Ponder Anew followers, and members of the Facebook group, “I’m fed up with bad church music.” Choir anthem – “With a Voice of Sinning” Strength will rise ass we wait upon the Lord… Following the Christmas Day services, poinsettias will be distributed to shit-ins and others. From the Apostles’ Creed: “…born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Panties Pilate…” Thou shalt... Read more

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2018-03-05T17:24:01-05:00

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.

Dear Preacher: You’re Not a Performer, and You Don’t Have an Audience

Last updated on: March 5, 2018 at 5:24 pm By Jonathan Aigner

Full confession: I’m not a preacher. That probably won’t surprise anyone in my audience. See, I’m just a lowly blogger, but I do have an audience, a pretty faithful one, in fact, for which I’m grateful. And as a trained classical musician, a vocalist, I still occasionally perform gigs. Like when I sing Handel’s Messiah with a community orchestra and chorus, or perform for a public event somewhere. In those cases I am a performer. And I have an audience.... Read more

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2018-05-14T15:35:33-05:00

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.

Some Things I Don’t Understand: What Mister Rogers Can Teach Us About Worship

Last updated on: May 14, 2018 at 3:35 pm By Jonathan Aigner

Fifteen years ago today we lost Mister Rogers. Presbyterian minister. Puppeteer. Television friend and neighbor. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eInUUfyqa5o I was then a sophomore at Baylor, not quite 20 years old, and only beginning to understand the sense of loss one finds when the familiar elements of childhood pass away. But unlike when other famous people died, this one felt strangely personal, as if I’d lost a treasured childhood friend. As a child in a cold, unfamiliar, and ominous world, I found Mister... Read more

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