Patheos

BuddhistCatholicContemplativeEvangelicalGeneral ChristianHinduJewishLatter-day SaintMuslimNew VisionsProgressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Patheos

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos Patheos on Facebook Patheos on YouTube

thoughtfulpastor

Archives

Select a Category " obedience abortion accommodation accountability administration adolescence Advent advice an ordinary death anxiety apology apportionments Ash Wednesday ask thoughtfulpastor baptism betrayal Bible bondage calling certainty change character charity children Christianity Christmas church church as garden clergy clergy credentials closure comfort compassion competition compromise Confirmation conservation conservative conspiracy theories consumer conversion coronavirua corruption courage covenant cultural context death Deconstruction discipleship discord divorce doctrine doing good drugs dysfunctional Easter Easter; Resurrection education election entertainment envy escape evaluation evil exclusive church exercise faith faithfulness family fasting fear feast featured film review finances first world problem food forgiveness fundamentalist garden gay marriage General Conference generosity giving thanks GLBT glory good government grace guilt habit happy harmony hateful acts healing health health care heaven hell hello/goodbye heresy hidden agenda holiness homelessness homosexuality humility hymn hypocrisy Imago Dei In training inclusive church indulgence injustice innocents insurance intolerance itinerancy joy Justice kindness Kingdom of Heave kingdom of heaven language laughter laundry lawsuit leadership Lent LGBTQ liberal life Little Things Matter longform meandering thoughts memories mercy metaphor metrics miracle misfortunes morality Mormon Muslim mystery worship natural disasters New Category Name nutrients older adults oppression pain Paleo paperwork partnered pastor peace pension pharmaceutical placebo politics poverty prayer privilege public schools questions quiet racism rain reason reconciliation religion repentance requirements rescue respect rest resurrection retirement Sabbath sacrament sacred salvation same-sex marriage sanctuary schism schooling science SCOTUS secrecy separation of church and state sexism sexuality short cuts silence sin sleep soil spiritual journey stillness suffering surgery sustainable church teacher technology thank you theology therapy thinking tolerance TOS trust truth Uncategorized welcome Why Easter? wisdom women worship

Select a Month November 2026 October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 December 2025 October 2025 September 2025 July 2025 June 2025 March 2025 February 2025 December 2024 November 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 April 2024 March 2024 January 2024 December 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 October 2022 September 2022 July 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 October 2021 July 2021 June 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 January 2020 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 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 November 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 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 July 2007 March 2007

September 2020

September 09, 2020

Nero Fiddled, Trump Tweeted; Death And Destruction Follow Both

We could have, and should have, slowed the murderous progression of this virus from the...

September 08, 2020

Let Your Yes Be Yes: The Damage of Church Lies

Jesus said, "let your yes be yes, and your no be no." Following through on...

September 04, 2020

Will The Church Survive The Covid-19 Damage? No, But This Is The Time For Rebirth

Will the church survive the Covid-19 damage? Probably not. But the massive uncertainties that just...

September 01, 2020

Essential Workers: The Lowest Paid And Lowest Status Among Us

Am just wondering: do you see the same pattern I see as I consider our...

August 2020

August 27, 2020

QAnon and Gullible Christians: The Devil Made Me Do It

The "Devil made me do it" becomes the theological basis for conspiracy theories. They are...

August 25, 2020

We Are All Going To Die: COVID-19 And The Imprisonment Of The Elderly

 First, we are all going to die. Second, most of us will not die the...

July 2020

July 21, 2020

Dear COVID Diary: It Has Been 132 Long Days; Fear Hangs In The Air

Yes, Dear COVID Diary, it has been 132 long days. And I expect little change...

June 2020

June 15, 2020

Why It Is So Difficult To Dismantle Racism: It’s Built Into Human Nature

We have no magic wand that says, “OK, we’re just going to dismantle racism and...

May 2020

May 22, 2020

Resistance Is Futile: You Will Be Infected; Perhaps We Need Chocolate

In other words, with all due respect to the Star Trek enemy collective named The...

April 2020

April 02, 2020

Kindness, Claustrophobia, And A Long-Suffering Husband

There is one, and only one, vital key to getting through this crisis: always, always...

April 01, 2020

Yes, Church, The Stock Market DOES Matter To Your Survival

Remember, Church: the stock market does matter to your survival. Embrace this perilous time as...

March 2020

March 25, 2020

Are Older People Useless? Does Dan Patrick Want My Husband To Die?

Are older people useless? Well, Dan Patrick thinks so. My husband turned 78 today.  Does...

March 20, 2020

“Leave The Children Out,” The Mediated Reality of Streaming Worship

If we are not going to leave the children out in this new world of...

March 19, 2020

The Grocery Store, Coronavirus Diary, March 19 2020

Who knew going to the grocery store could be so treacherous? I lay out the...

March 18, 2020

“Will Your Church Survive?” Coronavirus Diary, March 18, 2020

Will your church survive? Not in the form it is in now. Some budgets cannot...

March 17, 2020

“Get It While We Can”, Coronavirus Diary, March 17, 2020

And yet, I understand the "Get it while we can" urge. Scarcity has been part...

March 16, 2020

“Just Trust God,” Coronavirus Diary March 16 2020

I do not find the "just trust God" mantra helpful. Anyone who is not alarmed...

March 15, 2020

Bradford Pear Snow, Coronavirus Diary March 15 2020

And then I went outside and saw the "Bradford Pear snow" from our currently flowering...

March 11, 2020

For Goodness Sake, CANCEL GC2020! Unfortunately, We Can’t Do This Legally

It's time to cancel GC2020: 864 delegates, primarily older, many with chronic diseases, and many...

January 2020

January 03, 2020

Response To The Great Divorce, i.e., “Protocol Of Reconciliation & Grace Through Separation

Even as I appreciate their attempt to mediate the great divorce, frankly, every single one...

November 2019

November 26, 2019

Do NOT Impeach Donald Trump Or God’s Wrath Will Fall

Above all, do not impeach Donald Trump. If Mr. Trump did it, then God wants...

November 11, 2019

The Forces BEHIND Political And Religious Discord: Who Profits?

So who profits in a split of some sort? The Evangelicals. The UMC is ripe...

October 2019

October 29, 2019

The Anti-Christ Paradox: Human Nature Demands One

I’m now convinced that in nearly every society an anti-Christ has emerged. It’s not a...

October 24, 2019

John MacArthur And Ernst And Young: Grow A Set And GROW UP

So, again, guys, grow a set and GROW UP. Because if you don't, if you...

September 2019

September 02, 2019

The Holy Act Of Sex OR Report Rape After Every Sexual Encounter

After every single sexual encounter that could possibly lead to pregnancy, all females, especially including...

August 2019

August 27, 2019

The UMC: Matted Hair And Wrinkled Ladies

Here's the deal: The United Methodist Church is a wrinkled old lady. Just like many...

August 25, 2019

The Softening Of Seeing Seventy: Presidents, Christianity, And Gymnastics

But, two children quit gymnastics. Keep this in mind. Two young people, profoundly gifted athletes...

May 2019

May 27, 2019

The UMC Inquistion Arrived While The Centrists And Progressives Fiddled

The centrists and progressives fiddled our love of God and of all and paid no...

May 01, 2019

The Answer To: “Does The UMC Have A Future?”

I grieve that the answer to "Does the UMC have a future" is "NO." I...

April 2019

April 03, 2019

A Time Off To Heal; Remy Writes Instead

I admit it is difficult for me to identify now with the extremely ununited "United"...

Related posts from The Thoughtful Pastor

Family

Five Thoughts About New Mercies And New Year's...

The Thoughtful Pastor

Family

I Just Said NO To God

The Thoughtful Pastor

Family

Just Imagine: Their Heaven Becomes Your Hell

The Thoughtful Pastor

Family

Joe Biden and Religion: Exploring His Faith

The Thoughtful Pastor

Patheos on Facebook Patheos on YouTube

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Copyright 2008-2026, Patheos. All rights reserved.

Subscription Support Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In

Follow Patheos Patheos on Facebook Patheos on YouTube