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

Home
Progressive Christian

2018-03-12T15:00:13-05:00

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 Trying to Donate a Kidney, Part Three

Last updated on: March 12, 2018 at 3:00 pm By Christy Thomas

Note: I am working my way through the process of trying to be approved as a kidney donor for my brother. Part One is here. Part Two is here.] I will be going from labs to meetings to labs and then cap off the day with a visit with a psychiatrist. I will update this post off and on all day. This morning, after my 24 hour urine catch, I start the day with a glucose tolerance test. Of all... Read more

health

glucose tolerance test

kidney donation

UCLA transplant center

2017-05-21T10:08:37-05:00

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.

Denton Mystery Worship Thirteen: Aggressive Church Planting, Acts 29 Network Style

Last updated on: May 21, 2017 at 10:08 am By Christy Thomas

A founding pastor of the Acts 29 network was Mark Driscoll, sometimes called the “bad boy” of the church planting world. Charismatic and gifted, he was widely known for his sex-obsessed profanity. Every Sunday morning, they unload their church from a trailer. Cushioned mats cover concrete flooring for infants and small children; colorful dividers keep the age groups separated. One team unpacks, connects and tests sound and projection equipment. A separate group arrives with the set-up crew for extended prayer.... Read more

Acts 29 Network; church planting

The United Methodist Church

UMC

2018-03-12T14:58:42-05:00

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 Trying to Donate at Kidney, Part Two

Last updated on: March 12, 2018 at 2:58 pm By Christy Thomas

[Note: I am working my way through the process of trying to be approved as a kidney donor for my brother. Part One is here.] It’s 5 am. I’ve been awake for a while, knowing I had to arise early and follow the instructions to the letter for this 24 hour urine collection day. It all has to be timed exactly from the first collection to the last. According to the directions, the lab can tell if I didn’t time... Read more

health

donor kidneys

kidney transplants

sale of human kidneys

UCLA transplant center

2018-03-12T14:57:29-05:00

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 Trying to Donate a Kidney

Last updated on: March 12, 2018 at 2:57 pm By Christy Thomas

A couple of years ago, upon hearing that my brother was in the latter stages of kidney failure, I thought, “I want him to have one of mine.” After my retirement in December, 2013, I figured the time had come to see about making this happen. My brother had already invited me to spend the summer with him in Thousand Oaks, CA, to get out of the summer heat and enjoy the delights of that area. I told him I... Read more

health

kidney donation

UCLA transplant center

2024-04-26T16:19:19-05:00

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.

Do You Want to be Well? John Wesley and Primitive Physic

Last updated on: April 26, 2024 at 4:19 pm By Christy Thomas

“Do you want to be well?” Jesus asks this of the man who had been ill for 38 years. In the John 5 story, the man doesn’t answer the question but instead gives an excuse: no one would help him. Jesus ignores the excuse and tells the man to stand up, take up his mat, and walk. He does. I’ve thought often about how this man’s life changed. He had neither walked nor worked. He’d spent his life begging, never... Read more

health

do you want to be well

2017-05-24T14:58:41-05:00

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.

Denton Mystery Worship Twelve: Home, Home On The Range

Last updated on: May 24, 2017 at 2:58 pm By Christy Thomas

The Cowboy Church has done a spectacular job of contextualizing itself to the community. They are not trying to be all things to all people, but to be something to a selected group. They started in a barn, with cats underfoot and horses in the stalls. They built a church and it burned. They rebuilt it while meeting in a nearby elementary school. On the Sunday after Christmas, traditionally a low attendance day, the Denton County Cowboy Church saw a... Read more

Baptist roots of Cowboy Church

deception in worship

Denton County Cowboy Church

sinner's prayer

2014-12-29T20:36:19-05:00

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.

Hot Over the Headlines: What Is a Disciple?

Last updated on: December 29, 2014 at 8:36 pm By Christy Thomas

“I refused to read your column because the [print] headline said ‘Xmas’ not Christmas. I shall now start referring to you as X-ty rather than ‘Christy’.” “After reading your column, I wish you had skipped FUMC-Denton.” Both of these comments came from long-time readers of my popular weekly religion column in the Denton Record Chronicle. Both came from people who are long time church members and would very much consider themselves good Christians and disciples of Jesus. The second writer, after... Read more

definition of a disciple

making disciples of Jesus Christ

religion column

2014-12-28T15:00:47-05:00

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 Time to Say "Thanks"

Last updated on: December 28, 2014 at 3:00 pm By Christy Thomas

I recently received a note from someone I knew years ago but have not seen in decades. The last time we had spoken, we had discussed our mutual interest in what it might mean to live as Christian people, giving much more than simple lip service to the things we said were vitally important to us. He wrote to me about that conversation, “That time with you made so much difference in my life. I became much more active with... Read more

2014-12-27T09:33:37-05:00

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.

Ritual and Resistance: Worship Suggestions #UMC

Last updated on: December 27, 2014 at 9:33 am By Christy Thomas

” . . . ritual isn’t about expressing religious commitment at all, but about doing something in a way that marks the moment as different from the everyday and forces you to see it as important.” That quote came from an article about “Religion without God” that speaks of a growing movement of atheists to gather for “church” services. As one person put it, “Singing awesome songs, hearing interesting talks, thinking about improving yourself and helping other people — and doing... Read more

2014-12-26T10:24:25-05:00

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.

"Twas The Day After Christmas

Last updated on: December 26, 2014 at 10:24 am By Christy Thomas

‘Twas the day after Christmas and all through the house all the creatures were bloated, down to the last mouse. The boxes were scattered, empty and bare in hopes that the trash man soon would be there. The children were fighting over stuff in their beds while visions of escape danced in their heads. And Mama in her bathrobe and I in my cap, are hoping for football or a long quiet nap. Yep, the day after Christmas, the post-holiday... Read more

post-Christmas letdown

Twas the Day Before Christmas

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who said, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Isaiah John the Baptist Jesus Peter

Browse Our 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 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

TRENDING AT PATHEOS Progressive Christian