Singer/Songwriter Charlie Hall Reflects On The Bright Sadness
(NASHVILLE, TN)—July 14, 2008—sixstepsrecords and Passion worship leader/artist, Charlie Hall will release his fourth studio album, The Bright Sadness, on August 19th. The record conveys life amidst sorrow and brokenness, reminding listeners that the aching in this world is not detached from the bright, resurrecting hope in God.
A collection of songs that reflect his current journey, The Bright Sadness, according to Hall, “comes from me understanding my ordinary human condition and my deep love for Jesus and the life He brings. It is the accepting of my brokenness and that in the world around me while never losing sight of Christ’s closeness, His free fellowship, His redemption and compassion, His Brightness.” [...]

Original post by Josh Simons

In the past few weeks I have written two articles: one for Catapult, the e-zine of * Culture is not Optional, on Romance and sexual intimacy for their Subversive Love Issue that came out on Friday, another article on Goth Eucharists, for the Spring issue of Kilter. I finished the article on Goth Eucharists, Yesterday Morning and went to the editorial meeting last night. I recommend checking out either publication, though Kilter is a print magazine with online presence, so to get the full feel of it you’ll have to purchase a copy or subscribe which you can do on Kilter’s web page. And Catapult regularly puts out thoughtful and thhttp://www.kiltermagazine.org/ought provoking articles, and I should link to them more often and not just when I have an article. Well enough with the promotion.
Kilter and Catapult represent two vary different networks and communities. Kilter is the magazine of [...]

Original post by lekamphausen@netzero.net (Larry Kamphausen)

“Habitual Humility is the primary evidence, the undeniable sign of Christian discipleship. Humility is sincere concern for the good of others balanced with the simple gratitude for the gift of one’s self, shown in the genuine willingness to serve the neighbor and heard in gentle laughter and self-effacing humor.” David Augsburger, Dissident Discipleship: A Spirituality of Self-Surrender, Love of God, and Love of Neighbor, Brazos Press, 2006, pg 99.
I am letting this above quote interact interpret be interpreted by these scriptures II Kings 5:1-14;Psalm 30; I Corinthians 9:24-27; Mark 1:40-45. At least that is the current idea and what seems to have worked thus far in writing the rough draft of course I have had it happen where I feel this way on thursday and then friday Afternoon find myself taking the sermon in a completely different direction.So we’ll see.

Original post by lekamphausen@netzero.net (Larry Kamphausen)

My experience of of Midwinter began and ended with the issue of contemporary slavery. As I noted in an earlier post my first Workshop was Dr. Boaz Johnson’s seminary on Global Slavery. Today at the closing breakfast, Gary Haugen president and founder of International Justice Mission (IJM) spoke to us. The organization works to protect victims of injustice and oppression around the world and to restrain and bring the laws to bear on oppressors. His take and message overlaped and also contrasted with Boaz Johnson’s. His message was to us pastors and for us to take home to our churches was that we the church were to be involved in what he called the adventure of working for justice and against injustice. He has seen that so many Christians in the states are like he was at 10 when his father and brothers climbed [...]

Original post by lekamphausen@netzero.net (Larry Kamphausen)

Today I arrived at the Hyatt just in time for the beginning of my all day session on Spiritual Direction and Pastoral Ministry, lead by Helen Cepero and Philip Hakanson. It was what I had hoped and I think one would expect from such a workshop more an extended several hour conversation than simple didactic presentation on Spiritual Direction in Pastoral Ministry. In the fall I had read Eugene Peterson’s the Contemplative Pastor, which had lead me to feel more confidant in the place of overlap and connection between being a spiritual director and being a pastor, and hoped that this seminar would help me think that through more thoroughly (partially by simply allowing myself to devote a day to thinking about this with other pastors.) And this was exactly what we did. Helen and Phil structure our day primarily by taking us through reflection and [...]

Original post by lekamphausen@netzero.net (Larry Kamphausen)

I had begun a post on my time at the Midwinter Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church yesterday but it was getting late and it turned out I was too tired to give a coherent reflection on the day I think the last Midwinter I attended was two years ago. So, I ended up seeing some people I hadn’t seen in awhile, some of whom I saw almost immediately upon arriving yesterday morning. The conference is designed as a time to meet together as pastors in the Covenant around worship and continuing education so a bulk of the days are spent in workshops, with a worship service in the evening and Bible study after breakfast. The conference is here in Chicago at the Hyatt O’hare, which is a bit of a commute from where I live via the CTA so I have skipped the morninb Bible Studies [...]

Original post by lekamphausen@netzero.net (Larry Kamphausen)