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Continue reading →: Worship: Liturgy, work of the people?
Liturgy is a word used in more formally ritualistic churches and in academic circles to describe what actually takes place in worship, particularly the words spoken, actions taken, songs sung, etc. It is really all-inclusive of what happens in worship, however, the word carries with it a "higher" church meaning.…
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Continue reading →: Daily Bible Reading Plans
A typical New Years Resolution is to read your Bible more regularly. This is a fine resolution, one I hope you will accomplish. One easy way to do this is to get into the habit of systematic reading. There are all kinds of Bible Reading Plans, and today, with…
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Continue reading →: A Tale of Two Santas
Covina, California and Louisville, Kentucky; Bruce Pardo and anonymous man; hate and love. The range of human emotion and motivation is amazing and was evidenced Christmas Eve in these two men, one apparently motivated by jealousy and anger, the other motivated by generosity and grace. Bruce Pardo dressed up like…
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Continue reading →: A Revolutionary Christmas
I wonder if it would be possible for the revolutionary Jesus to actually alter the way we celebrate Christmas? I mean, Christmas in this culture, REALLY has nothing to do with Christ. Nothing. Christmas trees, meals, family gatherings, and gifts, the primary means of celebrating the holiday, are completely divorced…
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Continue reading →: Barack Obama and Rick Warren
Well, Barack Obama has gone and done it now! Can you believe it? He dared to ask Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church to pray at Obama's inauguration! Liberals are freaking out! They're angry at Obama. Conservatives are livid! They're upset with Warren. Rick Warren is a Southern Baptist pastor…
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Continue reading →: Christmas Myth #10: An Angelic Choir Sang to Shepherds
In Christmas animations, cards, pageants and more, we see the heavenly host singing Christmas carols to the shepherds as they watched over their sheep on that first Christmas night. There were shepherds and there were angels, but they weren't singing Christmas carols to the shepherds. At first, there was one…
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Continue reading →: Christmas Myth # 9: Martin Luther and the Christmas Tree
The legend goes something like this: Martin Luther, the great reformer of the Western Church, was traveling home one evening through a forest of evergreens as he stopped to view the way the twinkling stars shone through the boughs of the beautiful trees. Desiring to share this wonder with his…
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Continue reading →: Christmas Myth # 8
If you missed the message The Reality of Christmas: The Three R's of Christmas, part 2, and the first seven myths, go here. Myth #8 is "Xmas is taking Christ out of Christmas!" Now, to watch many Christmas specials on television, walk through your local mall, or listen to Christmas…
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Continue reading →: West vs. East: The Meaning of Christmas
The Incarnation is best understood “…more fundamentally as an act of love, an expression of God’s own nature. Even had there been no fall, God in his own limitless, outgoing love would still have chosen to identify himself with his creation by becoming human.” – Kallistos Ware I wanted to…
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Continue reading →: My Brother, the Crazy UK Fan!
My brother, Ken Howlett (he's still Kenny at Thanksgiving and Christmas when we're at our parents' house), writes for a crazy University of Kentucky basketball fan page. You can read his wisdom at A Sea of Blue. If you're so inclined, go there, it's actually a very nice site, and…
Hello,
I’m Chris
Welcome to Flourishing Life, a space designed to help you pursue the abundant life God offers everyone. Jesus said in John 10:10, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (ESV). I’m convinced God created the world for flourishing human life. However, we’ve all contributed to the brokenness in the world and our own lives. Many don’t even realize a better way is possible. My hope for this blog is that you’ll discover the life God has always intended for you, the ones you love, and the world.
Flourishing Life 