The Practical Parson

Having an emotional connection with one's faith is a wonderful thing, but also one that can be deceptive and dangerous. Many people base their entire faith practice on the emotional feedback they obtain from worship or services, and lose hope when they start to lose their emotional "high" from such. Faith is more than a fevered emotional high experienced during church service with beautiful music and moving scenes; it is a day to day battle against the terror and difficulty of this world, towards a world of peace and hope. Faith is not an emotion to be enjoyed, it is as a child; that one straps to one's back at the start of their journey. Either the child grows and eventually takes you by the hand and helps you onward; or you throw it to the side the moment it begins to cause you discomfort. Faith requires dedication, even when we cannot understand. It requires us to press ever forward; knowing that where we are headed is a brighter day, a brighter hope than w...

  For the past 2 weeks, an allegedly spontaneous and ongoing revival has been taking place in the chapel on Asbury University campus in Wilmore, Kentucky.  Many evangelical and conservative Christians applaud this event as a demonstration of the Holy Spirit moving in our time, while others question the intent of the entire event. To say the least, this revival is certainly a conundrum. As one who grew up and was sent to an (allegedly) evangelical Christian school, I myself am more than aware of the theatrical nature of evangelical revivals; having witnessed a number of them myself during my school days.  Such revivals are a time filled with preaching, singing, and heightened emotional states that encourage people to act out, supposedly in love of God.   However wonderful and spiritual it may seem though; I have also borne witness to the unfortunate reality of what happens when the singing is over, and life returns to its normal pace.   Those who hurl t...