May 2012
1 post
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A Prayer for the Morning
Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
-from the Book of Common Prayer
How might your life be formed if you prayed this prayer each morning?
March 2012
1 post
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What if God was with you? This might be the most...
February 2012
1 post
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“This emerging generation of leaders is not content to merely talk about serving...”
– Dr. Pat Hannon, as quoted in Organix: Signs of Leadership in a Changing Culture
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From Faith ON Campus: Missional Sexuality
I’m excited this week to be participating in the Sex and the Soul Blogathon at the Faith ON Campus Blog.
In an article connecting Christian sexual ethics and mission, I ask: is not having sex the most important thing about being a Christian? And what does sex have to do with mission?
Hit the link to read the entire article: http://faithoncampus.com/missional-sexuality/
December 2011
2 posts
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The Christmas Wish List
“Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you! For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you. Since ancient times no one has heard, no...
November 2011
1 post
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Give Presence
This week North Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, a day to rest and carb-load so we have the energy reserves necessary for Black Friday shopping. Thursday we’ll try real hard to be thankful for what we have so that Friday we can get on with the important business of being thankful for what we are about to buy. Of course, all the stuff we buy on Friday will become the stuff we pretend to be...
October 2011
3 posts
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Missional Halloween
Today is Halloween, and once again the interwebs are filled with ideas about how Christians should appropriately approach Halloween. Should we boycott, offer alternative celebrations, ignore the holiday, or hand out bibles to everyone who rings our doorbell?
I’ve decided the most missional way to engage halloween is to participate in my neighborhood’s trick-or-treat. I open my door...
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Listening In As Jesus Prays →
When Jesus prays, we should pay attention. The prayer of Jesus in John 17 invites all of Jesus’ disciples into a missional spirituality marked by radical intimacy with the Triune God, authentic community with the members of the church, and mission in the world in the way of Jesus. Click the headline above to read the rest of my article “Listening In As Jesus Prays” at the Faith ON...
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The Power of Small Actions
Many of us would love to make big changes in our lives.
Many of us feel called to accomplish big things with our lives.
The bigness of our goals can block our progress on these goals because the end result seems so far in the future.
That’s why its so important to remember the power of small actions. Any goal worth having cannot be accomplished in a day, a week, or a month. You...
August 2011
2 posts
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We were not created to live without margin in our...
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A Question About Running
A friend recently sent me this question about running: Hey Pat. How have you been? I know this may seem random, but I have started running and can’t seem to get past 1.5 miles. It has been like that for a couple of weeks. You are one of the only people I know who enjoys running yet doesn’t do marathons. So I was wondering if you would have any advice if you don’t mind. Here is my response. How...
July 2011
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Rev. Dr. Patrick Hannon Named 2011 Distinguished... →
Anderson University School of Theology honored Rev. Dr. Phil Kinley with the 2011 Distinguished Ministries Award, Rev. Dr. Patrick Hannon with the 2011 Distinguished Alumni Award, Sarah Blake with the 2011 Distinguished Young Alumni Award, and Rev. Dr. Fred Shively with the 2011 Distinguished Service Award at the annual SOT Alumni & Friends Annual Awards Luncheon on Monday, June 27.
Rev....
May 2011
2 posts
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Review of The Sacred Journey by Charles Foster
Many moons ago, the good folks at Thomas Nelson sent me a copy of The Sacred Journey to review. This is the final installment in The Ancient Practices Series. I have read and reviewed most of the series already and was eager to receive this volume to engage the ancient practice of pilgrimage.
There are two kinds of books that are quite easy to review: books you love and books you hate. Both of...
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April 2011
2 posts
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Missional Spirituality: Abstract
Posting here, for those who desire to peer farther into the abyss, the Abstract of my Professional Project Missional Spirituality: Practices for Developing Missional Disciples Among Emerging Adult University Students.
Abstract
The prayer of Jesus in John 17 invites all who follow Jesus into a way of life marked by radical intimacy with the triune God, authentic community with the members of the...
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Dissertation Acknowledgements
My Professional Project/Dissertation Missional Spirituality: Practices for Developing Missional Disciples Among Emerging Adult University Students is finally fully wrapped up. The defense has been passed, edits have been made, and the final copies are submitted to the library. It has been quite a journey—years of thinking and research followed by many months of intense writing. Though...
February 2011
2 posts
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Have you backed up your computer recently?
I know a student whose laptop was stolen recently. The good news: the laptop was recovered the same day. The bad news: the hard drive had already been erased.
So, let me ask: Have you backed up your computer recently? Do you have a plan to deal with a data disaster? What would you do if you lost all the work you have done this week?
Use Dropbox We all know we should do regular hard drive...
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DMIN Project Preview
I’m focusing all my writing energies on completing the Professional Project for my Doctor of Ministry Degree (similar to a dissertation for a PhD). I hope to complete it in the next couple of weeks, then I’ve got all kinds of fun writing projects in mind for this blog.
In the meantime, here’s a preview paragraph from my DMIN Poroject.
As Jesus prays for his disciples, he...
January 2011
1 post
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“The function of a university is, then, first of all to help students discover...”
– Thomas Merton
December 2010
4 posts
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Scripture Readings for the 12 Days of Christmas
Looking for suggested Bible readings for the 12 Days of Christmas (Dec 25-Jan 5)? Here you go!
Luke 2:1-20 John 1:1-5 John 1:9-14 Luke 2:21-35 Luke 2:36-40 Matthew 2:1-12 Matthew 2:13-18 Matthew 2:19-23 Luke 2:41-52 John 3:16-21 1 John 4:7-10 1 John 4:11-16
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Family Prayer for the 12 Days of Christmas
Today (Christmas Eve) is the final day of Advent. Tomorrow (Christmas Day) begins the celebration of Christmas, which lasts for 12 days: Dec 25-Jan 5. Here is the prayer guide my family will be using for prayer before meals as we celebrate the birth of Christ for 12 days. We’d love it if you used the prayer guide to pray along with us!
Family Prayer for the 12 Days of Christmas Note:...
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Christianity is not primarily a belief system...
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Advent Family Prayer
Here is a guide for prayer that I compiled for my family to using this Advent. I’m happy to share it with you. I’d love to hear if you find it useful as well.
Advent Family Prayer
Greeting Lord, let your faithful love be with us, because we wait for you. (Psalm 33:22)
Advent Candle Lighting We light this candle as a sign of the coming light of Christ. Tonight we light the candle...
November 2010
2 posts
5 tags
Family Prayer at the Evening Meal
My family has recently begun an intentional prayer and scripture time modeled after the daily office that we use each evening before dinner. Still a work in progress, here is the format we are currently following.
A few notes:
1. This format was intentionally choosen to be simple to allow our young readers and not-yet-reader to fully participate. They memorized the entire format rather...
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Welcome!
I want to send a hearty welcome out to anyone who was directed to this website from the Real Life, Real Faith Blogathon on Faith ON Campus. It is a privelage to be included among such great contributors.
I also wanted to let you know that my writing is currently focused on my DMIN Project and I will be rather quiet on this website until this project is completed. Sure, I’ll post a quote or...
October 2010
3 posts
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Book Review: I Quit! by Geri Scazzero
I count Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero to be among the most transforming books I have read. When the good folks at Zondervan offered to send a free review copy of I Quit! by Geri Scazzero, I jumped at the chance to review this new book by Peter’s wife. However, my wife grabbed the book before I had the chance to read it. She found it so revealing and transforming that I...
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“Fundamentally, our mission (if it is biblically informed and validated) means...”
– Christopher J.H. Wright, The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative, 22-23
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“The missional church is the people of God partnering with God in his redemptive...”
– Reggie McNeal, Missional Renaissance
September 2010
1 post
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“We are scattered, fragmented people; we do not know how to be fully present. Has...”
– Rev. Pat Hannon, 2007
August 2010
1 post
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“It is part of the misguided and whimsical condition of humankind that we so...”
– Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines
July 2010
3 posts
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“The Church exists by mission, just as a fire exists by burning. Where there is...”
– Emil Bruner, The Word and the World (1931)
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“To neglect our missional sending as the church is not just to be weak on mission...”
– John F. Hoffmeyer, “The Missional Trinity”
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June 2010
1 post
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Review of Jesus Manifesto by Sweet and Viola
Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola have teamed up to write Jesus Manifesto. Thanks to the good folks at Thomas Nelson for sending me a free copy to review.
Sweet and Viola have connected over their common concern to see people gain a fresh vision of the glory and majesty of Jesus. They desire to restore the supremacy and sovereignty of Jesus Christ, beginning with the body of Christ. From the...
May 2010
2 posts
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The importance of staying engaged
When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” -Genesis 28:16
We are a people of snap decisions. We don’t want to waste our time investing in something that isn’t going to be worth it in the end, so we are quick to decide if something is worth our time or not. If not, we move on—quickly.
Do you judge a...
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“There’s a tendency, even among those who are trying to buy less stuff, to call...”
– Leo Babauta, mnmlist: we are not consumers
April 2010
3 posts
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“God is so amazing that even if you planned Him a surprise party it...”
– Ashlyn, Age 5
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On Not Writing
Reading about writing is not writing. Reading about all the reasons people do not write is not writing. Feeling bad about not writing is not writing. Planning time to write is not writing. Watching LOST is not writing. Shopping for writing tools is not writing. Talking to people about your writing project is not writing. Looking for the perfect place to write is not writing. Redesigning your...
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“Christian community is the place where we keep the flame of hope alive among us...”
– Henri Nouwen, The Path of Waiting
March 2010
3 posts
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After You Believe, by NT Wright
New Testament scholar and prolific author N. T. Wright’s latest book is After You Believe: Why Christian Character Matters. I was happy to receive a review copy through The Ooze Viral Bloggers program. I am trying to be more selective in the books I take on to review (although some days I just can’t say no to a free book). This book is definitely worth the time investment. So much so that I’m...
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My Kids Review Gigi's Hughest Announcement
My kids love animated movies about princesses and ballerinas. So, when the good folks at Thomas Nelson offered to send me a free copy of Gigi’s Hughest Announcement, the latest DVD in the God’s Little Princess series, I thought this could be a great opportunity to do a review with my kids. So, here’s our review of Gigi’s Hughest Announcement, by me and my 3 kids. Gigi’s Hughest Announcement...
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Book Review: Tithing by Douglas Leblanc
I recently read the most challenging and inspiring book I’ve read in a long time. Unbelievably, it’s a book on tithing! Douglas Leblanc’s Tithing: Test Me in This is the latest title in the Ancient Practices Series. In this book Leblanc challenges us to practice the discipline of tithing. He does this not by undertaking an exegesis of relevant bible passages or preaching a sermon, but by...
February 2010
4 posts
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Training For Godliness
I’ve been able to watch a bit of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics this week. It is always amazing to watch the world’s top athletes perform. The training programs these athletes undergo for just a few minutes of Olympic competition is inspiring. As an Olympic athlete trains for the games, Paul instructions us to train for godliness: “Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value,...
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Ash Wednesday: The Bright Sadness
Today is the beginning of Lent, a season of 40 days, not counting Sundays, leading to Easter. Lent is a time of prayerful personal reflection to prepare ourselves for the upcoming Easter Celebration. During Lent we pray “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life” (Psalm 139:23-24).
...
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8 Keys to Unlock New Habits
Last year I developed a running habit. After years of not being a runner, my feeble attempts at running turned into a real running habit. I’ve realized that what worked to finally help build the habit of running could be used to help build other habits as well. So, I’ve reverse engineered my running habit to find these 8 keys to unlock new habits. This post serves as an outline of...
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Thoughts about LOST Episode 6.1
I’ve never been a LOST blogger, but after last night’s season premier I thought I’d jump in for the final season. NOTE: If you are reading this I’m assuming you have watched the season 6 premier or that you don’t mind finding out what happened. Questions Answered-ish Since the season 5 finale, we’ve all wondered “Did the bomb go off? Or was the white...
January 2010
10 posts
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Book Review: The Sacred Meal, by Nora Gallagher
I didn’t grow up in a church tradition that valued Communion as a regular practice. Instead, communion was an event, saved for a few special times a year. Like the family’s fancy china dishes, Communion was ensured to be special by its infrequent use. In The Sacred Meal, Nora Gallagher calls us to a different way to see Communion—as a spiritual practice that transforms us, forming us into the...
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“The most pernicious aspect of procrastination is that it can become a habit. We...”
– Steven Pressfield, The War of Art
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“None of us can imagine what God is capable of. Which means none of us can...”
– Mark Batterson, Primal