Tuesdays with Morris

The folks over at one of the many Christianity Today sites have put up a quiz that will give you an idea as to where you fall in your thoughts on Bible reading. The idea behind the quiz is to find out how you read and interpret the Bible. The hermeneutics quiz asks questions about your thoughts on Scripture and various issues within the church today. The results are pretty interesting. Heremeneutics is the “science” of interpreting the Scripture…

I scored a 73 and am therefore considered to be progressive.

Click HERE to take the quiz.

Click HERE to learn more about the quiz and the results.

I’d be interested to find out what your results are…

If you’ve spent any time in the church or around “Christians”, you’ve probably heard someone talk about spiritual growth. It’s the practice of taking pro-active steps to develop ones relationship with God.

Many practice various spiritual disciplines (prayer, fasting, meditation, celebration, etc) in order to pursue spiritual growth. Many purchase devotional books or join a small group or class. Many dedicate certain times of the day to Bible study, prayer, worship, solitude, or the like.

It’s absolutely essential for followers of Christ to pursue spiritual growth. Countless pastors give sermons about and challenge their congregations to take steps forward in this issue.

Then, I began to think of many conversations I’ve had with pastors. There are many who talk about how they only spend time in study or prayer when preparing for a sermon or a class…there just isn’t enough time for personal spiritual growth.

So, as I’ve been in pastoral ministry, I’ve made it a priority to “lead by example.” I set aside time every day to read, study, pray, journal, and pursue other disciplines to continue my own journey of spiritual growth.

My question for you: What are the best ways for you to pursue spiritual growth? Do you practice these on a regular basis?

We’ve all dealt with disappointment. Whether it’s being disappointed in ourselves, another person, the outcome of events, work situations, etc…we’ve all had moments of disappointment.

Having said that, I’d love to hear how you deal with disappointment???

My daughter, who is less than two years old, seems to have a connection with Jesus. We have a few “Jesus” items around the house (icon-type pictures, a South American cross, etc) and anytime Sammie sees them she enthusiastically proclaims, “Jesus!” And, whenever we are at the church, she says, “Daddy take me see Jesus.” Upon that request, we head over to the stained glass window featuring Jesus. It’s really a pretty cool thing.

Not long ago, whenever she was in her crib, she started pointing to something and saying “Jesus.” What you need to know is that Sammie had a tendancy to bite her crib rails (made of wood) which left marks all over while she was doing some major teething. Eventually we bought some teething rails to place over the wood…she simply pulls them off and throws them around her room. So, Emily and I asked her to show us Jesus. She pointed to the portion of her crib rail below. It’s hard to make out because of poor lighting and camera work (yours truly). Can you see Jesus in this?

Right now I’m watching Rev. Samuel Rodriguez on Bill Moyers Journal on PBS. The interview isn’t up on the site just yet…but it probably will be within the next day or two. I suggest you check it out! Click HERE to go to Moyers Journal site.

Rodriguez is the President of the Hispanic Evangelicals. His interview with Moyers is great…especially when he talks about faith, politics, and social justice. Also, from the same episode, I suggest checking out the interview with Kathleen Hall Jamieson where she talks about James Dobson is backing Huckabee. Along those same lines, check out this article by Becky Garrison on that situation (and others).

In case you’re wondering what Dobson has to say about this election and don’t want to check out the links, read this: I am deeply disappointed the Republican Party seems poised to select a nominee who did not support a Constitutional amendment to protect the institution of marriage, voted for embryonic stem-cell research to kill nascent human beings, opposed tax cuts that ended the marriage penalty, has little regard for freedom of speech, organized the Gang of 14 to preserve filibusters in judicial hearings, and has a legendary temper and often uses foul and obscene language. …

But what a sad and melancholy decision this is for me and many other conservatives. Should Sen. McCain capture the nomination as many assume, I believe this general election will offer the worst choices for president in my lifetime. I certainly can’t vote for Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama based on their virulently anti-family policy positions. If these are the nominees in November, I simply will not cast a ballot for president for the first time in my life. These decisions are my personal views and do not represent the organization with which I am affiliated. They do reflect my deeply held convictions about the institution of the family, about moral and spiritual beliefs, and about the welfare of our country.

The previous Dobson statement is from CitizenLink.