On opposite sides of my office door there are two very different, but equally meaningful pictures. On the left Is a picture of the labyrinth on the floor of the Chartes Cathedral. “Solvitur Ambulando”… “It is solved by walking” has been a meditative prayer for me for years. This picture reminds me to take the… Read more »
Posts By: Matt Rawle
Welcome, Proclaim, and Share
“He lived there two whole years at his own expense and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance” (Acts 28:30-31). The Book of Acts seems to end on a whimper. In a book where we’ve seen Jesus ascend, the Holy… Read more »
Who is Welcome?
One of the things I most love about our “Becoming the Church” study on the Acts of the Apostles in my congregation is seeing the early church wrestle in the midst of differing interpretation of the Holy Spirit’s activity. For example, In Acts 8, an Ethiopian Eunuch asks Philip, “Look, here is water! What… Read more »
Ashes to Ashes…
Last night for our Ash Wednesday service I used a new piece of pottery a young child made for me. The artwork was a beautiful white and gold representing Christ’s majesty and perfection. It’s size and shape made it perfect for holding ashes. This morning when I cleaned the dish, I noticed that the ashes… Read more »
You Can, Unless You Shouldn’t
How can scripture inform the way we share our faith in the midst of disagreement? Christianity isn’t easy. “You can unless you shouldn’t, and you shouldn’t unless you should,” is the heart of Paul’s ethics in Romans. Romans is the last of Paul’s writings after spending years planting and leading churches, being inside of jail cells,… Read more »
Pokémon…Go?
You have to catch them all! Many have taken up the challenge to catch all of the Pokémon out there in the real/digitized world with infectious zeal and reckless abandon. With all cultural explosions, whether long-tenure game changers or fiery and fleeting, I always try to make sense of its attractiveness through a theological lens…. Read more »
Vision
“All” is a big word. Well, it’s a small word with big importance. You may be surprised to know that “all” in Greek, the original language of the New Testament, means . . . all. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” is a bold statement. This verse reminds me a picture… Read more »
Beast of Burden
“All God’s creatures have a place in the choir,” as the old Bill Staines song reminds us. The question is, who assigns the part and what song does it sing? Yesterday during General Conference there was a protest on the floor calling attention to oppression, violence, and exclusion, but there was something about it that… Read more »
Uber Revelation
I’ve had an unexpected revelation at General Conference of The United Methodist Church. Psalm 139:14 reminds us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Although this verse is not new to me, I am surprised to see this verse come alive. I would love to say that I had this experience on the plenary floor at… Read more »
A Prayerful Mother
Even though Mother’s Day isn’t mentioned in scripture, this holiday offers us a great opportunity to recognize our mothers, those who were like mothers to us, and the mothers of our faith throughout God’s story. One mother in particular calls me to remember God’s providence, power, humility, and grace. In 1 Samuel 2, Hannah offers… Read more »