Jonathan Shradar

I am thankful for a group of resilient and faithful friends that stay ever connected in the digital world and speak honest and caring words to a couple of pastors and missionaries in training. Four of us, from coast to coast and the frozen middle. We challenge, refine and attempt occasionally to encourage one another. We often talk about our heroes and our failings and how it is sad that so much of life and posturing plays out in social media. One of us is poetic in nature and anonymous in desire. He prefers no platform and just quiet places far from famous to share Jesus with those you would least expect. We shall call him Matt Pilgrim . After a stirring week of conversation, he penned this piece that is honest and challenging to our modus operandi in the church.   "At the base of the mountain: confusion. Sacred truths seem to slide toward delusion. Unwilling to trust the Good Creator, Weak faith cries out to see something greater. Hoping in vain I might better my odds, Here at t

The air your breathe matters. Think of it. The level of oxygen, the toxins, the mold spores, the carbon monoxide… all in the air you breathe in an out and the balance of these things makes all the difference. Whether you are healthy and thriving, or suffering and gasping for something more. This is true metaphorically in the church as well, shoot, in any pattern of thinking and believing. The air we breathe matters, it is even life and death. In Western Christianity, here is the air that is in abundance: God created the world. Starting with a spark the expanse becomes a garden and life begins. A deity is responsible and he has given us free reign. God then desires for people to be good, nice, fair to each other as taught in the Bible and actually in most world religions. It is all suggestion and the best way to live really, so give it your best college try! While we are being good, the real goal of life is to be happy and feel good about oneself - the world revolves around you and when

It is a crazy time. Shootings. Abuse. Angst against the unknown. Contentment in a sea awash with American commercialism. It is enough to drive you crazy, and by you I mean me! This morning I was feeling the slush of all the crud and was preparing myself to become a Desert Father and hide away in a cave in the wilderness... but alas Jesus has put us where he desires, in the mess he has us, and gives us purpose. At the same time that I am wrestling with said placement I hear of believers in Nepal who spent four days walking and two days in a bus in order to attend a conference to hear the gospel. That puts my enneagram "romantic" desire for more in glaring perspective. But the Lord doesn't use these examples or subtle reminders to guilt us. After all there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. But he uses such examples of faithfulness and even the guttural angst in the routine to remind us that he has placed us here, as outposts of his grace and love. Jesus has

My house was crowded and people were more keen to talk than listen to what was coming from the TV so I missed a lot of the Superbowl commercials that America tunes in for. I remember reading the words on the screen, that it was audio from a sermon by Martin Luther King Jr., and saying "well that is good." But I didn't get the full sense of what was said other than they were selling trucks. It's America, who doesn't want to sell a truck? Well, funny thing or massively idiotic thing is, it wasn't the full sermon in which Dr. King tears down the American dream proffered by marketers and our own little greedy hearts. Thankfully someone has remedied the situation with the pertinent portion of his sermon. https://youtu.be/l_v1h6Zoi-Q Hmm. Now that is better...