Category Archives: Christendom

I Awoke from a Dream this Morning

Posted on March 21, 2017 by Ron Goetz

It is, at this moment, 9:39 a.m. I awoke from a dream this morning. It was a vivid dream, short. I lay in bed for a few minutes, pondering the dream. I realized I had to post it, this morning. I went … Continue reading →

Posted in Abomination, Banks, Christendom, Christian Colleges, Church of the Nazarene, Deeper Life, Discipleship, Simpson University, Southern Baptist | 4 Comments

Who We Really Are: Perfectly One in the Father and the Son

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Ron Goetz

Simple as A B C One notable feature of John’s writings is his use of equivalencies, of simple logical strands like A=B, A=C, B=C.  Or you might find A=B, but -A ≠ B. These equations are virtually mathematical in their … Continue reading →

Posted in Apotheosis, Christendom, Deeper Life, Devotional, Institutional Religion, John 17, Liberal Devotion, Marriage, Mysticism, Perfect Union | Tagged | Leave a comment

Do You Feel Like Your Church Experience is Useless, Worthless, and Empty?

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Ron Goetz

Do you feel like your church experience is useless, worthless, and empty? If it does, then it probably is, and it is not your fault. The Apostle Peter said, You know that in the past you were living in a … Continue reading →

Posted in Christendom, Church, Devotional, First Peter | Tagged , | 17 Comments

Sin at the Center of God’s Temple

Posted on September 4, 2012 by Ron Goetz

There’s a lot of talk about how Christians pick and choose which Bible verses they use and which ones they ignore.  It can be personally difficult to criticize others for picking and choosing when we realize that we do a fair amount of … Continue reading →

Posted in Antinomianism, Bible, Christendom, Christianity, Religion | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Rigid Church People Who Drive You Nuts: SJs and Sixes

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Ron Goetz

When I was a young person, I sat under Pastor Conrad, a fundamentalist preacher in the GARB (General Association of Regular Baptists). I remember thinking to myself, “We’re both Christians, we both speak English, but sometimes it seems like we’re from different … Continue reading →

Posted in Christendom, Diversity | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Angel’s List–Dissatisfied Church Customers

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Ron Goetz

If you are dissatisfied with your church experience, either as a church member or as a member of the clergy, or are no longer in the church, you are not alone. You are not a malcontent, and there is an … Continue reading →

Posted in Christendom, Devotional, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Jeremiah 31, Satire | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

The Great Minds

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Ron Goetz

Once upon a time there was a Land with Many Great Minds. They devoted themselves to a Huge Book, which had been written and edited by Hundreds of People over thousands of years. The Huge Book The Huge Book told how those hundreds of … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christendom, Liberal Parables, Parables, Theology | 2 Comments

My Sister, Bible College, and Deprivileging Theology

Posted on September 24, 2011 by Ron Goetz

My sister was born with brain damage. The umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck.  The doctors waited 24 hours before deciding to perform an emergency C-section. This was fifty-two years ago, before the great advances in fetal monitoring and the massive … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christendom, Christianity, Life and Testimony, Theology | Tagged , , , , | 11 Comments

Revival and the Great Commission: our μετανοια vs our κοσμος

Posted on September 21, 2011 by Ron Goetz

Our problem with the Great Commission is really quite simple. I know most of you are familiar with the passage, but let me cite it, highlighting three words we have trouble with. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christendom, Repentance, Sanctification, UMC | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Hermit Crab

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Ron Goetz

Once upon a time there was a tiny hermit crab who found a tiny shell for a home. When she grew too big for her tiny shell, she looked for a slightly larger shell. This happened many times, until one … Continue reading →

Posted in Christendom, Christianity, Devotional, Liberal Parables, Parables | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments