http://www.paullittleton.com The blog of Paul Littleton Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:16:41 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en As I grew up a Southern Baptist I remember being taught, often, that “Southern Baptists are not a denomination, we are a convention of local churches.” Perhaps that is true in theory. However, I am of the opinion that we are what we do. If I say I am frugal ... http://www.paullittleton.com/2010/03/you-are-what-you-do/ http://www.paullittleton.com/2009/12/advent-conspiracy/ Forgiveness is one of the most difficult things that confronts humanity. Nations fight wars over hurts that go back literally hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of years. The conflict in the Balkans in the 90s is a good example of how, for hundreds of years, Bosnians and Croats have fought because ... http://www.paullittleton.com/2009/11/the-nature-of-forgiveness/ Stand By Me from Mike Yates on Vimeo. http://www.paullittleton.com/2009/08/stand-by-me/ While at youth camp this summer I heard a statistic quoted that 80% of seminary graduates leave the ministry within five years of graduating.  I went snooping around to see where such a statistic might come from.  Well, it turns out that LeadingFromYourStrengths.com has come across various troubling studies.  They ... http://www.paullittleton.com/2009/08/america-we-have-a-problem/ Wow.  This has been a very busy and very long week.  Nearly every night has been taken up with some sort of activity and an extra project along with a doctor's visit have filled up my already busy days.  I intended to post something original this week, but instead I ... http://www.paullittleton.com/2009/08/two-referals-and-a-request/ For a religion that takes its name from its founder it would seem that Jesus being the center of the Christian faith would be a redundant statement of the obvious. But is it? I think there are two sources of competition for Jesus being the center in the modern American ... http://www.paullittleton.com/2009/08/jesus-the-center/ http://www.paullittleton.com/2009/08/salvation-army-band/ I need therapy. Many of us do. Therapy is usually a bunch of talking. I've never submitted myself to formal therapy with a professional, but I've seen the caricatures on TV. Patient lies on couch and talks. Doctor mumbles profundities like, "Mmmm hmmm," and "I see," and "how does ... http://www.paullittleton.com/2009/07/wading-back-in/ You'd either have to know Latin or church history to know what that means, but Semper Reformanda was a phrase used by some of the Protestant Reformers to indicate that church reformation is always ongoing; literally "always reforming." As I look at 2000 years of church history one thing I note ... http://www.paullittleton.com/2009/06/semper-reformanda/