-
Recent Posts
-
Join 852 other subscribers
Top Posts & Pages
- "Happy Lent"? - An Ash Wednesday Homily
- "Ashes to Ashes" - An Ash Wednesday Homily
- "Into the Hand of a Woman" (Or, A Well-Placed Tent Peg)
- A Table in the Presence of My Enemies
- How Can You Vote For HER?
- Ram Tough
- Do I HAVE To? (No!)
- Richard Mourdock Does Not Speak for All Christians
- Noah, the Film: A Rant, a Review, and a Recommendation
- Easter, The Last Two Minutes
Categories
- Abortion
- Arts and Culture
- Atheism
- Baseball
- Bible
- Christian Living
- Christianity
- Christianity and Culture
- Christmas
- Church
- Easter
- ELCA
- End of Life
- Faith
- Faith and Science
- Family
- Father
- film
- Football
- Game Shows
- Homosexuality
- Islam
- Israel
- Jeopardy
- LGBTQ
- Lutheran
- Lutheran Theology
- marriage equality
- Martin Luther
- Martin Luther King Jr.
- Medicine
- Movies
- Parenting
- Pastors
- Political
- Postcards from a Journey Through the Bible
- Prayer
- Psalm 139
- Quantum Physics
- Questions
- Racism
- Random
- Rock bands
- Salvation by Grace
- Sermon
- Short Story
- Thanksgiving
- The Holy Spirit
- The Who
- Too Smart for God
- Travel
- Uncategorized
- Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
- Worship
- Writing
Archives
- April 2021
- June 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- July 2019
- April 2019
- February 2019
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- October 2017
- August 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- February 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- August 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
Meta
Author Archives: pastordavesimpson
Review and Reflection: “Birdman”
“Birdman,” and this post, are rated “R” for adult language and themes. When we think of “breathtaking” films what usually come to mind are epic spectacles of sound and fury. But “Birdman” is a film that takes one’s breath away … Continue reading
Death With Dignity? (The question of Physician Assisted Suicide)
“Agnes” had lived long enough. The disease ravaging her lungs had downsized her once vigorous lifestyle. She couldn’t spend her days “out visiting.” Her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren had to come to her now. Not too long ago, just getting out … Continue reading
Grace and Consequences
On May 13, 1981, Pope John Paul II entered St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican. Mehmet Ali Ağca was waiting with a gun. Ağca pulled the trigger. Four bullets hit the pope, and he was rushed to the hospital where he … Continue reading
Grace? I Object!
I have heard all the objections to grace. I have spoken them myself. The primary objections are these: It’s too easy! It’s not fair! I hear them every time I teach or preach about grace. I heard some of them yesterday in … Continue reading
If I Have Gay Children: Four Promises From A Christian Pastor/Parent (Reblogged from John Pavlovitz)
A friend who is the parent of a gay child sent me this link to a post on Pastor John Pavlovitz’s blog. It obviously resonated with them. I think the post is quite awesome and well worth of sharing: If I Have Gay … Continue reading
Posted in Christian Living, Christianity, Homosexuality, Parenting, Pastors
Tagged gay kids, LBGTQ Kids, Parents of gay children, Parents of LBGTQ kids
3 Comments
“. . . in the best possible light”
Just a quick thought . . . We deepen division and obliterate even the possibility of relationship when we define those with whom we disagree according to the most extreme proponents and positions of their convictions. What if we stopped awfulizing religions (or lack thereof), political … Continue reading
A Pastoral Letter to an Abused Woman (Repost)
(I first posted this over two years ago. With the recent attention to Domestic Violence, I thought it was appropriate to repost. The church should certainly be speaking to issues such as this. As I say at the end, it was … Continue reading
Convert Them or Kill Them!
On Sean Hannity’s Fox “News” show the other night, they were talking about ISIS. That’s certainly an important topic – ISIS is destabilizing the Middle East, killing and torturing people indiscriminately, and doing their best to drag the US back … Continue reading
Eulogy for the Simpson Family Vacation
There was something . . . incomplete about our summer vacation this year. We spent a relaxing week at beautiful Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. But there was something missing . . . My 23-year old son. Philip had entered the … Continue reading
Posted in Family, Father
Tagged End of Family Vacations, Family Travel, Family Vacations, Kids Growing Up, Travel
3 Comments
I Won’t Try to Convert You . . . Because I Can’t
When I get a notification that someone has liked a post or has decided to follow The Unexpected Pastor (which you can do with the “Follow” button on the right, by the way), I usually check out their blog. The other day, … Continue reading
The Unexpected Pastor 