tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73613227181191897672012-02-16T09:53:20.714-08:00Looking to Reconcile Theory & Practice.Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comBlogger301100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-4613953971088053932009-03-26T10:28:00.001-07:002009-03-26T10:28:57.170-07:00

Hey All...It's been a while, hasn't it?Seems as though a "Diary of a Mad Bible Student" as it were, with me ranting about this and that isn't where I'm at.Starting in the blog world afresh, posting things that are aimed at being more academic.Should be up soon. Thanks folks. :-)

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-85214647139785555852008-11-13T10:57:00.000-08:002008-11-13T15:52:02.204-08:00

In Luke 7:36-50, a woman from the city (most likely a prostitute) comes to Jesus and, on her knees, washes his feet. She acknowledges her sinful lifestyle, and she is forgiven because of her loyalty to Christ. Christ takes her in, loves her, and tells people that he loves her even though she is a sinner because despite her sin she loves much. Then, Christ tells the woman she is forgiven of her

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-10527811071581349282008-11-09T22:34:00.000-08:002008-11-09T22:36:55.520-08:00

God of Abraham, Miriam, Hannah, Rizpah, and David…God of Elijah, Amos, Ruth, Isaiah, Deborah…God of Mary, John the Baptizer, Peter, Paul, Philemon and Onesimus…God of Anthony, Ambrose, Dirk Willems, Teresa of Avila, and Francis ofAssisi,God of Dorothy Day, Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa, WilliamWilberforce, and Oscar Romeroand God of love, grace, and hope…Thank you for creating a perfect

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-7178518935068404022008-11-07T14:53:00.000-08:002008-11-07T14:56:10.382-08:00

There are a lot of things we attribute to the character and being of God. As an experiment, which is done out of curiosity and in an effort to learn, can everyone PLEASE just really quick post a ONE-WORD summation for who God is. What is the most essential thing? What is the best way to capture God's being with one word? If you had to tell someone who God is in one word, what would the word be?

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-73025141006716357972008-11-05T13:07:00.000-08:002008-11-05T13:47:11.471-08:00

"Let each of you look not to your own interests, but even to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in the form of a human, he humbled himself and became obedient

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-70394191798171019402008-10-30T17:38:00.001-07:002008-10-30T18:00:58.431-07:00

In the last post I talked about how Mark 10 discusses taking from oneself and giving to others as a sort of "pre-requisite" to following Jesus. It might be that the most definitive thing we can say about God is that he cares deeply for the oppressed. And, if we care about God, our response has to be to care for the oppressed.  "God is with the poor, and God is with us if we are with the poor." (

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-58331161839785341162008-10-29T13:02:00.000-07:002008-10-29T13:35:40.663-07:00

There's an SNL weekend update sketch that is done every couple weeks, in which an actor plays a "political comedian" who takes news paper headings and just sort of rambles on about them without ever really saying anything, "You know, the thing is... It's just not every day you see a.... I really don't believe that there's any relation between this and.... I just wish the world could learn to

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-77727059149449076352008-09-11T18:05:00.001-07:002008-09-11T18:05:41.556-07:00

To escape from the world You fill your cup Not with your grace But to disfigure your face To be free from your pride You pull up your shirt Not with your faith But to ask for rape To be accepted by peers You tear down your hair Not with your dignity But to embrace you jocularity To never mature You fill, pull and tear Disfigured, raped, and laughing You lose your faith

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-86739930111980318072008-09-09T21:27:00.000-07:002008-09-09T21:37:58.261-07:00

School started a week ago and I'm already stressed out of my mind. Here's who I am:I'm a shift supervisor at starbucks scheduled to work 25 hours a week, against my will.I'm a full time biblical studies & theology double major, which includes 18 units and consequently 150-200 pages of reading EACH NIGHT.I'm a discipleship group leader.I'm in a discipleship group.I'm a SALT team member.I'm "

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-9690796274393034172008-06-17T10:16:00.000-07:002008-06-17T10:35:25.442-07:00

A mother and her three children. Kevin is sick, he's the youngest. His mom bought him an orange juice & gave him a straw, but he drunk his juice straight from the bottle. His older brother and sister get hot chocolates and madeline cookies, Katie ate 5 and Kevin used his as a sponge to clean up orange juice he had spilled. He still ate that cookie. Their mom left to get the stroller, she was

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-36399263411284031302008-06-08T08:40:00.000-07:002008-06-08T08:57:34.002-07:00

I was just talking to Brian Lenney at church after he opened the service in prayer.Brian said something like "I hate praying in front of people like that."To put words in his mouth, the reason is, I think, that it makes him feel like the prayer is scripted. He is talking to his Father in heaven, but also somehow to the Elders, the Congregation, Fuller professors, Pastors. On top of that, there

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-33063885200375265222008-05-27T15:47:00.001-07:002008-05-27T16:16:35.489-07:00

I haven't looked into the issue much "biblically" speaking, but I think I finally put my finger on what it is about certain realms of Christian behavior that ales me, and I want to know what you guys think about it.I understand caring for one-another in such a way as to exhort one-another for the better. That is, I understand why we tell each other when we're doing things that are sinful/"

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-69632551865165769502008-05-22T21:59:00.000-07:002008-05-25T15:07:58.119-07:00

When does Jesus speak about the eternality of heaven being an event yet to come?John the Baptist, who constantly alluded to Christ's coming stated that "the kingdom of heaven has come near" (Matt. 3:2).Then, after John was arrested, Jesus also started to proclaim that "the kingdom of heaven has come near" (Matt. 4:17).In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talks about people who possess some kind of

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-77842638787142709932008-05-08T16:35:00.000-07:002008-05-08T16:36:26.554-07:00

What do you do when you've honestly devoted your entire life to serving God, which includes serving people who just don't get it and who seem unwilling to try?I'd really like some feedback on this one.

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-32787236515520343592008-04-30T02:39:00.001-07:002008-04-30T02:48:49.588-07:00

And the problem is this  We were bought with a kiss  But the cheek still turned  Even when it wasn't hit  And I don't know  What to do with a love like that  And I don't know  How to be a love like that  When all the love in the world  Is right here among us  And hatred too And so we must choose  What our hands will do  Where there is pain  Let there be grace  Where there is suffering  Bring

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-27909324864482500372008-03-23T23:30:00.000-07:002008-03-24T02:11:04.380-07:00

I feel like to some degree I've come to a life conclusion, and I'm not sure how much a like it.There's a scriptural problem, a life problem, a salvific problem. So many times in Jesus' ministry he says things like, "Many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able," or, "Let anyone with ears to hear listen," or "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few..."There's a Gospel

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-66578298943432088172008-03-16T22:20:00.000-07:002008-03-16T22:54:24.189-07:00

I wanted to take a few minutes & talk about the progression of the "Loved & Loving" project & the Campaign for Brokenness. If you haven't heard about these yet, there are some blogs that sort of chronicle what they are & what we've done already.Real quickly  I want to give you the goals for the next few months:1) Keep meeting & growing the L&L project for the spring semester.2) Develop a website

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-82213895123743694382008-03-11T23:11:00.000-07:002008-03-16T22:54:30.544-07:00

Inclusive Romance is an idea I've been thinking about for quite some time. The seed was planted a few years ago, I think, when I heard a story about pie.  There was a couple at church who, as part of the prayer team, were aware of not only all "church office" related issues, but specific congregation-related issues. That is, they knew almost everything that was going on with the congregation.

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-64018447832280436782008-02-14T14:42:00.000-08:002008-03-11T23:19:10.332-07:00

It struck me hard enough to write a sizable paragraph on the back of my chapel card expressing my frustration. The song said things like "I am yours Jesus, and you are mine" but for some reason these particular words were ringing in my ears: "Me, my, I, Jesus, me my I."  Maybe the phrase "be in the world, but not of the world," isn't strictly 'biblical,' but I think it needs to be applied

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-4423851790159924642008-02-04T14:50:00.001-08:002008-03-11T23:19:25.538-07:00

I recently found some encouragement that I wanted to share.You can find this in John 6 (Im using NRSV) 23 There came other small boats from Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks.  24 When the multitude therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats, and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.  25 And when

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-41433954978658306082008-01-17T14:36:00.001-08:002008-03-11T23:19:41.282-07:00

 I'd like to address, as a segway mostly, a "fiery" conversation I found myself in the midst of earlier today. I do not intend to vote in the upcoming Presidential election. The election, our countries leadership, is indeed extremely important. However, is my involvement, given the circumstances which I will discuss shortly, also "extremely important"? I'm a person who stands on solid rock of

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-64347916472866821342008-01-10T12:08:00.001-08:002008-03-11T23:19:59.301-07:00

I had conversation a few months ago with a family member. She was frustrated that APU, and other Christian communities have become so concerned about "going green," and felt that it was a distraction from, I suppose, what Christians "should" be spending their time doing. I think this is an inconsiderate approach, and an ultra-conservative viewpoint that needs to be exposed. I believe that Going

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-87904995571003956512008-01-09T11:21:00.000-08:002008-03-11T23:20:15.773-07:00

And so it begins.  On tuesday I met with about 10 students at APU. On wednesday I met with about 7 other students at APU. We opened by saying the prayer of Saint Francis Assissi together, as one: "Lord, make us instruments of your peaceWhere there is hatred, let us sow Love;Where there is injury, pardon;Where there is doubt, faith;Where there is despair, hope;Where there is darkness, light;Where

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-11777794290059595412007-12-29T23:56:00.000-08:002008-03-16T22:17:33.921-07:00

And so, without a doubt, every decision comes down to a simple choice regarding the employment of our own character: Grace? It is free, though it isn't deserved. The producer pays the consumer. And, because it is not "just" that one should receive what is not rightfully theirs, nor what should ever be theirs, we fail. We deny grace to such a degree that the undeserved act itself is deserved

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-19383740763113017862007-12-16T23:25:00.001-08:002008-03-11T23:21:09.706-07:00

This is a new song out by Jon Foreman (lead singer of Switchfoot).... It's straight outta Romans, straight Gospel. Just want to share the lyrics :-)How miserable I amI feel like a fruit-picker who arrives after the harvestThere's nothing here at allNothing at all here that could placate my hungerThe Godly people are all goneThere's not one honest soul left here on the planetWe're all murderers

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-29013652869957139532007-12-10T22:20:00.000-08:002008-03-11T23:21:32.551-07:00

Since this Loved & Loving project is in effect, at least to some degree, I'm trying to practice what I preach. I don't claim to be the most Loving person on the face of the planet or at APU, in fact I'm among the most closed off at times. So I've been making an effort to do what I say. Here's what the goal of all this is:To Love our community that is APU by acknowledging and reaching out to each

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-44490882911038814072007-11-29T20:07:00.001-08:002008-03-11T23:23:13.342-07:00

I have been presented with a vision that I consider wholly separate from myself.  The vision is to embrace and Love all people, not just those we agree or identify with. Here is what the Campaign is formed upon, four basic principles: 1) People are members of a community. A non-discriminatory community we call "humanity." 2) All members of this community, humanity, are broken. 3) All members

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-44818311237568444092007-11-29T19:44:00.000-08:002007-12-20T10:40:05.572-08:00

LOVED & LOVING I believe in God.  I believe in Jesus Christ, the son of God, the LORD of creation and redemption, the Savior of the World. God and Jesus are of the same substance, and function as one with their spirit, THREE IN ONE: Father. Son. Spirit. I affirm all of these Christian beliefs; I believe that many people disagree with me.  But there’s one thing I haven’t mentioned directly:

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-33941876452443177432007-11-08T08:36:00.000-08:002008-03-11T23:25:28.771-07:00

Last night I was watching TBN. For those that haven't heard of it (apparently a bigger part of the population than I would have guessed) TBN stands for "Trinity Broadcasting Network," it's that channel with the televangelists who encourage your debt to support their "ministry." This year they're asking all of their viewers to give them two-thousand and seven dollars, since they've proclaimed this

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361322718119189767.post-9534324912587070412007-11-05T19:36:00.000-08:002008-03-11T23:25:52.696-07:00

My eyes are glazed and my ears are shut lately, that's because I can't seem to think about anything except "Theology." Today I went to my car to go to Pasadena. I was going to sit in my car and read for an hour before I left. When I sat down, I looked across from me and this beautiful, happy girl got into her car. She didn't know I saw her, I guess... She started bawling. Broken. Hidden. Who

Douloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13665354958923411869noreply@blogger.com