the methodist blogroll top5list

Beth Quick top5 of 2006

Beth Quick blogs at www.bethquick.com

1) The Season of Giving - this was my December post reflecting on love languages and how and why we give.

2) All Saints Day and Heroes, which I am cheating in counting as one. In this post-pair, I first reflected on who we consider hereos and what standards we have for them, and then I shared my own 'hero list' that I used to keep in junior high. This was particularly fun because one of the individuals on my hero list stumbled onto the post and got in touch with me. I was glad he knew that he had an impact on me!

3) Reflections: GBCS Fall Meeting, Part 3 - My last reflection set from the fall meeting, where I shared a slam poem from methoblogger and cool person Kristina Gebhard. I also talked about my split personality - devoted institutional UMCer and young person wondering if the church is relevant and meaningful to the kingdom of God.

4) Mark Driscoll, Mainline Churches, and the Numbers Game - A response to a blog post by Mark Driscoll about how crazy liberal women are killing the mainline church. Incidentally, I just read an article in Relevant Magazine where Mark is one of the respondents to a set of questions about the church. He is so venomous in all his answers - and I'm not just saying that because we're not on the same thoelogical page. The other respondents included folks like Rob Bell, who I also differ from a great deal theologically. Driscoll just seems ready for a fight all the time, ready to throw out hurtful words at anyone who does not 100% agree with or support him.

5) Time and Stuff - This post is part a review of the book Not Buying It, by Judith Levine, but is also a reflection in general on my/our inability to focus on what matters and not get caught up in the ridiculousness the pace of what we are supposed to do/like/buy/etc.

There were a few others that would be honorable mentions in my mind, but these were the favorites.

the methodist blogroll top5's of 2006

these are what bloggers within the methodist blogosphere feels is their top 5 favorite posts of 2006. this is purely subjective and is judged only by that author. it can be determined by visits, comments, controversy, passion, preference, excitement, challenge, pretty rabbits, whatever...

email your top5 posts in an html or plain text email with links to me: email with the subject of "mbrtop5." pictures are optional.

enjoy the best of 2006

Gerry Charlotte Phelps top5 of 2006

Gerry Charlotte Phelps blogs at www.gerrycharlottephelps.com

1. This one, with its links, outlines the rise of the West and its decline, with or without the Islamists.  That Christianity gave rise to the power and prosperity of the modern West.  That abandoning Christianity some years ago is now killing Europe.  And that evangelism in Europe is literally the only thing that can save it - and why. See Evangelizing, No Europe" at http://www.gerrycharlottephelps.com/2006/01/no_evangelizing.html.

2.  This one, with its links and notes, sketches how and why the mainline churches have been in decline for more than 40 years, ever since they left historic Christianity, beginning with the "War for the Seminaries" of 1920s-1930s.  It also suggests making the denominations more democratic as one way to turn around their long decline.  See "Leadership at Odds With Churches" at http://www.gerrycharlottephelps.com/2006/02/leadership_at_o.html.

3.  This one - the introductory chapter of my new book - sketches how to grow any church by methods field-tested in various locations.  And how such growth in numbers and finances will arise from basic evangelizing and back-to-basics discipling.  See "Fruitful Church Growth" at http://gerrycharlottephelps.com/2006/07/fruitful_church.html.

4.  This one denies the false choice between evangelism and helping the poor, but contends that each is necessary to the other.  See "Helping the Needy and Afflicted, and Evangelism" at http://www.gerrycharlottephelps.com/2006/08/helping_the_nee.html.

5.  This one is about the latest big theological fad - the fourth in the last 30-odd years, with a shorter turn-around each time - and about maintaining our theological balance in spite of onrushing fads.  See "Eco-Theology: The Newest Big Fad" at http://www.gerrycharlottephelps.com/2006/06/ecotheology_the.html.

Thoughts from the Heart on the Left top 5 of 2006

Tony Mitchell blogs at "Thoughts from the Heart on the Left" out of the southeast New York area

1) “Maybe We Should Study War More Often” – This was in response to what I wrote about war and what we should do.

2) “Study War No More” – my thoughts on the Fourth of July weekend about war.

3) “What Have We Learned?” – thoughts on wisdom, knowledge, and learning

4) “Where Is God?” – finding God in worship and life

5) “Are You Coming or Going?” – This was part of a trilogy about the role of Christians in war time (the first two are #1 and #2 on this list).

 “What Do You Say? – this was my sermon at Edenville UMC the Sunday after the tragic shooting of the Amish school children.

Guy's Mental Wanderings top 5 of 2006

Guy blogs at "Guy's Mental Wanderings" and is out of the Houston area

1. The Inevitable Emergence of Young Church Leaders - This post was my own reflection on the news from various sources, religious and secular that the UMC (and the broader Church as well) is facing a critical absence of younger clergy leadership.

2. Preaching Study Posts for Psalm 23 (one , two, three), and Luke 2:41-52 (sermon here, w/links to 2 study posts) - The first preaching study post for Psalm 23 was my first attempt to turn around a common practice of offering up finished sermons via blogs for folks to read, learn from and interact with. It's not that I don't appreciate the value in that, but I wanted to experiment with laying open the study process and make sermon prep and Scripture engagment a little more of a communal exercise. As it happens, I think that the Luke sermon (for Mother's Day 06) is the only time I've included a sermon after I've preached it. I didn't do as many of these this fall as I had planned on doing but aim to get back to them in the spring. I enjoy the interaction and am thinking about specifically inviting the congregation to get online and participate if interested...

3. Two Cemeteries - A personal reflective piece after a family reunion side trip to a pair of cemeteries in rural East Texas that are connected with my Dad's side of the family.

4. Comparing Religions from a Christian Perspective part one and two - I was invited to teach an adult Sunday School class at my church for two sessions on this topic. I enjoyed the opportunity to frame my thoughts on the matter and had a great experience both in speaking and discussing with the class, and in the conversation on the blog.

5. Child's Theology - This post shared a couple of theological insights from one of my new friends at my new church who's about 4 or 5 years old. He's smart, funny, and a pretty cute guy too--ladies, are you listening?

Natalie Stadnick top5 of 2006

Natalie blogs at "Take My Hand" and is a youth out of the Atlanta area

1.) Why I've Given Up on Youth Group  
2.) I Know, I Know...  
3.) May I Just Say (a follow-up onf 'I Know, I Know...')  
4.) A Look at Sexism...  
5.) College App. Essay  

A Walking Paradox top5 for 2006

Rev. David Camphouse blogs at "A Walking Paradox" and is pastor in San Bernadino, California.

A few little tidbits from my blog for 2006.
1) A Church that Doesn't Suck
2) Clergy Salary Study
3) The Good Sheep, part I
4) The Good Sheep, part II
5) Taking A Risk

Tony Mitchell top5

Tony Mitchell of "Thoughts from the Heart on the Left"

1. Tenants of The Vineyard
2. The Coming Revival
3. Further Comments on the Coming Revival
4. What Child Is This?
5. So This Is Christmas
6. What Is A Person Worth?
7. Who Goes First?

Mike Holly top5

Mike Holly of "Inside Mike's Head"

• The One In Two Parts (More On Artists And Church Models)
• A Response to the Noisy Church (Or How Holy Conversations Are Needed Even More Today)
• Merchants of God (Or How The Seekers Will Feed The Receivers)
• Was Jesus Really Serious? (Or Could Jesus Be Polemical In His Teachings?)
• Conversion (sifting through evangelical/liberal mishaps and finding the way we?ve been given)

Jay Voorhees top5

Jay Voorhees of "Only Wonder Understands"

• A Prayer for Iraq
• Open Source Church Redux Part 1
• The Expansive Kingdom of God
• A Prayer for our Friends in London
• Remembering Billy . . . I Think

what is the top5 list

check out what each blogger within the methodist blogroll feels is their top 5 favorite posts of 2005. this is purely subjective and is judged only by that author. it can be determined by visits, comments, controversy, passion, preference, excitement, challenge, pretty rabbits, whatever...

email your top5 posts in an html or plain text email with links to: email with the subject of "mbrtop5." pictures are optional.

enjoy the best of 2005

Gerry Phelps top5

Gerry Phelps of "GerryCharlottePhelps.com"

• First, "Chapter 6: Sex and Poverty", posted September 6, from the book I posted online, "Up and Out: A Guide to True Compassion for the Poor," to help those working with the Katrina evacuees.  It has had more hits than anything I have posted. (A comic note - many hits came from search engine searches originating from the Middle East, which apparently were limited to searching for the phrase "6: Sex", whatever that meant to them.)

But it is a serious chapter, documenting that most U.S. poverty is a result of the fatherlessness resulting from the "Sexual Revolution" of the 1960s.  It also argues that most U.S. poverty will not be reversed until the Sexual Revolution is reversed - a challenge to all who profess to be concerned for the poor.  Also a challenge to all out there who are involved in discipling.

• Second, "Guys, You Remind Me of Myself," which tracked how I started evangelizing, how gosh-awful I was, and then learned as I went.  It argued for just getting started, no matter what method of evangelism anyone chooses.  And to do it often, at every opportunity. That experience is the best teacher.  And that the sheer glory and joy of leading someone to Christ cannot be matched by anything else.
• Third, "No Evangelizing, No U.S.A."  This pointed out the upcoming drastic economic/political decline we will face (in about 8 years) because of a declining population.  How this decline resulted from the Sexual Revolution.  And how we have to reverse that revolution to reverse that decline, simply to preserve the country.  So - an additional reason to evangelize and disciple; to preserve our country for our kids.
• Fourth, "Disciples Don't Cohabit."  This documented the harm done to children, the poor and society by the increasing replacement of marriage by cohabitation.  It also pointed to scriptures which make it clear that we can cohabit or be disciples, but not both.
• Fifth, "Upgrade for Marriages," my contribution to guidance toward starting a lasting marriage, rehabilitating troubled marriages, and strengthening all marriages.  Note to pastors and seminary students:  churches are only as strong as the marriages in it.  Part of the pastoral call is supporting and strengthening marriage.

Andrew Stoddard top5

Andrew Stoddard of "Mid Toil and Tribulation"

• What sin does. This is the true picture of what sin does.
• The Mississippi Voices of Katrina This is the response of some Mississippi Methodists to Katrina. It is amazing what the storm has done to our state and how long the rebuilding will take.  But, in the same, God’s grace is amazing even in the midst of that storm.
• So Tired Sometimes life is hard you just have to take a nap.
• Go see Narnia. Now. I’m a big Lewis fan, and this is my less than professional review of Narnia, along with why I like the books better.
• Fourth Week in Advent: Monday I post thoughts about the daily lectionary, and this may be my favorite one, because the Old Testament reading was a passage I hadn’t read since college, and it really brought a lot of thoughts back to me.

Jonathan Marlowe's top5

Jonathan Marlowe of "The Ivy Bush"

• Truthfulness and Tragedy A response to and critique of what both sides are saying about the famous judicial council rulings
• A Response from Marvin's Blogging Partner An analysis of the relationship between science and theology
• Harry Potter's Magic Less Dangerous Than Ours A comparison and contrast of Harry Potter's magic with our modern technology - how they are alike and how they are different.
• Elshtain at it again A commentary and critique of Jean Bethke Elshtain's support for the war in Iraq
• Three Cheers for John Calvin While remaining an Arminian, these are the reasons I respect Calvinism.

Patricia Wagner top5

Patricia Wagner of "2nd Grade Teacher"

• Blah Day
• The Farting Room and Similiar Butt Cracks
• Used to It
• Condolence
• Yesterday at our Faculty Meeting

Danny G top5

Danny G of "Once and Future Methodist"
*note: Danny's blog doesn't have permanent links for individual posts, so currently links are by month.

• Sometimes HIS Answer is No.......posted 7 December, 2005
• Bringing in the Sheep...................posted 27 August, 2005
• A Prayer for "Miss" Peggy............posted 8 September, 2005
• A Matter of Dress........................posted 13 September, 2005
• THANKSGIVING..........................posted 24 November, 2005

Shane Raynor top5

Shane Raynor of "Wesley Blog"

• Beth Stroud: The Wesley Blog Interview: This post probably caused more buzz throughout the blogosphere than any of my other posts this year. People on both sides of the gay ordination controversy seemed to appreciate the questions I asked and Beth's answers. This interview was also reprinted by the United Methodist News Service.
• Church Music and Your Soul: I still get e-mails about this one, mostly from people defending more traditional worship styles. Perhaps my use of the word dinosaurs in the opening sentence set the wrong tone.
• To Drink or Not to Drink: Some readers noticed a beer bottle in a pic of me with other Methobloggers in Nashville and the comments poured in like protesters at a General Conference. This article dealt with whether or not Christians (particularly youth workers) should drink alcohol.
• Where's the Fire?: This article tackled what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit, whether that's a separate experience from justification, and what that all means for the United Methodist Church. I touched on healing, faith, praying for the release of the Holy Spirit in our lives and the false doctrine of cessationism.
• Why Christians Should Support the TNIV (and Why World Magazine Should Back Off): This post was about the so-called "gender neutral" Bible controversy,\nstirred up by World Magazine in 1997 and rekindled this year with the\nrelease of Today\'s New International Version of the Bible. World dubbed it the "Stealth Bible", and even ran a site by the same name. In February, the site mentioned my article and hinted at an upcoming response. They've never responded, and as of today, the 'Stealth Bible" blog hasn't been updated in over four months. (Zondervan also mentioned the article on its official TNIV blog.)

Beth Quick top5

Beth Quick of "BethQuick.com"

• My survey on pastoral calling and the post with a summary of responses received.
• My thoughts on serving communion and the comments I received on this post. Since this post, I have started tearing the bread off the loaf for each person - I find it more meaningful, and I hope they do too.
• My post about my visit during the last GBCS meeting to talk with Roy Blunt's policy director, Neil Bradley, about the federal budget.
• My post following the judicial council decision regarding pastors' authority over receiving members about what 'we', progressive United Methodists, really want.
• My post, following some visits to old stomping grounds, about changing relationships and the sense of loss that comes from relationships that are no more.

John Wilks top5

John Wilks of "Preachers Journey"

• In Honor of a Lost Child
• Hotel Rwanda
• Compassion Includes Addressing Sin
• Uncomfortable Ministry
• Coffee and Justice parts one and two.

Pabar West top5

Pabar West of "Ten Cheeses"

• Biblical Government: No Such Thing
• Bishop Wilke at Hearts on Fire
• Blessed are the Peacemakers
• I Believe in God, the Intelligent Designer
• On Amicable Separation

Lawson Stone top5

Lawson Stone of "Stone Fences"

• Welcome to the Post-Modern Middle Ages - This was the article that actually launched my career as a blogger because I couldn't get it published anywhere else. It's a little...acerbic...
• Hindenberg Theology - This is the article that has gotten the biggest response because somehow it seems to strike a nerve with evangelicals struggling to be faithful and yet trying to face honestly certain issues in the culture.
• Taking Scripture Literally #5 and #6 - This is actually 2 articles dealing with Augustine's hermeneutic in Genesis 1, and why we should even care.
• On the Rocks - My entry into Rock-Climbing, which has also generated a lot of mail, especially from companies selling life-insurance...

Greg Hazelrig top5

Greg Hazelrig of "BroGreg.com"

• Mrs. Brogreg
• Thoughts immediately following Hurricane Katrina
• Sermon Following Hurricane Katrina
• Question of the Day for Oct. 4th - The first of my Daily Questions of the Days
• Question of the Day for Nov. 3rd - The Question of the Day that got John the Methodist's attention

David top5

David of "Thoghts From a Clay Pot"

• Holy Conversation About the Bishop's visit to BUSTH
• Slugs Slugs and Sin -- and the similarities.
• Holiness: How the corporate actions of the Body of Christ can transform the world... And why the goal for Wesleyans can't be social justice.
• Reaching Young Adults
• The Book The post where I compare process thought to a marmot.

Bruce Alderman top5

Bruce Alderman of "It Seems to Me..."

• It Doesn't Take Much discusses the benefits of microlending
• My Other Religion tells of how I found a deeper relationship with Christ by studying Taoism
• An Interesting Trap looks at the dangers of payday loans -- and offers a possible solution
• Olbers' Paradox considers one of the mistakes of 19th century science, and reflects on whether we are making similar mistakes today
• Magnificat examines the revolutionary nature of Mary's song

Jeffrey Croft top5

Jeffrey Croft of "pjeffy's posts"

• Homecoming
• What’s in a name?
• Emerging Cohort
• Church in the Club
• Feeling Important and Stupid

Lorna Koskela top5

Lorna Koskela of "see-through faith"

• irony of ironies I chose this because God met me at a very low point this autumn. He opened my eyes, restored the colour in my life. He gave me a simple message of hope.
• barefoot and naked I loved reading Buchanen's Your God is too Safe! This post more or less wrote itself. What's more I won a prize for it!
• This post love is a four letter word was written at almost exactly the same time and just flowed too!
• Owning the mistake was perhaps one of the hardest posts I've ever chosen to write. I'm learning a lot about forgiveness. I'm grateful, but it is still hard at times.
• Prayer is very important to me, though I've found it harder-going this autumn than at any other time of my life. Blogging through some prayers early in the autumn was a source of joy for me and helped me tug my prayer life back on track. This one ask of Me is among my favourites.

The best five posts in see-through faith in 2005? You decide! (please note: I decided to limit this to blogs written before the start of this church year, and after see-through faith moved from blazeministries to the heavenlytrain.com site. There were still almost 400 to choose from and I found myself praising God for all the things He has shown me since midsummer when eija and I launched the new site. I thank her for her patience and her love. We've learnt a lot over the past six months, part of that being how little I know about computers! (grin)

Brian Russell top5

Brian Russell of "Real Meal Ministries"

• Toward a Missiological Reading of the Bible
• Holiness and the Mission of the People of God
• Holiness, Adaptation, and Mission
• Hollywood and the Proclamation of the Gospel
• What Do You Want on Your Tombstone?

Nate Loucks top5

Nate Loucks of "nLoucks Site"

• I Am a Bad Friend
• IT'S DIFFERENT THAN I THOUGHT #1
• My First Hospital Visit
• Shekinadonai: The Next Big Thing w/ Pictures
• A Strange Week

Calvin Ng top5

Calvin Ng of "Maobi"

• Three ladies in prison (an appeal)
• Three ladies in prison (an appeal)
• Three ladies in prison (an appeal)
• Three ladies in prison (an appeal)
• Three ladies in prison (an appeal)

(Calvin felt this was enough for each spot in the top5)

Allen McGraw top5

Allen McGraw of "Methodist Corner"

• Not Easily Forgotten
• God's Call
• Disciplined Disciple
• Understanding the Trinity
• The Pursuit of God

Natalie Stadnick top5

Natalie Stadnick of "Take My Hand"

• Class Ring
• A Llama and a Flock of Chicks
• Sometimes, G-Bish Just Makes Me Smile
• They Say I Can't Make It
• Generalities (if that's in fact a word)

Nathan Smith top5

Nathan Smith of "SonSpring Design" & "Godbit Project"

• Membership, Movies + Mentoring
• Fleecing the Church
• Do We Really Care
  
• Web Terminology for Non-Geeks
• Don't Break the Menu

John the Methodist top5

John the Methodist of "Locusts and Honey"

• A New Kind of Christian: My Assessment
• The Case for Privatizing Public Libraries
• Are Evangelicals Really so Awful?
• Ask the Aqua Teens: Gay Pastors in the UMC
• Instant Messenger Log from Last Night

Adam Roberts top5

Adam Roberts of "SOTHBLOG" (aka. Shepherd of the Hills blog)

• "Dressing" is all about family, being thankful and knowing that sometimes being a good ol' boy ain't a bad thing.  Sometimes.
• "Kanye" proves that I can never leave well enough alone.  But, it did provoke some good conversation in the congregation.  Everybody stayed friends.
• Admittedly, poking fun at "Uncle Pat" is a little too easy
• "Number 6" because Bobby Cox is da man, and the Braves are da team, God bless 'em.
• After all, Christmas isn't Christmas without "Ralphie"

David Camphouse top5

David Camphouse of "A Walking Paradox"

• Accountability and the "Too Big Church" 
• 250 persons and more
• The "Real World" Pastor
• 7 Stepping Stones of Faith
• Discernment
  Honorable Mention
  Farmer Dave

Gavin Richardson top5

Gavin Richardson of "Hit the Back Button to Move Fwd"

• How to Get a Comment - i had fun making this one up in time when the methodist church and blogworld was so polarized.. this was just a bunch of fun & i think a release for many
• Sundrop Sunrise - quite possibly one of my best mornings of the year. getting up waaaay early, hiking a dark trail to my favorite spot in tennessee to welcome the sunrise and lauds.
• Pacifism is Not that Easy - this was just an open statement of my struggle with pacifism, but i enjoyed, and learned a lot from the conversation that ensued between john & anthony
• Wesleyan Bloggers and Unruly Children - was a great get together of some of us bloggers. and who could have predicted the firestorm of comments from the picture.
• "operation marriage proposal" - aside from being a wonderful time in my life. this was just a bunch of fun to write it the way i did.