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chrisaltrock

Chris Altrock is an author, spiritual director and preacher, serving as the Senior Minister at the Stamford Church of Christ. He and his wife Kendra are parents to Jordan and Jacob.

Irreligious: Forsaking Religion and Finding Jesus’ Authority (Mk. 11:27-33) Chris Altrock – July 18, 2010

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Annie Dillard is a popular U. S. author.[i] When Dillard was a teen she attended church services regularly.  But one day she quit.  She couldn’t stand the hypocrisy of some of the church members who came on Sunday mornings just to show off their clothes.  So that morning, Dillard met with the assistant minister to officially quit church.  Dillard recalls, “He heard me out and then said, ‘You’re right, honey, there is a lot of hypocrisy.’” Then he handed Dillard some books by C.S. Lewis, a respected author who wrote thoughtfully about Jesus and the Christian faith.  The minister asked Dillard to read Lewis’ books, explaining, “This is rather early of you to be quitting the church.  I suppose you’ll be back soon.”  He was right. After Dillard plowed through four of the C. S. Lewis volumes, she returned.  Her rebellion lasted just one month.

Read More »Irreligious: Forsaking Religion and Finding Jesus’ Authority (Mk. 11:27-33) Chris Altrock – July 18, 2010

Refresh: Connecting With Christ by Praying Scripture

bible5Introduction

Mark Thibodeaux suggests there are four kinds of prayer.[1]  He illustrates each kind through a story about himself and his Aunt Sally.

 

First, there is “Talking at God.”  When Thibodeaux was four years old, his Aunt Sally came to visit.  Tongue tied, Thibodeaux didn’t know what to say to her.  His mother said, “Say ‘Hello Aunt Sally.’”; “Tell Aunt Sally how old you are.”; “Say, ‘I’m four years old.’”  Thibodeaux’s mother gave him the words to say.  Some prayer is like this.  We invite someone else to give us the words we need to speak to God.  We use someone else’s prayer for our own prayer.  This is similar to our use of pre-written wedding vows or popular love songs—we use someone else’s words to say what we want to say but aren’t sure how to say.  Thibodeaux calls these “ready-made prayers.”   

 

Read More »Refresh: Connecting With Christ by Praying Scripture