The Edge of the Inside
The first iteration of the blog was, Just Todd, written on the old Blogger platform. I moved from there to Typead. After reading a piece by Father Richard Rohr, I adopted the blog title, The Edge of the Inside and moved to WordPress. Fr. Roher describes the prophetic position as, the edge of the inside. The location in the analogy provides an opportunity to welcome those who are coming and to engage those who are leaving. One may also utter a call to those just outside to consider Jesus is Lord while at the same time calling out the seat of power at the center of whatever group with which one may identify or what category accompany existing relationships.
The new iteration of the website combines my interest in writing, though not as often as I like, with the opportunity to host a podcast. Here you will find newer and older posts. Over time we change. It is possible you may discover some of those changes if you care to read the older posts.
Thank you for stopping by.
Who Does That?!
Often I take a manuscript into the pulpit. The preached sermon will vary. Below the post will be a link to the preached sermon. Text: Jeremiah 18:1-18 Pastoral Prayer: Lord God, who loves with an everlasting love, there are times where we amaze those around us not for our faithfulness, but for our faithlessness. They...
The Bookkeepers Will Always Be With You . . . But They Don’t Have to Be
Often I take a manuscript into the pulpit. The preached sermon will vary. Below the post will be a link to the preached sermon. Luke 15:1-3, 25-30 Pastoral Prayer: Holy One, we find it hard to believe you will erase for us what we will not erase for others. So, we find ourselves taking up...
Governor Stitt Aims for Oklahoma’s First Top Ten Win . . . In Firearm Deaths
Our new Governor laid out his goal to make Oklahoma a top ten State. Who would have thought that before education, justice reform and healthcare that Oklahoma would pass legislation with the promise of the Governor’s signature that will surely propel Oklahoma into the top ten of states with the highest rate of firearm deaths?!...
Until?
Pastoral Prayer: Holy One, we are often lulled into smugness. Here we sit this morning while others are elsewhere. Quickly we allow this seed to grow into a spiritual superiority that blinds us from Jesus, from you. Too often we read the prophets and sit in judgement on a people we barely understand . ....
Can’t Drain the Swamp
Luke 4:21-30; Jeremiah 1:4-10 Pastoral Prayer: Lord God, it is easy for us to get tied to things as they are. After all, it is what we know and have known. We admit that we really like Jesus’ message of planting and building his Kingdom. We do find it hard that Jesus also challenges our...
Freedom from the Tyranny of the Self or, You Are the Body
Often I take a manuscript into the pulpit. The preached sermon will vary. Below the post will be a link to the preached sermon. Pastoral Prayer: Holy One, by the power of the Spirit Jesus came with the Good News. We risk missing it for we only hear the Law. Forgive us for taking the...
Katy’s Long Obedience In the Same Direction
Sister Mary Katherine. No, not Sister Mary Clarence. Katy was no Sister Act, not an undercover nun. She was my first grade Sunday School teacher. Only in more traditional Baptist churches did you hear women referred to as sister. Don’t let we Baptists know that Roman Catholic women, given to simple vows, have been referred...
Falling Into Our Own Pit
My friends over at Crackers & Grape Juice are providing daily Advent Devotionals. Last week I offered some reflections on Isaiah 5:13-25. Even though we are half way through the Season, it is not too late to get in on some very good writing based on the title of Fleming Rutledge’s newest book, Advent: The...
The Witness Accuses and Rectifies
Pastoral Prayer: Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that these peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with...
Vincent van Gogh’s Rembrandt, Nouwen’s van Gogh and Carol Berry’s Gift
Twenty or so years ago I read Leonard Sweet’s soulTsunami. Tucked away in that long description of the to-come for the church and religious life was a reference to Vincent Van Gogh’s painting, The Church at Auvers. A framed print greets me every morning as I come to the Office/Study. I could not afford the...