Gary Shogren's Blog
This morning I attended a service in Costa Rica. It’s not our church, but one I sometimes visit. The congregation is English-speaking, Afro-Caribbean. They have a strong island accent. I was one of a few white people in the congregation.As usual, they greeted me warmly.Our home church is Latin American and Spanish-speaking. We go to... Continue Reading →
There are two main approaches to the Lord’s Prayer (LP). The Lord’s Prayer was meant to be prayed verbatim. The Lord’s Prayer was not meant to be prayed verbatim, but rather serves as a model prayer. Most of the church for 2000 years has opted for the first, while also affirming that it is also a... Continue Reading →
A word to my fellow-teachers: It's time to correct essays and exams. It tops the "Favorite Things to Do" list for very few people. I tell my students, "Don't slide your paper in the bottom of the pile, because I'll probably have an attitude by the time I work my way down to it." I'm... Continue Reading →
NOTE: Many thousands have read this little article, thanks so much! May I invite you to share it with your mission board; your friends; sign up for my blog, at right; to read an article about missionary letters; a recent article on Acts 1:8; and our missionary website where we describe our works as theological educators in... Continue Reading →
Looked at from one angle, my life may be divided into two halves. The first half was labeled: No thanks. The second half: Yes, let's! Actual Examples of “No Thanks”: Gary, you want to go sailing in the bay with us? No thanks. How about playing some hoops? Don’t feel like it. You want to go... Continue Reading →
For many years, I made no New Year’s resolutions. My reasoning: Why make a big deal just because the planet has revolved around the sun to an arbitrary point in space? Why try to be a better persons on this one day when I should be doing it all the time? Are resolutions relevant to... Continue Reading →
Raking leaves: on the bottom of my list, way below all other yard work. Lower than fixing leaks; cleaning; trash day. I can't think of a task I enjoy less. Made even worse by the fact that I had them all picked up two weeks ago, then it got windy and I had to start... Continue Reading →
Spiritual believers are Christ-centered, but that doesn't prevent them from speaking about the Spirit! Why has it become necessary to say this? It's because John MacArthur in his Strange Fire opines that all Charismatic and Pentecostal Christians remove Christ from the center of the gospel and replace him with Holy Spirit mania; rather, he finds references... Continue Reading →
[Additional Note, Aug 6 2014. Of course the Blood Moon teachers are announcing, Aha! I told you that Israel and Gaza would go to war! Well, of course they predicted no such thing, but when someone says that "something will happen"; and then something, anything happens; one can then claim, See, I told you something would... Continue Reading →
When we want to illustrate causation or chronology, we usually motion from left to right: that’s the way we do math, that’s the way we write. Preachers sometimes do so, but most will begin at their left and move or gesture toward their right. That is, what seems the natural order to the speaker is... Continue Reading →
Open Our Eyes, Lord! 