Tag: Discipleship

Making a huddle

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Back in San Diego, I was part of a group which we called “The Men’s Huddle”. We were a small group of Catholic guys who got together every couple of weeks in order to share our lives, hold each other accountable and to encourage one another as we sought to become all that God calls us to be.

Huddle

In the last couple of years I’ve noticed more men’s groups have been springing up. This is really great to see and today I’d like to write a little bit about The Huddle, in the hope that it will inspire other men to do something similar. The Huddle was a great support to me during my time in San Diego and I would like more men to experience the sort of blessing which comes with membership of such a group.

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TOT: Fan or a follower?

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Last week I posted the audio from Dr. Michael Barber’s Theology On Tap. In this most recent Theology On Tap series we also had Matt Franklin come and give a presentation. His talk was called “Sweet Surrender: Are you a fan or follower of Jesus?” 

Franklin

Main Talk (Download)

Q&A (Download)

Sunday Lectionary: Jesus Number One!

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I hadn’t planned to write about last weekend’s Gospel reading, but it has kept coming up in conversation and I’ve spoken to some people who have been really troubled by Jesus’ words, perhaps rightly so:

Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them,

“If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.  Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion?  Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him and say, ‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’

Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops? But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms.

In the same way, anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.”

Masochism or poor linguistics?

What did Jesus mean when he said we must “hate” our family and even “hate” our own lives? That sounds rather masochistic!

Is this just a bad translation?  Actually, no, it’s not.  The Greek word being used here is “miseo”, which, according to Strong’s Greek Lexicon means “to hate, pursue with hatred, detest”.

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