English: Orthodox Christmas decoration Српски / Srpski: Православнa Божићна декорација,Храм Васкрсења господњег у Ваљеву 2010 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Below is a link to a sermon I preached on Christmas Eve entitled “Hope Realized: Jesus The Light of the World” based on Isaiah 9:2-7.
(Recorded by Voice Record Pro by Bej Bej Apps for iOS)
In Christ,
Rev. Evan
Money cash (Photo credit: @Doug88888)
Below is a link to a sermon I preached on November 10, 2013 entitled “One or Two Masters” based on Luke 16:1-13
(Recorded by Voice Record Pro by Bej Bej Apps for iOS)
In Christ,
Rev. Evan
Fireworks #1 (Photo credit: Camera Slayer)
My first post was on February 28, 2013 (view it here). Today is a milestone for me; this post marks the 200th post on evandolive.com. I am well aware that 200 posts in a drop in the bucket compared some other bloggers but I believe have learned a thing or two about writing and publishing.
I want to thank you for reading, sharing, liking, tweeting and commenting. It has been a wild ride so far and I look forward to the next 200!
In Christ,
Rev. Evan
Today I did a special interview… it was with my Brother in Law, Ben Fort.
He recently started a website called EmergingDisciple.com which will serve as the canvas to which his spiritual journey will be played out. I look forward to seeing how God uses his renewed faith. You never know more videos might be coming your way. Be sure to check it out!
In Christ,
Rev. Evan
Logo Created by Haley Dolive (@haleydolive)
This is Part Two of my sermon series entitled: Disciples 101: Re-Discovering Who We Are As Disciples of Christ.
Here is the second installment: Baptism based on Matthew 3:13-17
(Recorded by Voice Record Pro by Bej Bej Apps for iOS)
In Christ,
Rev. Evan
Part One: Communion
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I am a minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)–it’s OK… many people have never heard of it, too.
I could bore you with the history of the Disciples of Christ but in a nut shell it is the oldest Christian denomination founded on American soil and follows a few basic principles.
You can read more about the Disciples by clicking here and watch a nice video by clicking here.
Every two years the denomination gets together for a conference of sorts called the General Assembly. It is a time of worship, reflection, sharing, learning and discussion. Every year ministries and groups with in the denomination go through a process of proposing resolutions before the Assembly. There is a lengthy process of discernment before the general board sets the agenda. In years past things have been debated ranging from immigration reform to moral injury study to how the church understands itself in the 21st century and everything in between.
This year one resolution in particular is generating a lot of buzz. It’s resolution 1327. You can read it in full here.
In a nutshell the resolution calls upon the church to be a place of grace and welcome to all people understanding that all our welcomed at the table of God and thus that radical grace is extended to all.
Some people believe that this resolution is over reaching with regards to how the church is structured. If the church is autonomous from the national church then who a church welcomes or not welcomes is up to them. Some believe that it is a good resolution but fails to address certain issues that have been plaguing the DOC for many year.
But I think it goes deeper than that.
I believe that this resolution calls upon the church to be the church. In the church we have put up artificial barriers. We decide who is in and who is out, who has the power and who is a by standard. The church needs to step up to the plate and open its doors to all people from every walk of life and even differing sexual orientation. If the church is to have any relevance in the 21st century and beyond then it has to stop judging people first and then giving them a relationship. It works the other way around. People (especially those disenfranchised with the church) are not looking for a place for people think they are better than everyone else in the world all under the guise of religion. No, people are looking for something greater than themselves and for a community that does more than pay lip service to how all people “have fallen short of the Glory of God.”
After people are welcomed despite their faults (or perceived faults) then and only then can a congregation have conversations about sin, morality, interpretation and the authority of scripture or whatever. It’s about relationships first not judgment. Christ welcomed people from all walks of life and even had the audacity to call a Samaritan good (a big non-no in his time).
How can grace and welcome ever be a bad thing? In my opinion never.
Watch the video below; I believe it articulates the intent of the resolution well.
In Christ,
Rev. Evan
Rev. Dr. Evan M. Dolive 