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The Bi-vocational Knight: The Case for Bivocational Ministry Part 1 by Rev. Mike Chipman      I started my ministry career as a youth worker at New Albany Presbyterian. After some time there, I came under the care of the Mississippi Valley Presbytery as a student of theology. I was moving into the big time. I saw the land of ordained ministers as a land of anointed knights, and I was a squire. I hoped to one day trade in my dagger and scrub brush for a sword and shield. Several situations exacerbated this feeling. Once, I filled the pulpit in another ARP church. Before my sermon, the elder introduced me as, “Mike Chipman, who is training to be a real pastor one day.” In another church, the elder introduced me as, “Chip.” You know, like the idiot sidekick monkey-boy who's there for laughs and to make the hero look smart. The pastor may have introduced me that way because of the thing growing on my shoulder. Whatever the case, that day finally came when I was dubbed, “The Right

  We have finally made it.  Not quite to the end of 2020, but to the week where media outlets will draft their reflections on what they saw as the most significant events of the year 2020.   In most years, these retrospectives are a mashup of important events, political, sports, and entertainment highlights.  They capture both the tragedy of human wickedness and the beauty of human compassion.  They capture both the loss and burden of natural disasters and the levity of the year ’ s funniest internet memes.  Undoubtedly, this year ’ s reflections will be somewhat different.  In a year like no other in recent history, they will invariably, and often unwittingly, project the images of a world in need of redemption.  Which begs the question, particularly in a year such as this, what if redemption had never come?   The Christmas season is now behind us.  The traditions, the celebrations, the harried preparations  —  even if somewhat muted this year  —  have all passed.  Pastors have both e

During a short-term summer missions trip helping construct the Camp Maranatha Chapel in Rio Verde, Mexico, our team spent a relaxing day together at Media Luna, a beautiful crystal-clear lake in the shape of a half-moon. The warm water ranges from blue to turquoise with great visibility, which allows underwater views up of to 100 feet.  The most striking feature of this lake is the account that its depth was plumbed even by the famed Jacques Cousteau ,  and his able team found it unmeasurable. Media Luna is beyond measure.  Media  L una is, for man's purposes, bottomless. The grace of God in the incarnation of Jesus Christ is  similarly immeasurable . Caught up with the sheer wonder of the gospel that is lavished upon us by the surpassing grace of God, Paul exclaims, “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15). In this simple and yet profound verse, Paul captures the heart of the incarnation. In a day of much distraction, he teaches us how we are to celebrat

  Greetings to you all, and Merry Christmas! I must admit that as I typed that Christmas greeting, the popular “Ralph in Danger” meme came to mind. For those of you less versed in internet memeology, allow me to educate you. “Ralph in Danger” refers to the image below of Ralph Wiggum, son of Police Chief Wiggum in The Simpsons , sitting in the back of a bus with the subtitle: “(chuckles) I’m in Danger”. This meme template has been used for all sorts of applications, but I think my own usage below is applicable. I know, I know, not all of us see eye to eye on Christmas. My intention is not to stir up debate or sow seeds of discord. Over the last couple of weeks, I have been blessed by the excellent articles published on this blog by good friends, several of which I “speak” with on an almost daily basis. “Speak” is in quotations because our speaking with one another is normally in electronic format, but we communicate nonetheless. Most of the time we are in full agreement. Sometimes we a

It was with great interest that I read recent blog posts by my esteemed ARP pastor-friends Benjamin Glaser and James McManus . Benjamin made a great case for the singing of psalms in worship (commenting specifically the "new song" of Psalm 98), and James drew our attention to the glory of God in the opening chapters of Luke's Gospel (even if he did have a few anachronisms sprinkled in. Coffee and notepads?!?  Bah! Humbug!). It is with both of these blog posts in mind that I submit my humble observations on each of these two issues, along with an appeal to my fellow ministers. The first observation deals with Christmas music. Admittedly, James' post dealt (right so) with the actual Scriptural songs that we find in Luke 1 and 2. They are the inspired words of Scripture, and regardless of our position on all things Christmas, we must not shy away from them. We may want to read them and preach from them in March or July instead of a week or two in December, but they dema

What if you knew that this Christmas would be your last one on earth? Would it make a difference in how you celebrated, in the gifts that you give, and in the meaning of the day?   Obviously, the answer would be yes. But how would it play out in your life? Of course, you can look at things from a statistical perspective and conclude that this will probably not be your last Christmas. But the truth is that the length of our lives is not determined by statistical probabilities. The number of your days are set by the will and plan of God. (Psalm 139:16) We live at God ’ s pleasure and purpose. Thus, it is not idle speculation to consider if this will be your last Christmas.   The culture around us has focused on the celebration, the gifts, the good feelings. One national coffee shop has dropped  “ Christmas ”  from  “ Merry Christmas ”  and simply says  “ Enjoy your Merry. ”  This is an indication where we have come as a nation and culture. The focus is on enjoy and not the why of enjoyme

Isaac Watts felt as if the Lord’s songbook was insufficient to teach young and old about the work of Jesus Christ, that they needed to be “updated” to get with the times. He is reported to have complained to his father on many occasions that the psalms were dull and lacked life, and it showed in how people sang them. In his estimation this was because they didn’t clearly enough proclaim Christ. To remedy this he set about writing new hymns and, again in his mind, updating the word of God to fit with the more full revelation of the New Testament.  Watts’ understanding of the psalms was, of course, hogwash , if not something even less pleasant.  This time of year likely his most well known composition is Joy to the World , a meditation on Psalm 98. It is mesmerizing to consider how daft Watts must have been not to see the fullness of Jesus Christ expressed in this portion of Holy Scripture. For centuries these series of psalms (96-98) were understood as speaking to the establishment of t

One of the most challenging stories for me in the Bible is the one is found in Luke 10:38-42.   In it, Luke tells us of an encounter with the three main characters: Mary, Martha, and Jesus.   Mary and Martha were sisters and the hostesses of a party. Jesus was the invited guest. Martha had a gift of service which she put to work. Mary did not have that same gift. She simply hung out at Jesus’s feet, learning from him. Martha was distracted with serving, and Mary was focused on Jesus, leaving Martha to complain to Jesus, for she needed and wanted Mary’s help.    Jesus’s response to her complaint was not what she wanted nor expected to hear. She wanted him to tell Mary to get up and help her. But, Jesus said, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her” (verse 41-42). I can imagine Martha saying, with jaw dropped, “What? I’m trying to serve you. Is that wrong?”   Did J

At the risk of raising the ire of some of my Reformed brethren, I really enjoy the Advent and Christmas season (cue the booing, hissing, and quoting of the Directory of Public Worship). I understand and agree that Christmas isn’t a holy day, and it isn’t any better/holier/more sanctified than the regular and ordained Sabbath Day and Sabbath observances (hopefully that will help steer away any charges). And, I agree with observations that many in the world, and, sadly, in the church, do treat Christmas as something more special and better and holier than what is prescribed in God’s word.   But … aside from all of that, I still really enjoy this season. I enjoy the decorating of the house and tree, setting up the nativity scene next to the tree, singing the Christmas hymns and carols. I enjoy the time and emphasis on the story of Christ’s birth, and how that can engage even the most nominal of Christians in the Old Testament prophecies, covenant theology, New Testament narrative, even h

  The Rock of Doxology  It had been so long. We hadn’t taken a trip like this in years – a quick get-away, just the two of us. She needed a pleasant surprise (but not too surprising if you know my lovely wife) and I needed a getaway be it ever so brief. Possible? Well, the pandemic was in a valley not on a peak. And, Fall break would be ideal. Hmmm. Now, where? What would the budget allow? I had been in Colorado a couple of times in the past few years. She hadn’t been there since high school. Hmmm. I typed “Google flights” into my web browser and clicked on the link. “Where to?” it asked. I typed “Denver.” Then I typed my dates – fly out on a Monday morning, fly back late Wednesday. Yeah, I know, crazy, but it’s all that the budget would allow. I hit “return” and Google flights did the rest. As the options popped up, I couldn’t believe it. $105 RT! “Oh Lord, thank you! That would work!”   Would there be an Airbnb, cheap enough and decent enough in the mountains, not too far from Denver