Author Archives: Rick Wadholm

A Church I Can Believe In

Posted on October 18, 2015 by Rick Wadholm

A major issue in our western consumerist culture is that consumerist concerns are immediately applied to the way Church is viewed and practiced.  What can be offered for me?  What do I gain by being a part of this congregation?  … Continue reading →

Posted in Church, Pastor | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Random Reflections on Tongues as Gifted Sign

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Rick Wadholm

Let’s be honest (and I’m saying this as a Pentecostal practitioner, minister and professor)…speaking in tongues is weird. I really can not get away from that. It seems illogical. It seems meaningless. It seems crazy. Paul even admitted as much … Continue reading →

Posted in Karl Barth, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Greek Manuscripts, Mark 1 and Nomina Sacra

Posted on September 12, 2015 by Rick Wadholm

I offer the following brief look at a facsimile of one early Greek manuscript of the New Testament which I use in my Hermeneutics course to speak to both the original manuscripts and to utilizing our translations more effectively. The … Continue reading →

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Three Things That Keep Me in My Church Tradition

Posted on September 9, 2015 by Rick Wadholm

Rather than simply answer in the comments section to Dan’s post about “What Keeps You In Your Church Tradition?,” I have decided to reply via a post and offer it as my own personal answer (because I have in fact … Continue reading →

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What Defines Us?

Posted on September 8, 2015 by Rick Wadholm

In a recent conversation with Andrea Wheeldon (a PAOC minister and friend, and staff member at Providence Theological Seminary), we were discussing what we are known by as the local church.  There are many who have identified themselves by their … Continue reading →

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Counterpoint Series and The Socratic Club

Posted on September 7, 2015 by Rick Wadholm

Several other faculty members of Trinity and I started a “Socratic Club” this last year on campus (on the origins of such a group see this short synopsis). We gather every Thursday night and discuss matters primarily biblical, philosophical, literary, … Continue reading →

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You are a Wild Donkey in Heat

Posted on August 24, 2015 by Rick Wadholm

I’m fairly certain we prefer a sanitized Bible. I’m even more certain we prefer sanitized worship songs. This morning we sang that epic wave-making worship limerick by John Mark McMillan: “so heaven meets earth, like a sloppy wet kiss…” and … Continue reading →

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A Dirty Secret About Me

Posted on August 14, 2015 by Rick Wadholm

Here it is… Wait for it… I LOVE pastoring and I love my congregation and I love my community!  Okay.  So that isn’t “dirty,” nor a “secret,” but it is about me. 🙂  I have found too often when speaking … Continue reading →

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The Suffering Pastor

Posted on August 13, 2015 by Rick Wadholm

No thanks, Matthew Mason.  I don’t want to “fill up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ” (Col. 1:24).  I want my best life now. (Crying like a baby) Er…I guess actually I don’t.  What I really want is … Continue reading →

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Holiness with a Body

Posted on August 12, 2015 by Rick Wadholm

As I prepared to take my congregation through the book of Leviticus I came upon this marvelous quote: “As revealed in Leviticus, the holy is not an abstract, metaphysical concept hanging in thin air.  Rather it is the essential quality … Continue reading →

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