Methodist Blogs Weekly Roundup # 34

Here's the week in review in the Methodist blogosphere:

Steven Manskar examined the language of the UMC mission statement.

James Gibson said that Ashley Smith has been exploited by Christian leaders.

Andy Bryan shared his thoughts about the probationary step in the UMC ordination process.

Chris Morgan wrote about the utility of math skills.

At Bandits No More, Steve Heyduck blogged about the decline of customer service and teaching Intelligent Design in schools. Richard Heyduck wrote about attitudes in work quality in the church, Intelligent Design and worldviews, and how the UMC should address higher education (Best of the Methodist blogosphere!).

Ben Witherington examined movies marketed to families.

Betty Newman prayed for people sandwiched between kids and parents, judgmentalism in worship, and that people be content to serve God where they are.

Will Willamon wrote about spiritual 'ambulance chasing' (Best of the Methodist blogosphere!).

Brian Russell wrote about a Biblical orientation of the value of humanity.

At Christian Dissent, Josh Tinley wrote about how becoming a Christian should impact one's views of homosexuality and Cole Wakefield wrote about how our society should treat sex offenders.

At Connexions, Richard Hall wrote about the validity of the Bible and the virtue of trust.

Contending for the Faith blogged about the potential sinfulness of music and hatefulness in Christian debate.

Dave Warnock shared his thoughts about circuit riding and changes in the Methodist Church (UK).

Dean Snyder wrote about how his church is standing with Beth Stroud and the views of a German UMC bishop on the Iraq War.

Derek Tang wrote bite-sized commentaries on various issues in the NFL.

Donald Sensing wrote about Bush's criticism of Islam.

Steve Heyduck wrote that God doesn't love people selectively.

Gerry Charlotte Phelps wrote about how to help poor people overcome dysfunctionality, helping people make radical, life-changing decisions, and developing good work habits.

Gospel According to the Hood blogged about the necessity of social justice for true gospel transformation, weighed the virtues of the Augsburg, Westminster, and Tridentine Confessions, and that he is a Methodist, in part, because of the traditional Wesleyan emphasis on social concerns.

Greg Crofford wrote that Bush is stingy when natural disasters occur, memories of the family tractor, and why he writes his blog in both English and French.

Greg Hazelrig wondered if he should have stopped a drunk driver and wrote about living in obedience to Christ.

Gregory Lee wrote about learning from the doxology and the temptation clause in the Lord's Prayer.

Inside Mike's Head wrote that blogging is a model for the Church.

John Wilks blogged about humanity's utter lack of fidelity to God, as displayed by the Israelites at Mt. Sinai.

Jordan Cooper shared his views about conservative Christians who think that God punished New Orleans with Hurricane Katrina.

Jonathon Norman wrote about UMC bureaucracy and spiritual amnesia.

Ken Carter blogged about the delusion of trying to save the world all by yourself.

Larry Hollon wrote about the psychological need for community, the decline of mainstream media formats, efforts to bring computer technology to very poor nations, the decline of e-mail as a medium of communication, peacemaking in Africa, neglecting the poor in church planting decisions (Best of the Methodist blogosphere!) and gas prices.

Maobi blogged about taxes and tithing (or something like that).

Matt Collins wrote that support for abortion grows out of a disrespect for personal responsibility.

Matthew Johnson blogged about the Disciple Bible study series.

Craig Moore was greatly moved by reading Brian McLaren's A Generous Orthodoxy and wrote about his distrust of the Wesleyan Quadrilateral.

Wes Magruder, a missionary in Cameroon, has been having problems working with the US State Department.

Dan Gates wrote about the UMC's 'open' slogan and that Methodists are brain dead.

Lorna Koskela blogged about teaching at her church, how Jesus spread the gospel, female pastors in the UMC, hidden truth that she discovered in Isaiah 57, and forms of worship.

Smallest Angel is clearly struggling with the concept of 'comedy'.

Methotaku is worried that conservatives might be right on some issues.

Thoughts from a Clay Pot pondered the cycle of life and death in the natural environment of New England. He also thinks that we should stop focusing on what teens want out of church and what they need out of the church (Best of the Methodist blogosphere!)

Tim Sisk was a Baptist minister before he became a Methodist and he has fascinating insights on church unity (Best of the Methodist blogosphere!)

TNRamblings had a cancer scare.

Tony Mitchell wrote that the UMC has forgotten its former boldness.

Shane Raynor blogged about his sexism, UMC bureaucracy and the new Disciple Bible study series.

Corrections? Additions? Do you know of a blog that should be included in the Methodist Blogs Weekly Roundup (MBWR)? Leave a note in the comments or e-mail locustsandhoney2005 at yahoo dot com!