Mike Wittmer

Month: January 2009

  • can you cheer for Cleveland and remain a Christian?

    Christian sports fans in Northeast Ohio will hit a new low this weekend.  The AFC championship game features the two teams we hate the most:  the Pittsburgh Steelers, our long-time rivals before we lost our team, and the Baltimore Ravens, who are that team we lost.  It’s obvious now that the Steelers-Browns rivalry never really…

  • real conversation

    Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit a Cornerstone class that is role playing its way through Don’t Stop Believing.  Four people address the topic of each chapter, with two representing a modern conservative viewpoint and two arguing for a postmodern innovator perspective.  They looked like they were having fun, and it was a special…

  • the next big thing

    What do you get when you combine America’s favorite book with everyone’s favorite mammal?  Have a look:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20Q32xIyoeo&eurl=http://whatswrongwiththeworld.net/&feature=player_embedded I hope this two minute commercial doesn’t inspire anyone’s sermons this Sunday (I’m looking at you, Joel Osteen).

  • faith and doubt

    Last week Julie and I took advantage of the free babysitting provided by our public school system to attend John Ortberg’s lecture on faith and doubt at Calvin College’s January Series.  I take every opportunity to hear great preachers (Neal Plantinga probably thinks I’m stalking him), so I was glad for the chance to hear…

  • and the word after that

    Seriously, this is the last time I am going to bring this up, but the questions surrounding Ed Dobson’s year of living like Jesus made the lead story in the Grand Rapids Press this morning.  You can access an online version of the article here:   http://www.mlive.com/living/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/01/ed_dobsons_walk_with_jesus_lea.html.  I am quoted near the end of the print article (apparently blogs…

  • new year resolutions for women

    My good friend Ann Byle, author of The Making of a Christian Bestseller (highly recommended for authors) and coauthor of Bethany Hamilton’s devotional for teenage girls (you may remember that Bethany’s arm was bitten by a shark a few years ago, an unfortunate event which strangely qualifies her to speak to the struggles of adolescent Christian girls; I don’t remember the title…

  • new year resolutions

    I hope I’m not too late for those of you making resolutions for the new year, but I just came across this list which I wrote in 1993.  I was in seminary at the time, and it occurred to me that while the chapel speakers in college and seminary had challenged me to do many…

  • the last word

    Here is a message which President Stowell and Ed Dobson posted on our campus bulletin board this morning.  I don’t think they would mind me posting it here, and in light of our recent discussion, I think some of you might be interested in hearing their point of view.  Keep in mind that only respectful…

  • why the auto bailout is partly my fault

    Unfortunately for Detroit, I have been driving the same car for 15 years—a 1990 Honda Civic CRX SI, which I bought used in 1993.  Before that I had a 1983 Ford Escort, which despite leaving me stranded on several occasions because it wouldn’t start, served me well until the passenger door fell off.  I tied…

  • good morning Ed Dobson

    Two weeks ago I mentioned Ed Dobson’s interview in the Grand Rapids Press and compared his comments on Obama with what Al Mohler said on his blog.  The Press article was picked up by U.S.A. Today, and last Sunday Ed was interviewed on ABC’s Good Morning America.  You can watch the 3 minute interview here:  http://abcnews.go.com/search?searchtext=ed%20dobson&type=…