friendship

A Field Guide To Being a Man

“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” (1 Corinthians 16:13-14)

The Jagged Word has always been a place that encourages meaningful conversation about what is happening in the Church as it intersects with, reacts to, and challenges current cultural trends. The friends that make up The Jagged Word and have written every week for the last few years have found that there are some common topics that tend to come up over and over again. While we certainly see topics of all things church reoccur, such as worship or preaching, we have also noticed that there has been an ongoing discussion about what it means to be a man.

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The Enduring Importance of Friendship

By Graham Glover –

This past weekend, I spent an evening with two of my closest friends from childhood. I’ve known these men since I was in sixth grade. One was my best friend and high school debate partner. The other is married to my wife’s best friend and is the father of our godchild (who is my daughter’s best friend). I was in both of their weddings and baptized all their children. I haven’t lived in the same town as these guys for nine and a half years, but every time we get together, it’s as though little has changed. Life has taken us in somewhat different directions—one is an insurance agent, another is a lawyer, and I am a clergyman—but there remains a bond of friendship between us that will never break.

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Drink of the Week: Kyoto Dream

By Paul Nelson –

There is a comfort in settling in with a set of drinks that you know you and those around you like and enjoy. It takes a certain amount of pressure off. That’s where I’ve been settled for the past couple of months. Content. Preparing a rotation of a dozen or so drinks (when we’re hosting), and more often enjoying a subset of those with my wife when we’re making dinner together (mojitos, Manhattans, pisco sours, sazeracs, and Aperol spritzes). 

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Longing for the Robot Apocalypse

By Paul Koch –

Last taco Tuesday, I sat next to my buddy Tim at our usual spot. Televisions surrounded us above the bar and throughout the whole cantina. Almost all of them had some sort of sports on display from the LA Dodgers to the beginning of NFL training camps to just about anything you might find amusement in (even the terrible game of soccer). But every once and a while, a particular TV will stream the daily news that exists outside of the sports world as a sort of reprieve from the rest of the familiar storylines.

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The Struggle of a 0.5 Percenter

By Graham Glover –

At any given time, there are less than 0.5% of Americans serving in any capacity in the Armed Forces of the United States. Let that sink in for a moment. Less than ½ of 1% of our population is currently serving in any branch – in any component (Active or Reserve) of our military. That is a staggering statistic! That 0.5% preserves the possibility for our democratic republic to survive for the remaining 99.5% is simply mind boggling.

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The Body of Christ as a Local Gang

By Paul Koch –

Every congregation is its own unique entity, not completely separate from others but also not a simple reproduction. A gathering of God’s people around his Word and gifts will be impacted by those very people, and so it will display a unique character as the blessings of God impact a particular people in a particular time and place. This means that every congregation will have its own ethos that permeates how it worships, makes decisions, and views itself in the cultural landscape.

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What makes a Wonder Woman?

By Cindy Koch –

Sugar, spice, and everything nice—what are little girls made of? As a mother to four little girls, I have undoubtedly asked this question since the day they were born. Parents are created to encourage and teach their children to the best of their ability. And for years I have asked this question of each daughter: Who is she? Who will she become? What makes this little person?

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Meeting Melanchthon: The Early Years

By Scott Keith –

Early Life and Education:

Philip(p) was born to George and Barbara Schwarzerdt in Bretten in 1497. Philip had four siblings: Anna (1499), Georg (1500 or 1501), Margarete (1506), and Barbara (1508). All were born in his grandparents’ house in the Electoral Saxon Residential town of Bretten. Melanchthon’s father, Georg Schwarzerdt, born in Heidelberg, was a master of gunnery founding and was skilled in forging lightweight, durable armor. Because of his skills, Georg was elevated to the office of electoral master of armorer and thus needed to remain in Heidelberg. Melanchthon’s mother, Barbara, came from the wealthy merchant family of Reuter.

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The Joy of Camaraderie

By Ross Engel –

When Paul first approached me to be a part of The Jagged Word, his initial request was simply for me to run a campaign that would raise money for seminarians to enjoy a drink with their friends and buy them a book or two to help them prepare for ministry. I was excited to be invited into The Jagged Word family and to have a greater share in this brotherhood. Now, the Bell Ringer fund is a rather simple task. I show up at the two seminaries once a year, try to meet as many of the students as I can, enjoy a few drinks, get to know a few of the guys, and then pick a deserving young man to be the beneficiary of the Bell Ringer fund. (By the way, you can still donate to the Bell Ringer Fund for young Gabe! I’m hoping to raise $500 for this great future pastor!)

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Learning to Love the Label Gun

By Paul Koch –

Every now and then, I begin to long for a little anonymity in life. I long to be able to sit in the back, disappear from the conversations, and be a nameless participant whom no one can even remember whether or not showed up. I think it might be nice to keep my head down and keep to myself, not having to worry about what is going on in the Church or how we might best interact with our culture. Isn’t it enough to worry about what I’m doing and how I’m caring for my congregation and not care about what anyone else is doing?

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Law, Gospel and Friendship

By Caleb Keith –

Dear Jagged Mafia,

I let the month of February get the best of me. I was bummed out by some pastoral harassment and overwhelmed by the beginning of a new semester. I let these two things feed into my natural laziness, but it’s time to shake off the slump. With that in mind, I thought it would be appropriate to highlight the last two episodes of the Thinking Fellows podcast. On these two fantastic shows, the fellows and I were joined by none other than the Jagged Word’s very own Pastor Koch. On recording day, we enjoyed fine whiskey and pipe smoke while talking about friendship and preaching the Law and the Gospel. I personally believe that these are some of the best episodes we have ever recorded.

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Friendless Failure

By Paul Koch –

When I am asked to explain just what the hell we are doing on The Jagged Word, I usually begin my explanation with some reference to friendship. “It’s a few of my friends and I that write weekly in areas of theology and culture…” Or “My friends get to write freely and courageously as we sort of think out loud and try to encourage a conversation…” Or something along those lines. Friendship is deeply embedded within the ethos of what this is about, and I believe it is why we continue to grow and produce quality posts.

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“Unfriend”ship

By Cindy Koch –

We sit here today in a silent conversation. I type out the annoying voice in the back of my brain onto a white screen, and soon you will be reading these words in between the pretty pictures. I may be sitting outside of a quiet coffee shop my local strip mall, or I could be hiding from the chaos (called bedtime) in my backyard under the orange summer sunset. You could be reading this on your phone while waiting in the air-conditioned minivan, or you could be contemplating at your comfy familiar desk with a warm cup of coffee in hand. We have a conversation, you and I, but such a strange one.

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Learning from Belichick

By Bob Hiller –

Our country is divided over pretty much everything these days. In such times, it is helpful to remember that nothing unites quite like a common enemy. That is why I am thankful that the New England Patriots are back in the Super Bowl. Our collective disdain for ol’ Grumpy Bill and that disgustingly talented quarterback just might be what this nation needs to bring us together. Just think of the collective joy we would feel watching Matt Ryan march down the field with only seconds left on the clock to score a winning touchdown and rip the hearts out of the New England sideline. It just makes you want to hug your enemy, doesn’t it?

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Losing Friends

By Paul Koch –

At the heart of true rebellion and the core of every revolt is not tyranny, poverty, or the violation of perceived rights but friendship. And it is friendship that seems to be in short supply these days. Connected to millions through our screens, we butcher the title “friend” as we search in vain for some assurance that we will not be scattered across the land. Connected to everyone, we are not really connected to anyone.

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Lessons from a Son

By Paul Koch –

Last week, I travelled to Fort Wayne, Indiana for the 32nd Annual Symposium on Exegetical Theology and the 40th Annual Symposium on the Lutheran Confessions. These two conferences hosted back to back at the seminary are always packed full of great insights and discussion by top-notch scholars. To be sure, leaving the beautiful confines of Ventura, California to travel to Fort Wayne in the middle of January isn’t always to joyful undertaking. Nonetheless, I go every year. I go for the opportunity to learn and so that I might be a better pastor and teacher, but most of all I go because every year I gather together with a handful of very good friends. It is their presence, their laughter, their banter in the bars late into the night that make it all worthwhile.

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