a blog by Keelan Cook
The following is a post I wrote shortly after returning from West Africa as a missionary. I share it again today really as a reminder to myself, and to share with you, about the great diversity that exists in the whole church when each local church has the freedom to worship in their own, cultural…
Continue reading ➞ Patchwork Church: The Beauty of Diverse Local Churches
An ancient fable relates the tale of a group of blind men upon their first encounter with an elephant. Having heard of an elephant before but not knowing anything about them, these men are given the opportunity to feel the creature in order to know what it is. In this story (which has been told…
I needed this post. I had a lot of fun choosing my 5 most entertaining posts for last week's Term in Review, but I needed to work through this week's post. It was medicine for my soul. Recently, I mentioned my lack of excitement about returning to the States, and as that time has quickly approached, I have…
Continue reading ➞ Term in Review: 5 biggest lessons learned
People do not smile enough. It is certainly true where I live, and rightly so. I currently live in a world where life is harder than most anyone who reads this could imagine. If you are reading this, you are sitting in front of a computer. Even if its not your own, you at least…
Continue reading ➞ Term in Review: 5 most entertaining posts
There is simply too much to say. If you have ever had someone pose a really deep question as you were pulling into the parking lot of your destination, then you understand the feeling. Instead of attempting to sum up the entirety of my two-year experience in 1000 words or less, I am opting to…
Before she woke up this morning, the small group of us here began celebrating her birthday. The 4th of July is a different experience overseas. You do not drive up and down streets dressed in red, white and blue ribbons. There is no smell of hot dogs wafting from your neighbor’s yard. You do not…
In war, a soldier must wear his armor. In the throws of battle, one must be able to identify friend from foe. Enter the Christian t-shirt. Blasting out the message of faith in full silk-screen style, you were masterpieces of poly-cotton blend art. Classy and thought-provoking, you challenged t-shirt readers everywhere with the full out,…
The following is a reaction to a post by Dr. Ray Van Neste on his blog, Oversight of Souls. Read that post first. I came to Africa to share the gospel with moralists. In reality, I believe that term embodies the worldview of the people here. These people are a very religious people. They believe…
This post comes with an assignment. Before you go any further, you need to read Acts 5:12- 42. This post will make a lot more sense if you do. The word of God is powerful. As a matter of fact, the best words I can use to describe it are the ones it uses…
I saw you on Monday. I was in the cafeteria eating spaghetti with corn, and like an angel, you floated into the room, you and your posse of six other girls. It was love at first bite. As you stood in the lunch line, shining with radiant beauty, I made my move. I went for…
