Episode 038 – Would Jesus call you (or your church) Satan? “Get behind me, Satan!” Those are the words Jesus said to Peter. Yikes! But as I survey the current landscape of Christianity, I wonder if Jesus is saying this to us, or to our churches. In this episode, I reflect on what Jesus meant […]
Jeremiah’s words for Christians in 2020.
The circumstances we find ourselves in are not what we would have chosen. COVID is still killing more than a thousand people in the U.S. each day, and there seems to be no coherent plan on the horizon to address this. Protests against police brutality have continued—in Portland, we’ve passed 130 consecutive days—and yet there […]
Looking for God in all the wrong places – Interview with Paul J. Pastor (TAW037)
Episode 037 – Looking for God in All the Wrong Places – Interview with Paul J. Pastor Do you sometimes feel like your spiritual life is supposed to be in color, but you can only see it in black & white? Do you worry that we might be numb to God’s presence? Are you looking […]
Are we listening to false prophets?
Imagine two preachers coming to blows right in front of the congregation. The first preacher said hard words. The second preacher disagreed! He was so offended he kicked the podium over and took a swing. Crazy picture? Unlikely? Well, that’s about what happened between Jeremiah and Hananiah, sometime around 580 BC. Even more strange? This […]
Don’t Avoid Starting Over (TAW036)
Episode 036 – Don’t Avoid Starting Over I like knowing stuff. I like being seen as a good person. I love being an expert. Weird that I became a pastor, right? But here’s the thing. As much as I like this stuff, I’ve discovered it’s not very good for me. Turns out that being an […]
Do we have the courage to stop racial injustice?
Sitting in my home just outside of Portland, Oregon, I am only nine miles from the small square of blocks outside the Justice Center that has seen 90 nights straight of protesting that began in response to the police killing George Floyd. I’m also about 46 miles and 176 years away from where the Oregon […]
Your Values are Showing! (TAW035)
Episode 035 – Your Values are Showing! Pain is a terrible thing to waste. At least, that’s what my Trauma Therapist friend says. So, how are we using the pain of this difficult time of pandemic and protests so that we can be better people? This is part 3 of my 3 part conversation with […]
A Prayer & Process for Remaining Grounded in a Chaotic World
Emotions are running high. Uncertainty is growing. The future seems less clear than ever before. With the never-ending stream of news and social media, we are now more aware of the struggles faced by people around the world. It’s all overwheming. We need an anchor.
The 5 Stages of Pandemic Grief (TAW034)
Episode 034 – The 5 Stages of Pandemic Grief We are going through deep weeds right now — pandemic, protests, unemployment, so many losses — and it doesn’t look like it’s going to get better any time soon. But there’s one important factor that will determine how well we deal with all of it. We […]
Building Hope When We Feel Hopeless
Are you feeling the need for hope? I sure am. The pandemic, protests, and generational pain from ignored racial injustice have given rise to anger and uncertainty. The incessant machinery of news & social media amplifies this into outrage and anxiety. After four months of COVID-19 with no end in sight, we’re starting to realize […]
Why are we feeling so crazy, and what can we do about it – Trauma response in the time of pandemic & protests (TAW033)
Episode 033 – Why are we feeling so crazy, and what can we do about it – Trauma response in the time of pandemic & protests Covid-19, Masks, Quarantine, and now protests against racial injustice and police brutality? If you’re feeling overwhelmed, or depressed, or angry, or confused, you are not alone. Why are we feeling […]
Pentecost, Breathing & George Floyd (TAW032)
Episode 032 – Pentecost, Breathing & George Floyd This is the air I breathe! My heart broke open this week as I watched the events unfold around the murder of George Floyd, and the protests and riots that followed. At the same time, I was studying the lectionary passages for Pentecost. This is an edited […]
Pentecost, Breathing & George Floyd
Note: This is the text of my Pentecost sermon from 5/31/2020. In this particular moment in American history, it seems essential for white Christians to speak up, if only because our silence has spoken for us for too long. I am not an expert in this topic, but I am listening and learning, and have […]
COVID, Suffering & Jesus (TAW031)
Episode 031 – COVID, Suffering & Jesus How are you doing with this COVID-19 thing? Are you afraid? Are you angry? Are you confused by all the different information about what to do? Are you just ready for it to be over? I get it. I’ve been all those things, and my feelings change from […]
It’s OK to Miss Your People!
Both my daughter and wife had birthdays this week. In normal years, this week overflows with events and gatherings celebrating these two wondrous humans. This year? Not so much. As I’m writing this, our county and state are no longer in full shelter-in-place mode, but also not fully into the first stage of slowly re-opening. […]