Episode 060 – Navigating Toward LGBTQ Affirmation (or How I became an Affirming Pastor) My journey from the Traditionalist view to becoming a fully Affirming pastor, with a perspective on a Gospel path to full Inclusion. This is a recorded version of the same presentation I gave at the Open Table Conference School of Theology […]
Is Shame Keeping us from Following Jesus?
Jesus washing the disciples’ feet in the Upper Room is a scene familiar to most of us. He stands up from the dinner table. He removes his outer robe and wraps himself in a towel, the garb of a house slave. He picks up a pitcher of water and moves toward his friends to do […]
What do you mean, “God’s ways are higher?”
Bad things happen. When they do, not only is it painful, often it’s also confusing. Questions nag. How did this happen? Who’s to blame? The questions become more pointed for those who believe God intervenes on behalf of good people. In fact, the more a person believes that God controls every single aspect of existence, […]
Lent is Exactly What We Need.
Not many years ago, I observed Lent for the first time. I grew up Christian, but the church I was part of didn’t pay attention to the ancient liturgical calendar. Frankly, things like that were too “traditions of man” for us, and if I’m being honest, too Catholic. In our sectarian pride, we didn’t think […]
Responding When The Zone is Flooded
An infamous political strategist, speaking of the plans of the current U.S. regime, said that the way they would overcome the resistance of their opposition and the limits of Constitutional boundaries was to “flood the zone”—essentially to overwhelm people with uncertainty, fear, and indecision. With new Executive Orders being issued almost daily, and the ensuing […]
What is a spiritual life? Do I have one?
Few words are quite as squishy as “spiritual.” Some avoid using it because it’s open to so many interpretations. After all, the term is used by all sorts of people, probably even people who disagree with you! Yet, I think spiritual is a worthy and helpful word. Note: This post, first published on 9/12/2022, is an edited […]
Constantine wasn’t the problem. Here’s why that matters today.
Of course, Constantine is worthy of criticism on many fronts. He was one of the earliest celebrity conversions we know of. He may have been the first high-profile person to convert to Christianity for purposes unrelated to Jesus. And certainly, He was a bloody, vindictive Emperor who used the violent power of his station to […]
Two Preachers React to God’s Love. Which One Speaks for You?
How far would you be willing to go to ensure that the folks you hate don’t receive God’s mercy? That’s the question that lies at the heart of the Jonah story. Most people think the whaleis the point, but that’s a distraction. Let’s briefly recall the story. And then I’ll share a fascinating connection with […]
Hey Church, What Are We Building?
Standing on a broad, grassy hill in central Türkiye, I had a revelation. The hill was thick with thistles, periodically broken through by irregular bleached stones. It lay about a mile south of a rural highway, surrounded by farmland. If you stumbled on the site accidentally, you’d have no idea what you were looking at […]
No, Love Does Not Require Unity.
I’ve not experienced a time that felt more divided. Pick the area of discourse, and people are forming camps, drawing lines of who is in and who is out, and naming the folks on the other side of the line as enemies. The emotional temperature seems to ping-pong between frustration and rage. In this environment, […]
“Biblical Womanhood is Christian Patriarchy.” We can do better.
I’ll start with the conclusion: Followers of Jesus are called to join him in his mission. In case we get confused, he defined his mission for us in Luke’s gospel. . If our message and actions don’t bring good news to the poor, freedom to prisoners, sight to the blind, and freedom to the oppressed, […]
Starting over sucks. Starting over gives life.
This summer, I’ve been playing a video game with my son. This is his territory; he gets to be the expert. I get to spend time with him. The game we’re playing is called Valheim. It’s a Viking-themed survival game where you gather resources, craft new technology, and try to stay alive when the monsters […]
When the Garden runs wild.
I’ve been working to remove unhelpful metaphors from my thinking these days. In our accomplishment-focused, hustle-paced world, many of our central metaphors are mechanistic. We’re thinking of our hearts and our minds like machines, or assembly lines, or computers. These metaphors, however, do us harm because we are not machines.
Consider Your (Inner Life) Gardening Tools
Hustle culture surrounds us. Coaches and motivational speakers offer the secrets to productivity. We’re motivated (or maybe warned) that we all have the same 24 hours! The implied question is, “Why aren’t you making the most of yours?” Even pastors and spiritual coaches, who you’d think would know better, add to the noise. Do more. […]
Your Heart is a Garden
Increasingly, the passage of time seems a blur. We’re already a month into 2023! These midwinter months push us inward. Blankets, sweaters, and hot beverages are tangible evidence of our desire for sanctuary and peace. Yet, instead of going into hibernation, this inward drive can provide a natural time for reflecting on who we are. […]