Category: Articles
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That Ain’t It
If you’re looking for high drama and political intrigue, you’re not likely to find much of it here in Tippecanoe County, Indiana. Our humble little slice of America isn’t exactly the most exciting or influential of places. But in the past few weeks, a notable controversy has captured headlines and caused quite the stir. It…
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Fact and Fiction
I saw a sign in front of a bookstore not too long ago. It said, “A book a day keeps reality away.” I thought it was cute. And witty. And an unfortunate expression of what I believe to be a completely misguided cultural notion about books, reading, and the benefits thereof. Remember the classic Beauty…
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Resistance Is Freedom
There’s nothing enjoyable about the sound of an alarm on a January morning when the hour hand is still flirting with the number four. This is no time for human consciousness. This is no time for physical exertion. This is a time for burrowing deep into memory foam and cotton sheets. But downstairs a pair…
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My 6 Favorite Reads of 2021
A lot has changed since 2016, but one reliable constant throughout these tumultuous times has been my end-of-the-year reading recap. Those who have been around for awhile now may remember how this works. As I look back on the books I’ve spent time with since the start of the year, I set aside the six…
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Some Other Beginning’s End
The end is near. Almost. After four installments and over 8,000 words, my quest to pull back the curtain on my faith evolution is finally approaching its end. I’ve tried my best to distill a years-long process into a few key turning points. Despite leaving out plenty of details and glossing over numerous issues that…
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Closing Day
Faith evolution is like selling a house. It begins with a series of small detachments: planting a sign in the yard, letting strangers wander through your rooms, packing possessions into boxes, entertaining offers, negotiating terms. These are the initial, necessary steps toward no longer living where you used to. They’re partial little goodbyes. But the…
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Truck Shopping
If I had to catalogue all the dates that have been noteworthy in my journey of spiritual evolution, December 10, 2017 would definitely be on the list. At the time, I was the preaching pastor of a church I had served for over seven years, and I was in the middle of a holiday sermon…
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Sleeper Agents
Here’s a plot idea for an action-packed summer blockbuster: A quiet suburban housewife lives on a tree-lined street with her clean-cut husband and a pair of well-groomed kids. She drives a station wagon, attends the school PTA meetings, and occasionally bakes casseroles for her elderly neighbors. Anyone who drives past her house while she’s outside…
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Back to the Start
The spiritual road I’ve traveled hasn’t always been the one I’ve expected. I’ve taken turns I didn’t plan to take and ended up on roads I didn’t know existed. There have been dead ends, detours, and more than a few flat tires. If you trace my steps (Family Circus style!), the resulting path would look…
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When Will We Ever Use This?
It’s only a matter of time. Maybe it will happen in the middle of another futile attempt to explain the difference between direct and indirect objects. Maybe it will happen while pointing out that no, alliterations are not the same as allusions, neither of which are related to allegories or analogies, oh and by the…