“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” These words from Genesis 1:27 are among the first and most important statements in Scripture about the mysterious class of creatures known as human beings. In a world full of countless created wonders, [...]
Prayers and Politics
Unfortunately, this script is starting to become familiar. A mass shooting takes place. A group of grieved and angry people react by calling for stricter gun control laws. A second group of grieved and angry people react to the first group by admonishing them not to politicize a tragedy. The first group says, “Well, your [...]
Small Acts of Mercy
As a follower of Jesus, I have been called to be an agent of justice in a battered world. And if you’re a follower of Jesus, then so have you. We’re not meant to sit around and watch as the needy are neglected and the vulnerable are exploited. We’re meant to step into the fray, [...]
We’re All Donald Trump
In the early days of his presidency, some dubbed him the nation’s “Tweeter in Chief.” And not without cause. Donald Trump’s prolific (and often uncensored) use of social media has revolutionized the way we view the presidential office. Gone are the days of having to wait for a few brief and measured statements at an [...]
When the Judges Go on Trial
Sometimes I wonder what on earth is going on with this world. One of those times was a few evenings ago when I (finally!) got around to watching one of the most acclaimed films of 2015, Spotlight. (Hey, it’s hard to stay on top of movies when your kids just want to watch Moana for the ninety-seventh time!) [...]
Questions and Answers
Getting our questions answered is easier than ever. This morning I was wondering how many stairs there are in the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. And in the time it would take you to snap your fingers, I had already found out. I didn’t have to track down someone who had inside knowledge of [...]
Christmas Brings the Future Near
As you approach the very end of your Bible, you’ll encounter a passage that has been a longstanding source of comfort and hope for weary souls: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I [...]
My 6 Favorite Reads of 2017
Each year, I give myself a reading goal and work hard to meet it. Not because I want to be legalistic and bind myself to some arbitrary bar of achievement. But because I find that a steady, disciplined commitment to spending time in the company of books can often lead to an unexpected array of [...]
Where It All Begins
How can we as a church embrace a more comprehensive approach to spiritual formation and discipleship? That was the question I posed at the end of this past Sunday’s sermon in an effort to spark some creative thinking about what it might look like for us to become more diligent caretakers of creation. After seeing [...]
A Very Different Question
You’ve probably been in a situation before where you’ve been asked by a friend or coworker about your church. And more likely than not, one of the questions that might have accompanied such a conversation would have been one like this: “What sorts of things are you doing in the church?” Unless you’re brand new, [...]
