Jesus Christ is above party and nation. Confessing Christ is a political statement. If Jesus is Lord, Caesar is not. This means speaking truth to power, regardless of the stance taken by our favorite cable news outlet (or that of our Facebook friends).
Making a ‘faith bet’: Discerning God’s will includes ‘rolling the dice’
In our journey to know God’s will, after we have prayed, sought appropriate counsel, considered circumstances, studied scripture and used the brains given to us by God, we eventually have to “put our money down” and make a faith bet.
The subversive gift of children
The Bible’s accounts of children provide subversive stories which expose pride, hatred and entrenched, institutionalized evil. These stories remind us that our attitudes toward children reveal much about what is in our own hearts regarding all marginalized and devalued people.
Preaching on #metoo and #churchtoo
The biblical stories remind us that our lies, cover-ups, excuses and foot-dragging do not make the national blight of sexual misconduct go away.
Does a seminary education stick?
Every pastor needs ancient reservoirs to sustain relevant ministry.
Check your idols at the church door. Trinket gods aren’t worth much.
Let’s name these false deities security, convenience and control. These are not three separate gods. They are the same idols, simply described in different ways, each highlighting different connotations and pointing in slightly different trajectories.
Easter jujutsu: A supple, flexible and pliable way to respond
Instead of flailing and screaming against the powers of darkness, we could allow God to transform them into opportunities to trust and grow. When our enemy’s face comes to mind, we could pray for her by name and ask God to bless her. When some controversy hovers over our church family, we could ask what new thing the Spirit is teaching us.
You CAN go home again
When we use our imaginations, our grief and loss have the potential to become the silent, fertile seedbed for redemptive, life-giving deeds.
Political correctness and biblical correctness: What if they’re sometimes the same?
There is a reason we use language carefully. Words matter. They have the power to exclude others and to create hurtful categories.
It’s time for U.S. Christians to discern our kairos
We don’t need more court preachers who have sold their souls for a mess of political porridge. We need prophets who will stand above partisan wrangling in order to speak truth to power.
Making God smile through music
During the recent Advent season, I challenged my congregation to savor the music of the holidays, and to listen with fresh ears to both the lyrics and melodies which carry our deepest longings and joys. As usual, in attempting to…
Hoping for more ethical national conversation? Read the instructions.
What if we did a non-partisan, year-end inventory of how well our public servants have measured up alongside the Decalogue, God’s Big Ten, found in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5?