Recently a professor at Princeton wrote about his professional disappointments and went so far as to publish a “CV of failures.” He bravely posted degree programs he did not get into and academic positions for which he was rejected. He…
A church myth that needs to die
Every church has a few persistent traditions and myths that just will not die. Some are unique to a particular church, like these that I’ve encountered: “Our youth group only goes on retreats to Happy Valley Camp. All other options…
Gun violence: An interview with Lorraine
It began as a normal day. After finishing breakfast Lorraine placed a peck on the cheek of her husband, uttered a quick “I love you,” before heading out to the grocery story to purchase milk to replenish the jug emptied…
Beware when religion makes you feel nostalgic
I hear it all the time — nostalgia for the “olden days.” For some, it’s the innocence of childhood, for some it’s the boom-time of the 1950s or the 1990s. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville,…
The shame is mine: ‘Roots’ 2016
This week I was one among the millions who watched A&E’s powerful and devastating “re-imagination” of the epic miniseries Roots, brought to the small screen for a new audience against the not-so-new backdrop of this, the latest iteration of the…
Letting go of the illusion of superhero pastor
It has been two months now since I made a spreadsheet for a cost analysis of commercial rolls of toilet paper and paper towels. Did you know that rolls of paper that tear off in neatly perforated, individual sheets cost…
At an ordination, a reminder that Jesus remains agonizingly relevant and radical
On June 20, 1971, I was ordained to the gospel ministry — so the ordination certificate reads to this day. I reread it from time to time, still wondering what in the world it means to be a gospel minister….
A call for renewed servant leadership at Baylor
A 1996 song by Paula Cole states: Where is my John Wayne? Where is my prairie song? Where is my happy ending? Where have all the cowboys gone? Now that I’ve got that tune stuck in your head, as I…
A prescription for hurry sickness
Perhaps you’re symptomatic. Impatient in the checkout line. Irritated in traffic. Hitting the “door close” button the second you step onto the elevator. Chronically short of time, rushing from one thing to the next. You may be coming down with…
Being irresponsible in a world which doesn’t understand being responsible
“Because I’m irresponsibly mad …” — Sammy Cahn Some friends are reporting recently that they have been “adulting.” Emblematic of this is one woman’s recent decision to purchase tires rather than more shoes. These are the sorts of decisions that…
Baylor can go further in addressing sexual assault
The world of college football was rocked last week — at least that’s what they tell me — when Baylor University demoted president Ken Starr and fired football coach Art Briles after the university’s board of regents received the results…
Painful lessons from a pastor’s viral transgender post
“Does God still love me?” That is one of the most painful questions I have been asked in the past two weeks after writing a commentary that went viral and made me a most unlikely spokesperson for the transgender community…