Every couple years I put on my accountant hat and crunch numbers. Not the tax-paying accountant hat I put every year by April 15 and sweat over numbers. My number-crunching-accountant hat is the one I put on when I start…
Christians, guns, and the myth of redemptive violence
“How many more daughters, sons, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, uncles, cousins, husbands, wives, friends—people created by and in the very image of God—have to die a horrific death before Americans will learn to lay down their guns?”…
Saying goodbye to a mentor and friend
By Roger Olson When I look back over my life and career, I can confidently say there was no more important influence on my theological development than Dr. Ralph Powell who passed away at age 96 on Aug. 7 in…
Anyone for a little ‘tarof’?
I confess that I miss the back fence neighbors we had in South Carolina. On each side of us, all you had to do was walk out the door and there was someone ready to offer a smile, a chat,…
Prodigals and those who love them
Even if you are the parent of a child who has never rebelled, been in trouble, or broken your heart, please read the rest of this blog. If you have never encountered a day of difficulty in raising your children,…
Mistaken identity
By Bill Leonard A case of “mistaken identity”– that’s what the authorities called the killings at the Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wis., only days after the mass murder of 12 people in a movie theater in Aurora, Colo. Mistaken…
Mistaken identity
By Bill Leonard A case of “mistaken identity”– that’s what the authorities called the killings at the Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wis., only days after the mass murder of 12 people in a movie theater in Aurora, Colo. Mistaken…
Mistaken identity
By Bill Leonard A case of “mistaken identity”– that’s what the authorities called the killings at the Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wis., only days after the mass murder of 12 people in a movie theater in Aurora, Colo. Mistaken…
Find meaning
Not all stories have happy endings, but by the grace of God all stories may acquire meaning. Face it. Told one way, our lives become tales of loss. Lost youth, loves, jobs, opportunities, integrity, health, family, friends, energy, vision, hope—there…
The Church’s great rummage sale
Once more with feeling: The demise of traditional Protestant congregations has been greatly exaggerated. Yes, mainline denominations have been losing members for a number of years. Yes, many churches are dwindling in number and resources and even closing. And yes,…
The outward-oriented church
By Bill Wilson Tom Ehrich, one of my favorite thinkers about church in the 21st century, recently told me he is down to one pivotal question for the congregations he works with: “Is your primary orientation inward or outward?” He…
The outward-oriented church
By Bill Wilson Tom Ehrich, one of my favorite thinkers about church in the 21st century, recently told me he is down to one pivotal question for the congregations he works with: “Is your primary orientation inward or outward?” He…